Plate recognition parking: the cases the software must handle

When choosing a parking solution, many buyers only ask whether the camera can read plates. In practice, plate recognition is only the first step. The management software decides whether the car park runs smoothly, because it has to handle the cases below correctly.

This post goes through each group of cases: entry, exit, visits the system cannot decide on its own, history, identification methods and multi-station management, with how Sol26 Parking handles each group.

Vehicle entry

When a vehicle reaches the entry lane, the plate recognition camera reads the plate and the station application immediately shows the plate and vehicle image on the guard's screen. Each entry is stored as a separate record for matching on exit.

• Show the plate and vehicle image automatically, record the front image, entry time, and the driver's image and name
• Alert when the car park exceeds its allowed capacity
• Detect a duplicate plate against vehicles already inside
• Alert when a camera fails or cannot recognise a plate

The duplicate plate alert lets the guard see at the lane that a plate already has an entry but no exit. The cause may be a misread or an earlier exit that was not recorded, and both need checking before the vehicle is let in.

Vehicle exit

The software recognises the plate automatically as the vehicle leaves, compares it with the entry plate and shows the entry photo again so the guard can check visually. For paying visitors, the application shows the total fee for the visit as the vehicle exits.

• Recognise and match the exit plate against the entry plate automatically
• Reconcile automatically when several vehicles belong to one owner
• Let the guard handle mismatches manually, approving or rejecting case by case
• Search for a plate inside the car park when there is no match
• Alert when a vehicle is not recorded inside at check-out

Several vehicles under one owner is common in both apartment buildings and factories. The software reconciles automatically against the owner's registered vehicle list, so the guard does not have to look each visit up by hand.

When the system cannot decide

There will be visits where the camera cannot recognise the plate or the entry and exit plates do not match. The station application has manual handling built in for these: the guard searches for the vehicle by plate when there is no match, then accepts or rejects the exit in special cases.

The system raises an alert for vehicles that left through manual handling, and every decision is tied to an approver. When reviewing the history, managers can tell which visits the system passed automatically and which were decided by a guard.

History and reports

Every visit must be reviewable: entry and exit status, time, images, approver. Guards search by name or plate and handle cases from the history screen. Managers get traffic and revenue statistics by period, with charts and downloadable lists.

Several identification methods

Beyond plate recognition cameras, the system supports standard cameras, short-range cards for residents and staff, and long-range UHF tags for cars. Visitors receive a card, while visitor cars are not issued one and pay the guard directly on exit.

For apartment buildings, resident data such as plate, name, card and unit must sync with building management.

Multi-station management

One central application manages several stations, issues an account to each guard and activates or deactivates it when needed. This is mandatory for industrial parks and shopping centres with several gates.

Frequently asked questions

Can Sol26 Parking work with standard cameras?

Yes. The system supports both plate recognition cameras and standard cameras. The camera type for each lane is settled during survey and design.

What happens when the entry and exit plates do not match?

The visit moves to manual handling. The guard reviews the entry photo, searches for the plate in the car park and accepts or rejects the exit, and the decision is stored with the approver.

What does the software do when the car park is full?

It shows an alert when the number of vehicles inside exceeds the capacity configured for that car park.

How many lanes can one guard house computer handle?

The gate access software controls several vehicle lanes from one computer.