2017 IEEE Calcutta Conference (CALCON)
Automatic Number Plate Recognition Using CNN
Based Self Synthesized Feature Learning
Madhusree Mondal, Parmita Mondal,
and Nilendu Saha
Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
Techno India College of Technology (TICT)
Kolkata, India
{madhusreemondal73028,mondalparmita &
nilendusaha82213}@gmail.com
Abstract - In today's image centric world image processing
has become the centre of attention for various real-life
applications. Embarking from car thefts, breaking traffic rules
to contravene restricted expanse, Image Processing has given us a
conviction to put a grinding halt to these malpractices. Inspired
by the feature learning capabilities of Convolution Neural
Networks (CNN), the preeminent work is the detection and
recognition of the car plate number image which is accomplished
by dint of Convolution Neural Network (CNN). The number
plate images can be procured by a still camera. Self synthesized
feature of CNN is capable of recognizing the states of the vehicle
from the number plate with a reasonably high accuracy of 90%
even with very low training size. CNN has proved its robustness
even with distorted, tilted and illuminated datasets.
Keywords— Number plate, CNN, Convnet, Deep learning,
image recognition.
I. INTRODUCTION
Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs) are categorized as a
special type of feed-forward multi-layer neural network
architecture with deep learning capabilities. Like many of the
other soft computational techniques, CNN are primarily
inspired by the outcomes of a series of rigorous biological
experiments to demystify the functionality of visual cortex of
mammals. The findings of these experiments changed the
understanding of vision systems in brain and established the
presence of clusters of locally connected neurons (receptive
fields) which are responsive only to a particular region of the
entire field of vision. Unlike processing on the entire image
information obtained through the retinal sensors at single
level, visual cortex utilizes a 3-layer hierarchical approach of
locally sensitive simple nerve cells and then ascending in the
hierarchy more complex and finally the hyper-complex cells
each of which works on the activation of the previous layer.
This model is arranged in an echelon formation of feature
detectors that performs successive processing of the visual
input pertaining the dominant view of visual processing in the
visual cortex and inspired the computational model of CNN.
978-1-5386-3745-6/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
Paramita Chattopadhyay
Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology
Kolkata, India
paramita_chattopadhyay@yahoo.com
Unlike the input layer of a conventional NN classifier which is
fully connected with huge number of weights, CNN employs a
locally responsive input layer where neurons work on small
regions of the entire input image and produce local responses,
which are further processed in successive steps and finally
passed through a fully connected layer with much lower
dimensions.. Most of the initial applications of CNN are
centered on pattern. recognition and classification based on
image data[19]. CNN has been creating buzz not only for
object detection but also identifying faces, gesture recognition,
Natural language Processing and in Self Driving Cars.
Lots of research has been done by the previous researchers in
the field of image processing to detect the car license plate
using gray scale method, localisation, segmentation and
recognition[15]. Image processing method using modular
system has been reported by Sungkwan Je et. al. [23]. Among
various Deep learning architectures, they have used Caffe net
for recognizing the images. A method for vehicle number
plate detection and recognition using segmentation and feature
extraction was proposed by Lazrus et al.[4]. Koval et al.[5]
proposed an algorithm that deblurred the number plate images
and feed forward neural network technique was embarked for
the recognition process. Ozbay and Ercelebi[6] worked on the
smearing and dilation technique for automatic vehicle
identification. Shidore and Narote[7] proposed histogram
equalization followed by dilation and erosion for plate area
extraction. SVM classifiers were used for character
recognition. Kumar et al.[8] proposed a method based on edge
detection using Hough Transform. Massoud et al.[9] devised a
system using dilation, smearing and erosion. Chen and Luo
[10] and Du et al.[2] located license plate using improved
prewitt operation. Khalil [11] suggested an approach based on
moving window with template matching technique. In [16],
Vehicle Number Plate Detection for Indian Vehicles, briefly
discusses on segmentation and feature extraction by template
matching for recognition process. All the work reported in the
literature associated with number plate detection are based on
hand crafted feature extraction techniques. No one has tried
self generated feature learning techniques for information
extraction from vehicle number plate.
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 2017 IEEE Calcutta Conference (CALCON)

Keeping the above viewpoints in mind the proposed work dataset was generated where each class contained 200 images.
aims to exploit the feature learning capability of convolution Number plates with distortion, tilt, and illumination at
neural network (CNN) for extracting information, more different angles have been considered here for giving it a
particularly, the state or province associated with the realistic effect. Some of the sample training sets are presented
registration of the owned vehicle from the number plate. in Fig 3.
II. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
CNN involves four key operational layers like i) Convolution,
ii) ReLu (Non-linearity), ii) Maximum pooling and iv) Fully
Connected layer. The schematic representation of the CNN
based proposed methodology is shown in Fig. 1. The process
of Convolution includes the formation of the featured layer by
multiplying the values in the filter with the original pixel
values of the image. Inputs from the convolution layer are
smoothened to reduce the sensitive nature of the filters
towards noise and variations. The process of pooling mainly Fig. 3. Typical Training Samples of Number Plates .
reduces the size of the image, or the color contrast across red,
green, blue (RGB) channels. CNN is compatible to a wide The entire algorithm has been implemented using MATLAB
variety of complex activation functions to model signal R2017a with GPU specification 940MX.
propagation. One of the common function is the Rectified
Linear Unit (ReLU), is favourable for its faster training speed. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The last layers in the network are fully connected, where the Fig. 4. The performances of the proposed algorithm has been evaluated with
neurons of preceding layers are connected to every neuron in devised training sets of various sample size. The classification accuracies
subsequent layers. with different training samples are depicted in Fig 4. ,WLVFOHDUIURPWKHILJXUH
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Fig. 1. Schematic representation of CNN Based algorithm.

Fig 4: Variation in accuracy with increasing training data.

TABLE I.
CLASSES KERNEL SIZE
Training Size ACCURACY
& IMAGE SIZE
KERNEL SIZE: TRAINING
TAMIL NADU 94.9
Fig. 2. Flow Chart of the CNN Based algorithm . 5X5 30%
JHARKHAND 99.4

The flow chart of the CNN based algorithm is shown in Fig 2. MAHARASHTRA
IMAGE SIZE: TESTING
99.4
For simplicity we have considered only four classes namely 28X28 70%
West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand. To WEST BENGAL 96.6
check the robustness of the algorithm a large number of

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 2017 IEEE Calcutta Conference (CALCON)

IV. CONCLUSION
In this paper, an attempt has been made to recognize states
(province) of a vehicle from the number plate using self-
generated features on CNN. The initial results obtained from
this study are very encouraging, even with a very small amount
of training samples. Though the present investigation shows a
promising future of CNN for this kind of automation
applications, but actual challenge lies on real time
implementation of CNN.
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