Vadzo Innova-234CGS Global-Shutter GigE Camera Improves Plate Capture in Parking LPR Systems
A large parking operator in North America manages hundreds of entries and exit lanes across multiple cities. Traffic conditions vary widely throughout the day: vehicles often move slowly during peak hours due to congestion, while during off-peak periods, cars can pass through at speeds exceeding 60 km/h. For many years, the operator relied on rolling-shutter cameras for license plate recognition (LPR). These cameras worked well enough in bright daylight and low-speed scenarios, but problems appeared as speeds increased and lighting changed.
The operator switched to the Vadzo Innova-234CGS, a global shutter GigE camera built around the onsemi AR0234 CMOS sensor, to gain better performance across daily operations without major changes to existing equipment.
Requirement
Capture clear, undistorted license plates at vehicle speeds up to 40 miles/hr
Provide reliable image quality day and night using the installed 850 nm infrared illuminators
Work with existing cabling, video management systems, and operating platforms while keeping maintenance low
Challenges addressed
Motion distortion from rolling-shutter sensors that caused plates on moving vehicles to appear skewed or warped
Low nighttime contrast from fixed IR-cut filters that reduced the use of 850 nm light
Repeated downtime from proprietary driver problems and limited network capacity
Solution components
onsemi AR0234 global shutter sensor for simultaneous pixel exposure and clean images of moving objects
Auto-switch IR-cut filter to improve near-infrared response in low light
Gigabit Ethernet with Power over Ethernet (PoE), ONVIF support, standard drivers, and GPIO for control signals
Results achieved
Higher plate recognition rates across different speeds and lighting
Quicker installations and fewer service interruptions
Better use of existing infrastructure for larger setups
Requirement Overview
The operator needed cameras that could perform steadily in changing traffic and light conditions without large-scale replacements of hardware or lighting. The main goal was to obtain straight, readable license plate images at speeds up to 40 miles/hr so that recognition software could process them accurately.
Nighttime operation had to make full use of the 850 nm infrared illuminators already in place. The cameras also require direct integration with the current video management system through ONVIF.
Support for Windows, Linux, and embedded systems was necessary, without reliance on drivers that often failed after updates. Cabling needed to remain simple, using existing CAT5e or CAT6 runs up to 100 meters for power, video, and control.
Challenges
Rolling-shutter sensors created the largest problem with motion. They expose pixels row by row, so parts of a moving plate are recorded at different moments. At 40 miles/hr, this caused visible skewing or stretching of characters and reduced recognition of success in faster traffic.
At night, fixed IR-cut filters in the old cameras blocked much of the 850 nm light, leaving images dark and lacking contrast for reliable processing.
Proprietary drivers frequently stopped working after software or OS updates, leading to lane closures until technicians arrived. Bandwidth limits on PoE switches also restricted how many cameras could run together effectively.
Global Shutter GigE Camera for Parking LPR
The Solution
The Innova-234CGS addressed these issues through a combination of global-shutter imaging, IR optimization, and standard GigE integration. The onsemi AR0234 is a 2MP global shutter sensor that supports up to 120 frames per second. It exposes every pixel at the same time, removing motion artifacts and producing accurate plate images on vehicles in motion.
The auto-switch IR-cut filter moves aside in low light, letting the sensor receive more than 850 nm light for clearer nighttime pictures without replacing illuminators or lenses.
GigE with PoE carries power and video/data over one cable. ONVIF makes connections to the video management system straightforward. Standard protocols (GigE Vision and GenICam compatible) avoid driver conflicts across platforms. The GPIO port allows direct hardware triggers and strobe control for external lights when needed.
The Results
After the change, plate images became clearer at all speeds, leading to better recognition performance overall. Day and night images stayed consistent using the same lighting setup.
Cameras fitted into existing enclosures and used current cables, shortening replacement time. Stable drivers cut unplanned outages and repair costs. Improved data handling let more cameras share each PoE switch, making growth easier without added network equipment.
Further gains are possible with lane-specific settings, such as lens focus, shutter speed, or gain adjustments.
Next Steps
Operators who want to improve license plate recognition in parking facilities can consider the Innova-234CGS. Contact Vadzo for specifications, integration guidance, or to obtain an evaluation unit for testing on site.
Product details: https://www.vadzoimaging.com/product/ar0234-global-shutter-1080p-gige-camera