I have an installation that monitors gates to a private estate. The mono camera facing the gate views the whole of the gate opening to give image of vehicle and occupants. There is also a mono camera on the same post monitoring the approach to exit the gate.

The problem that I am faced with is that at night the glare from the vehicle lights makes the number plate unrecognisable. If you train the camera on just the number plate you can read it fine but the vehicles/ number plates are never in the same position so on a fixed camera installation such as this is useless. I have contemplated the use of IR lamps but past experience has resulted in the number plates reflecting a bright glare also IR lamps are not cheap. I wondered that if installing IR lamps would be enough to drown the glare of headlights.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Haydn

Richmond Electronic Security

Dunno the solution but notice that a lot of Prisons and Army camps etc on the telly have a "Please switch off your headlights" notice. Presumably they have the same problem with reading numberplates.

Is it possible to place a (Hidden) camera behind any vehicles that pull up to the gate, so that the rear plate can be seen?

You could just fit a "Peak White Inverter" it eliminates highlights that cause auto iris lenses to stop down (eg. torches, car headlamps) by converting the highlights to a preset grey level. The grey level and the brightness threshold are fully adjustable.

Molynx Bewator do them.

Colin.

Panasonic have a number of cameras that deal with this problem effectively. The 830 (which I think may be obsolete) or the 920 range. They arent cheap but are really good at dealing with glare.

I think the CCD (chip) was known as the FIT chip. (Frame Interline Transfer). It works (from memory) by building the picture up in a slightly different manner.

Also the use of IR lamps with a correctly chosen filter should provide a usable image of the plate. Similar technology is used in ANPR cameras (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) but is expensive and a bit over the top.

You could always restrict the width of the entrance and provide a narrow field of view so that very little of the headlights are in frame.

I would recomend the installation of a peak white inverter. I have used them many times with success.

Samsung 720 colour/mono camera, wide dynamic, brilliant camera and copes with reading number plates, installed loads best colour/mono camera on the market i think..

Richard

Dunno the solution but notice that a lot of Prisons and Army camps etc on the telly have a "Please switch off your headlights" notice. Presumably they have the same problem with reading numberplates.

Is it possible to place a (Hidden) camera behind any vehicles  that pull up to the gate, so that the rear plate can be seen?

4790[/snapback]

The signs tell you to turn off your lights so you don't dazzle the guy on duty! It's been known for non-compliance resulting in an accidentally broken light if you know what I mean!!