Identification medium recognition device and identification medium recognition method

An identification medium recognition method for recognizing at least one of a character or a numeric character included in an identification medium, the identification medium recognition method comprising:

• acquiring a captured image imaged by a camera;
• detecting a region of the identification medium in the captured image;
• recognizing the at least one of the character or the numeric character included in the identification medium;
• storing a predetermined area, the predetermined area being identified in the captured image;
• determining whether the region of the identification medium is positioned within the predetermined area;
• selectively performing, in a first case where the region of the identification medium is determined to be positioned within the predetermined area, super-resolution processing of the region of the identification medium;
• and
• selectively not performing, in a second case where the region of the identification medium is determined to not be positioned within the predetermined area, the super-resolution processing of the region of the identification medium.

An identification medium recognition method for recognizing at least one of a character or a numeric character included in an identification medium, the identification medium recognition method comprising:

• acquiring a captured image imaged by a camera;
• detecting a region of the identification medium in the captured image;
• recognizing the at least one of the character or the numeric character included in the identification medium;
• storing a predetermined area, the predetermined area being identified in the captured image;
• determining whether the region of the identification medium is positioned within the predetermined area;
• and
• selectively performing, in a case where the region of the identification medium is determined to be positioned within the predetermined area, super-resolution processing of the region of the identification medium,
• wherein a character string includes the at least one of the character or the numeric character included in the identification medium and is configured of a plurality of characters, in which an arrangement order from 1 to x is set according to positions or relative positions between the plurality of characters in the captured image,
• similarities between the character string in the captured image and a plurality of preset reference images are calculated,
• for a reference character in each of the plurality of the preset reference images corresponding to 1 or y characters in the arrangement order to be evaluated in the character string, an evaluation value including a sum of the similarities for each of the reference images in which the reference character is same is calculated,
• at least one character candidate from which the character string in the captured image is configured is determined based on the evaluation value,
• x is an integer of at least two, and
• y is an integer of at least two and is less than x.

An identification medium recognition device for recognizing at least one of a character or a numeric character included in an identification medium, the identification medium recognition device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory including a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including:
• acquiring a captured image imaged by a camera;
• detecting a region of the identification medium in the captured image;
• recognizing the at least one of the character or the numeric character included in the identification medium;
• storing a predetermined area, the predetermined area being identified in the captured image;
• determining whether the region of the identification medium is positioned within the predetermined area;
• and
• selectively performing, in a case where the region of the identification medium is determined to be positioned within the predetermined area, super-resolution processing of the region of the identification medium,
• wherein the operations further include:
• recognizing a character string in a captured license plate image,
• the character string includes the at least one of the character or the numeric character included in the identification medium and is configured of a plurality of characters, in which an arrangement order from 1 to x is set according to positions or relative positions between the plurality of characters in the captured image,
• the processor
• calculates similarities between the character string in the captured image and a plurality of preset reference images, respectively,
• calculates, for a reference character in each of the plurality of the preset reference images corresponding to 1 or y characters in the arrangement order to be evaluated in the character string, an evaluation value including a sum of the similarities for each of the reference images in which the reference character is same, and
• determines at least one character candidate from which the character string in the captured image is configured based on the evaluation value,
• x is an integer of at least two, and
• y is an integer of at least two and is less than x.