Systems and methods for detecting and recognizing a railcar identifier

A system for identifying a railcar identifier of a railcar, the system comprising:

• an image sensor configured to capture railcar image information including at least a first image and a second image each containing, or likely to contain, a railcar identifier for a first railcar;
• a memory device containing instructions;
• and
• a controller coupled to the memory device, the controller executes the instructions to operate the controller between:
• a data input stage, in the data input stage, the instructions cause the controller to:
• receive the railcar image information;
• a recognition stage, in the recognition stage, the instructions cause the controller to:
• analyze the railcar image information including the first image and the second image to identify characters of the railcar identifier for the first railcar, the analyzing the railcar image information including using two or more of a confidence algorithm, a result frequency algorithm, and a per-character algorithm;
• and
• a data output stage, in the data output stage, the instructions cause the controller to:
• provide a first recognition result and a second recognition result corresponding to the first and second images with information about the identified characters of the railcar identifier for the first railcar;
• when the first and second recognition results are not in agreement, compare first and second confidence levels of the first and second recognition results, respectively;
• and
• select the railcar identifier associated with the recognition result having a greater confidence level.