Match lists

Match lists (explained)

A match list is a collection of license plate registration numbers and license plate style aliases (aliases) that you want your system to treat in a special way. License plate recognitions are compared with these lists and if there is a match, the system triggers an LPR event. LPR events are stored on the event server. Operators can search for and view LPR events on the LPR tab in XProtect Smart Client.

By default, LPR events are stored for 24 hours. To change the event retention time:

  1. In the Management Client, select Tools > Options > Alarms and events.

  2. In Event retention > Retention time (days), change the retention time.

For each match list that you create, you can define events and alarms that will be triggered on a match.

Examples:

  • A company headquarter uses a list of executive management's company car license plates to grant executives access to a separate parking area. When executives' license plates are recognized, the LPR solution triggers an output signal that opens the gate to the parking area
  • A chain of gas stations creates a list of license plates from vehicles that have previously left gas stations without paying for their gas. When such license plates are recognized, LPR triggers output signals that activate an alarm and temporarily block the gas supply to certain gas pumps

Triggered events can also be used for making cameras record in high quality or similar. You can even use an event to trigger combinations of such actions.

Unlisted license plates list (explained)

Often you would trigger an event when a license plate that is included in a match list is recognized, but you can also trigger an event with a license plate which is not included in a match list.

Example: A private car park uses a list of license plates to grant residents' vehicles access to the car park. If a vehicle with a license plate that is not in the list approaches the car park, the LPR solution triggers an output signal which lights a sign telling the driver to obtain a temporary guest pass from the security office.

To trigger a surveillance system event when a license plate that is not on any of your match lists is recognized, use the Unlisted license plates list. You select it for a camera like any other list (see Match lists tab) and set it up like any other list (see Events triggered by LPR).

Add new match lists

  1. In the Site Navigation pane, select Match lists, right-click and select Add New.
  2. In the window that appears, give the list a name and click OK.

    The newly created match list now appears in the Match lists window and on the Match lists tab of every LPR camera.

  3. If you want to add columns to the match list, click Custom field and specify the columns in the dialog box that opens (see Edit custom fields properties). You can add a maximum of 5 columns.
  4. To update the match list, use the Add, Edit, Delete buttons (see Edit match lists).
  5. Instead of defining the match list directly in the Management Client, you can import a file (see Import and export match lists).
  6. If prompted, confirm to save changes.

Edit match lists

Match lists support aliases but not individual license plate styles. If you want to add a license plate style to a match list, first assign an alias to the license plate style. See Group license plate styles into aliases. Next, add the alias to the match list.

  1. In the Site Navigation pane > Servers, select Match lists.
  2. Go to the Overview pane. Select the relevant match list.
  3. The Match list information window opens.
  4. To include new rows to your list, click Add and fill out the fields.
    • Do not include any spaces
    • Always use capital letters

      Examples: ABC123 (correct), ABC 123 (incorrect), abc123 (incorrect)

    • You can use wildcards in your match lists. Do this by defining plates with a number of ?'s and the letter(s) and/or number(s) which must appear at specific places

      Examples: ?????A, A?????, ???1??, 22??33, A?B?C? or similar

  5. If prompted, confirm to save changes.

Import and export match lists

You can only import and export license plate registration numbers. Other vehicle information supported by match lists, for example aliases, cannot be imported or exported.

You can import a .csv or a .txt file with a list of license plate registration numbers that you want to use in a match list. You have the following import options:

  • Add license plate registration numbers to the existing match list
  • Replace the existing match list

This is useful if, for example, the match lists are managed from a central location. Then all local installations can be updated by distributing a file.

Similarly, you can export the complete list of license plate registration numbers from a match list to an external location.

To import:

  1. In the Site Navigation pane > Servers > Match lists, select the relevant match list.
  2. Select Import.
  3. In the dialog box, specify the location of the import file and the import type. Select Next.
  4. Await the confirmation and select Close.

To export:

  1. In the Site Navigation pane > Servers > Match lists, select the relevant match list.
  2. Select Export.
  3. In the dialog box, specify the location of the export file and select Next.
  4. Select Close.
  5. You can open and edit the exported file in, for example, Microsoft Excel.

Match list properties

Name

Description
List name

Shows the name of the list. If needed, you can change the name.
Custom fields

Select to specify which license plate entry columns that you or the client user can add additional information to. See Edit match lists.
Search

Search the match list for any list item. If needed, you can use ? as a single wildcard
Add

Select to add a license plate registration number or an alias to the match list.

When you're adding license plate registration numbers:

  • Do not include any spaces
  • Always use capital letters

Examples: ABC123 (correct), ABC 123 (incorrect), abc123 (incorrect)

  • You can use wildcards in your license plate lists. Do this by defining plates with a number of ?'s and the letter(s) and/or number(s) which must appear at specific places

Examples: ?????A, A?????, ???1??, 22??33, A?B?C? and similar.

Some regional areas might have exceptions to these rules. For example, personalized plates with spaces. Plates with two sets of characters which must be recognized separately by an underscore character ( _ ). Or plates from certain regions with letters on a different background color on parts of the license plate.

Example:

Edit

Click to edit a license plate registration number. You can select multiple rows for editing.
Delete

Click to delete the selected license plate number.
Import

Click to import license plate registration numbers from any comma-separated file, for example a .txt-file or .csv-file (see Import and export match lists).
Export

Click to export the list of license plate registration numbers to a comma-separated file, for example a .txt-file or .csv-file (see Match list properties).
Rows per page

Select how many list items to display in one page (one screen). You can choose between 50 and 1000 rows.
Events triggered by list match

Select which event(s) should be triggered by a list match (see Match list properties). You can choose between all available types of events defined in your system.

Edit custom fields properties

You can add a maximum of 5 columns to your match lists for additional information. You define the name and number of columns as well as the field content.

The XProtect Smart Client users can update the information in the columns but not the columns themselves.

Name

Description
Add

Adds a column to the match list. Enter a name for the column.
Edit

Click to edit the name of the column.
Delete

Deletes a column.
Up

Changes the order of the columns.
Down

Changes the order of the columns.