Plate Recognizer Snapshot

We provide a Docker image with our ALPR technology. It can be used on-premises without an internet connection. It lets you read license plates from a vehicle picture. To use it, you will need to get a SDK license. An internet connection is needed during installation.

Install

1) Install Docker on your machine. See the system requirements.

• Docker Windows install instructions. Watch 5 minute video on installation steps. Are you stuck? Check our FAQ for help.
• Docker Linux install instructions

2) Install Snapshot, you have three options:

1. Using the Plate Recognizer Installer for Windows, Linux and Mac. Easy if not conversant with Docker.
2. Using the Manual steps. Quick if well conversant with Docker. For Jetson devices, see our Jetson FAQ.
3. If you want to run our service on AWS, use the AWS guide.

3) Call the prediction API

tip

We generally recommend using the Plate Recognizer Installer to do the install.

We have created a special version of our Snapshot SDK for Thailand (understands Thai characters), Germany and Austria (identifies umlauts, space gaps), and specific hardware devices. These require Manual Installation Steps. Please see our list of Docker Images.

Upgrade

1. Stop the running containers using the image. Run docker ps -q --filter ancestor=platerecognizer/alpr to get the container id. And then docker stop CONTAINER_ID to stop it.
2. Update the image: docker pull platerecognizer/alpr.
3. Run the container (see last step of Installation).

You may also pick a specific version by using git tags. For example, platerecognizer/alpr:21-09-13.

Uninstall

Each license can only be used on a single machine. If you need to move your installation to a new machine, you must first uninstall it from the initial machine.

1. On the machine running ALPR, verify that the container is running. If it is not running, start it.

   • Open a browser and go to http://localhost:8080/. You should see Snapshot's welcome message.

2. Update the restart policy of the container

   • Find the CONTAINER_ID of Plate Recognizer with docker ps.
   • docker update --restart no CONTAINER_ID

3. Uninstall the license. Replace the HOST-IP with the IP of the machine running the container, localhost in case of the same machine.

   • curl http://HOST-IP:8080/uninstall/

   or directly in the browser:

   • http://HOST-IP:8080/uninstall/

System Requirements

For best performance, we recommend running the container from a Linux machine. With a recent processor (7-8 gen Intel CPU with 4 cores), inference should take 50-100ms. Minimum requirements are:

• Use an OS that supports Docker. See the installation guide for how to install on Windows, Mac or Linux.
  • If your system does not meet the requirements to run Docker Desktop, you can install Docker Toolbox.
• Intel CPU 3rd gen or higher (must support AVX instructions). We also support the Raspberry Pi3 (inference speed of 1 second).
• At least 500MB of free RAM.
• If you are using VMware, you should disable EVC.

You can also use a recent Nvidia GPU with a minimum compute capability of 6.1 and can support minimum Cuda version of 9.0 (Tested with drivers version 450). Follow the above instruction on Docker installation and Nvidia-docker

tip

If you are behind a firewall you might also need to whitelist these IP addresses