Smart Parking System with Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)

Problem statement

Parking spaces in malls, campuses and city lots are difficult to manage manually. Entry authentication, slot availability updates and payment logging require automation. A system using CV and IoT can streamline parking operations.

Abstract

This project integrates camera-based number plate recognition with IoT-enabled parking slot detection. At entry, ANPR extracts license plate numbers and logs entry time. Ultrasonic or IR sensors detect free slots and guide drivers using LEDs or dashboard maps. On exit, the system computes parking duration and cost automatically.

Components required

• Raspberry Pi / Jetson Nano
• Camera module
• YOLO/CRNN for ANPR
• Ultrasonic sensors for slot detection
• LED indicators
• Web dashboard

Block diagram

Working

As vehicles arrive, the camera captures the number plate. ANPR detects characters and logs entry time. Slot sensors across the parking area report availability to the central server. The dashboard shows real-time slot status and navigation directions. On exit, the system matches vehicle entry log and computes total parking time.

Applications

• Smart campus parking
• Shopping malls
• Apartment complexes
• Public parking automation