Milestone XProtect ® Analytics 2.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Target Audience for this Document This document is aimed at administrators of the Milestone XProtect Analytics – Dacolian LPR (License Plate Recognition) solution. This document provides detailed descriptions of how to install and configure XProtect Analytics for use with the Dacolian LPR plugin. It furthermore provides a number of targeted “how-to” examples, guiding administrators through completing common configuration tasks.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Copyright, Trademarks and Important Information Copyright © 2011 Milestone Systems A/S. Trademarks XProtect is a registered trademark of Milestone Systems A/S. Microsoft® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are trademarks of their respective owners.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Contents PRODUCT OVERVIEW ................................................. 6 Basic Data Flow .................................................................................... 7 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ............................ 8 UPGRADING FROM XPROTECT ANALYTICS 1.5 ......... 10 SERVER-SIDE INSTALLATION ................................... 11 Important Prerequisites .........................................................
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Viewing the Driver Log File .................................................................. 28 Viewing the Server Log File .................................................................. 28 Licensing ............................................................................................ 29 Specifying SLC and CLK to Upgrade ......................................................
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Product Overview Milestone XProtect Analytics provides an intelligent yet highly intuitive solution for video content analysis tasks such as license plate recognition (LPR), perimeter protection, left objects detection, etc. Depending on which video content analysis plugins are used with XProtect Analytics, you can work with: License plate recognition (LPR) Perimeter protection Detection of persons, vehicles, etc.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual XProtect Corporate is a premium multi-server video management system with central management of unlimited cameras, including full-fledged client access XProtect Transact is a transaction management system normally used for integrating data streams from cash registers, ATMs, etc. with time-linked video.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Hard Disk Space 100 MB free. Software Microsoft .Net 3.5 Framework with service Pack 1. DirectX 9.0 or newer. Analytics Alert Plugin, for more information about the Analytics Alert Plugin, see the document XProtect Analytics User’s Manual on the surveillance system software DVDs and also available from www.milestonesys.com. Tip: To check which DirectX version is installed on a computer, click Start, select Run..., and type dxdiag.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Upgrading from XProtect Analytics 1.5 If you are upgrading from XProtect Analytics 1.5 – LPR to XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR, see the Release Notes on the XProtect Analytics 2.2 software DVD for important information about how to perform the upgrade before completing the installation procedure outlined in this manual. www.milestonesys.com Page 10 Upgrading from XProtect Analytics 1.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Server-Side Installation Important Prerequisites XProtect Analytics works in tight integration with Microsoft Windows components as well as a range of different Milestone products.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Add the cameras you require for your analytics solution: If you have not already added the cameras you are going to use with your analytics solution to your XProtect Corporate system, open the XProtect Corporate Management Client (in some versions called the Manager), and use the Hardware Detection Wizard to add the cameras you require for use with video contents analysis.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual In the Source name field, type a descriptive name for your type of analytics data. In the Source providers list, select Analytics Transact Provider. Then click OK. 3. The Create Source window will open. Click the Add New… button. 4. You now get to specify a name for your source's configuration. If in doubt, give the configuration the same name as you specified for your source in step 2.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Alert Plugin for Smart Client installed. This plugin enables the Smart Client to display analytics data received through the surveillance system's XProtect Transact add-on component. Smart Client users download and install the plugin from the surveillance system server. The Smart Client should be installed first, then the plugin.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Guide, available on the XProtect Analytics software DVD or from www.milestonesys.com. Trial version? If installing a trial version, select Install 30 days trial and specify your user name and organization. When ready, click Next. 4. On the next wizard page, select the folder in which you want to install XProtect Analytics. Then click Next. 5. Click the Install button to begin the actual installation. 6.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual click the file AlertPluginServerInstaller_en-US.exe 2. The compressed alert plugin server-side installer automatically extracts itself and installs. Once it is installed, your surveillance server's Download Manager will confirm the installation. 3. The Download Manager's default configuration ensures that the alert plugin immediately will be visible for download from the surveillance server's download page.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual 2. In the XML file, edit the port number information so it matches the port number(s) specified on the Transact Administrator application's Server Settings tab. 3. Save the changes you have made to the XML file. www.milestonesys.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Dacolian LPR Administrator When all prerequisites (see page 11) are in place and you have installed the Dacolian LPR plugin, you have access to XProtect Analytics' Administrator application, which lets you manage your license plate recognition settings.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Save: Lets you save changes to your settings. Cut: Lets you cut an item for pasting somewhere else. Copy: Lets you copy an item for pasting somewhere else. Paste: Lets you paste an item copied or cut from somewhere else. Delete: Lets you delete an item. Add Server: Lets you specify a new surveillance system server (see page 20). Add LPR Connection: Lets you specify a new LPR connection (see page 22).
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Negative Lists on page 26 for more information. Save your configuration in the Administrator application. Make sure the Milestone Dacolian LPR Server service is running (restart it if required). See Managing the Dacolian LPR Server Service on page 28 for more information. If required, specify which surveillance system events should be triggered when license plates on—or not on—your lists are recognized.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Authentication: Specify the authentication method to be used when connecting to the surveillance system server. Background: o If connecting to an XProtect Professional or XProtect Enterprise server: Technically, XProtect Analytics will log in to your surveillance system with a user account set up through XProtect Professional’s or XProtect Enterprise’s Image Server Administrator.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Specifying LPR Connections Once XProtect Analytics has information about which surveillance system server(s) it should connect to, and hence which cameras are available, you can specify LPR connections. LPR connections define the exact analytics configuration for each camera you are going to use for license plate recognition.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Camera location: Optionally specify physical location of the selected camera; helpful in large installations. Minimum Confidence Level: Specify a value between 1 and 1000. The value determines the lowest acceptable confidence level for license plate recognition. If in doubt, use a value around 600.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual 7. Select the Stopping criteria tab. In the tab's Maximum complexity section, select the Maximum complexity level option, and specify 10 in the accompanying field. 8. Select the Character size tab. The tab will display two images; each image will display the text DACOLIAN in a pixel size matching the pixel sizes specified below each image.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual 11. Save the settings by clicking the Save button in the settings editor’s lower part. You will be asked to specify a name for the settings file. Give the file the same name as your LPR connection (you specified this name in step 2), and save the file in the folder containing your Milestone XProtect Analytics license plate recognition software.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Specifying Positive/Negative Lists Lists are lists of license plates that you want your analytics solution to treat in a special way. Once you have specified lists, you can use the Event Mapping Tool (see page 31) to make detections of license plates on lists trigger surveillance system events. Examples: A company HQ uses a list of executive management's company car license plates to grant executives access to a VIP parking area.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual (incorrect). Then click the Insert button to add the license plate to the list. Repeat for each required license plate. Import: Click the Import... button to browse for the required external list. For you to be able to import an external list, the following prerequisites must be in place: o The external list must have been saved in a .txt file format. o Each license plate must appear on a separate line in the .txt file.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Managing the Dacolian LPR Server Service To verify the status of the Milestone Dacolian LPR Server service, look at the server service status indicator in the bottom right corner of the Administrator application. Service is running: To stop the service, click the toolbar's Stop Server button. Service is stopped: To start the service, click the toolbar's Start Server button.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Licensing Your licences determine how you are able to use XProtect Analytics: Your Software License Code (SLC) determines your right to use a full version of the software. The SLC is a 13-character long combination of digits, letters and dashes (example: AB1-2345-CD67).
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual 6. You now have a fully working version with which you can use as many connections as allowed by your CLK: Specifying New CLK to Extend Number of LPR Connections 1. In the Administrator application, expand the License management folder. 2. Click the blue Entered CLK allows for # connections text to access the License management features. Tip: Note the MAC address for this machine field.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Event Mapping Tool The Event Mapping Tool is used for making analytics detections trigger surveillance system events. What happens when the surveillance system is triggered is highly individual as it depends entirely upon the configuration of your surveillance system. Example: In connection with license plate recognition, triggered events are often used to subsequently trigger output signals for raising of parking barriers, etc.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Toolbar Save: Lets you save changes to your settings. Cut: Lets you cut an item for pasting somewhere else. Copy: Lets you copy an item for pasting somewhere else. Paste: Lets you paste an item copied or cut from somewhere else. Delete: Lets you delete an item. Refresh: Lets you refresh the connection to the relevant XProtect Analytics plugin and its associated surveillance ser(s).
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Mapping Detections with Custom Events Use this method to trigger event buttons if connected to XProtect Professional or XProtect Enterprise systems, or to trigger user-defined events if connected to XProtect Corporate systems. 1. In the expandable list in the left side of the Event Mapping Tool, select the required analytics detection.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual This method can also be used for sending data about analytics detections to additional hosts, such as the Event Proxy Tool which lets you combine analytics detections in order to present them as one combined detection to users in the Smart Client. Read more in step 5 in the following. 1. In the expandable list in the left side of the Event Mapping Tool, select the required analytics detection.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual output event protocol field. 6. Save your event mapping by clicking the Save button in the Event Mapping Tool's toolbar. Repeat if you want other analytics detections to trigger other generic events or sending of data to additional hosts. 7. Open the XProtect Analytics Administrator application and restart the server service by clicking the Restart Server button in the Administrator application's toolbar. www.milestonesys.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Built-in Help System The Administrator application and the Event Mapping Tool each feature a built-in help system. To use a help system, simply press the F1 key on your keyboard. Alternatively, click the Help icon in the Administrator application’s or Event Mapping Tool’s toolbar. The help system will open in a separate window.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Camera Tips & Tricks Choosing the Right Cameras License plate recognition differs from other kinds of video surveillance. Normally, you choose cameras based on their ability to provide the best possible images for viewing by the human eye. However, when choosing cameras for use with license plate recognition, only the small part of the images which contains the actual license plates is important.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Acceptable contrast; recognition is still possible Too little contrast; recognition is not possible Pixels in an 8-bit grayscale image can have color values ranging from 0 to 255, where grayscale value 0 is absolute black and 255 is absolute white.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Shutter time in seconds 1/50 1/100 1/200 1/250 1/500 1/750 1/1000 1/1500 1/2000 1/3000 1/4000 Max. vehicle speed in kilometers per hour 4 9 18 22 45 68 90 136 181 272 363 Max.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual gain noise and motion blur in the images, and ultimately to underexposure. Underexposure can be avoided by using sufficient external lighting and/or by using a camera which has sufficient sensitivity in low-light environments without using gain. In general, cameras which have CCD imagers with large surfaces are more light-sensitive than cameras which have CCD imagers with small surfaces.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Blocking objects: Avoid possible blocking objects in the view path of the camera, such as pillars, barriers, fences, gates, etc. Remember that barriers, gates, etc. are likely to be moveable between different positions. Resolution The term pixels per stroke is used to define a minimum requirement for license place recognition.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Unwanted Camera Features When configuring cameras for license plate recognition, bear in mind the following: Automatic gain adjustment: One of the most common types of image interference caused by cameras is gain noise. o Gain is basically the way in which a camera takes a picture of a scene and distributes light into it. If light is not distributed optimally in the image, the result is gain noise.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Removal When removing XProtect Analytics, bear in mind that the analytics solution consists of several components: On the server side, there is the XProtect Analytics software itself, a plugin for each type of video content analysis your organization uses as well as a server-side installer for the analytics alert plugin used by Smart Clients. On the client side, there is the analytics alert plugin itself.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual see the documentation for your XProtect Corporate, XProtect Enterprise or XProtect Professional surveillance solution. Removing the Alert Plugin for Smart Clients To remove the alert plugin from a computer running a Smart Client, do the following on the computer running the Smart Client After you remove the alert plugin, it will no longer be possible to view analytics data in the Smart Client. 1.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual Glossary A Analytics: Common term for the functionality you can achieve by analyzing a video stream in order to recognize and find specific types of information. Analytics functionality can relate to license plate recognition, face recognition, object recognition, etc. Aperture: On a camera, aperture refers to the adjustable opening (a.k.a. iris) used for controlling the amount of light coming through a lens.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual H Host: A computer connected to a TCP/IP network. A host has its own IP address, but may depending on network configuration - furthermore have a name (host name) in order to make it easily identifiable. Host Name: A name by which a particular computer on a network is identified. Host names are often easier to remember than IP addresses. HTTP: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, a standard for exchanging files across the internet.
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual M MAC Address: Media Access Control address, a 12-character hexadecimal number uniquely identifying each device on a network. MPEG: A group of compression standards and file formats for digital video, developed by the Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG).
Milestone XProtect Analytics 2.2 – Dacolian LPR; Administrator’s Manual S SLC: Abbreviation for Software License Code; a code required to use a full version of the analytics solution. Smear: Smear is an effect leading to unwanted light vertical lines in images; it is frequently linked to slight imperfections in cameras' CCD imagers (the sensors used to digitally create the images).
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