What LPR does seems fairly simple and straightforward. It takes a photo, reads a license plate from that photo, then stores and/or analyzes that plate against a list of specific plates. However, a peek under the hood reveals the process is anything but simple and straightforward.
LPR systems consist of two essential components: Image capture technology (camera) and analytic software, which includes algorithms and optical character recognition. Depending on the application, a system may also include a third component, automated software that compares identified license plates against an existing database (registered vehicles, arrest warrants, etc.).