What is Vehicle Counting?
Vehicle counting is an automated technology that provides the number of vehicles either based on a single image or based on the multiple images over a period of time.
One of the ways to count vehicles is to use video analytics. The deep learning AI inside the cameras can count the vehicles using the visual indicators.
Area Counting or Accumulated Flow Counting?
Area counting represents the technology where the camera counts all the vehicles appearing in a single video frame. There will be a total count per frame. The counting result can either become a metadata or an event, if there is a target threshold associated with the count. For example, if the threshold is 10, then the camera will only send an alarm event to the NVR when it sees at least 10 vehicles on a single image.
The accumulated flow counting means that the camera counts vehicles entering the area or crossing the virtual line, one by one, throughout the period of time. The camera may also count the vehicles leaving the area or counting those who cross the virtual line in the opposite direction. The result of the accumulated flow counting is metadata.
Counting Metadata or Counting OSD?
ACTi's cameras can deliver counting data in two ways - either using a text-based metadata in parallel with the video stream, or embedding the live counting values onto the video overlay (OSD).
The benefits of the counting metadata is that the text-based counting numbers stored on the server side can later be used to generate counting reports by the time periods, whereas the OSD-based counting numbers are good for instant assessments by looking at the video, furthermore, such OSD-based counting display method does not require any special integration between the camera and the management server.
In fact, you could even use the camera alone, and simply observe the video stream with embedded counting using camera's own web interface.
Counting Alerts
Vehicle Counting solution can be used for a High Occupancy Alarm, for example in the managed parking lots. There are two solutions for that. Single camera based solution counts the difference between incoming and outgoing vehicles, resulting with the current occupancy in the area. Together with the pre-defined threshold levels (low warning, medium warning, critical warning), the camera will send the alarm to the video management system when the threshold has been surpassed.
Business or Security Counting?
While most counting applications are related to the business analysis where the vehicle traffic numbers by time periods help make some useful business decisions, the high occupancy alarms are often used for the security reasons - when the area exceeds the permitted maximum capacity of the vehicles, then the security personnel should automatically be notified. Single image based counting detects unexpected crowds within the view of the camera. Having the alarm about such high occupancy is also a very helpful security feature.
