Configuring iBase Plate Analysis

You will only have access to the Configuration options if you are logged into iBase as an iBase database administrator.

Important: Some of the configuration actions may cause disruption to other users of the database. If possible, perform the configuration when other users are not using the database.

Configuration involves four distinct steps:

Select the coordinate system and datum.
Select the entities that represent ALPR reads and events, and map their fields to ensure that the data is processed correctly by the iBase Plate Analysis functions.
Apply the configuration to save your settings.
Optimize the database by generating an index in the database.

In addition, you should select an appropriate datum for the specified coordinate system.

Select a Coordinate System

You can select one of two coordinate systems to be used when running iBase Plate Analysis.

Note: In all cases the coordinate system used for Plate Analysis records must be the same as that used by iBase event entities.

The following coordinate systems are supported by iBase Plate Analysis:

BNG – British National Grid (Easting and Northing)
Geodetic - Decimal Degrees (Latitude and Longitude)

Select and Map the Required Entities

The purpose of the mapping process is to allow you to match the appropriate fields within iBase to the fields used for specific functions within iBase Plate Analysis. By providing a specific Plate Analysis configuration, you are not restricted to a rigid schema for your Plate Analysis entity. With the exception of the data fields that must be present to allow iBase Plate Analysis to work, you are free to add or remove fields in the Plate Analysis entity as required.

There are two distinct data areas from which the fields need to be selected:

Data specific to the selected Plate Analysis entity
Data specific to the entities that can be used as events for Geographical Profiling, appropriate entities could be crimes or incidents, for example

Plate Analysis Entity

The first task is to select an entity to represent ALPR reads. This must have fields for the following items:

VRM
Date
Time
Camera ID
Capture ID (optional unless you want to use Retrieving Images)
Location coordinates (two fields for Easting and Northing, or Latitude and Longitude, depending on the selected coordinate system).

Plate Analysis Entity Data

ALPR specific data is:


Field	Used for
Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM)	The number or license plate value captured by the ALPR camera
Date	The date of the ALPR camera read
Time	The time of the ALPR camera read
Camera ID	An identifier for the ALPR camera that captured the VRM
Capture ID	A unique identifier for the specific ALPR read
X coordinate	The X coordinate of the camera location
Y coordinate	The Y coordinate of the camera location

Note: Because of the potentially high number of Plate Analysis records, and the limited number of Plate Analysis specific fields, the X and Y coordinates for the Plate Analysis entity must be held in the Plate Analysis entity itself, and not in a separate dedicated location entity. This is not the case for event entities; events can have the location stored in a specified linked entity.

Event Entity

You can map more than one entity as an event to be used for Geographical Profiling. The appropriate entity can be selected by the user when running the Geographical Profiling tool.

Note: If you do not specify any event entities, you will not be able to use Geographical Profiling, however the other iBase Plate Analysis functions will work as normal.

Event Entity Data

Events must have the following fields mapped:


Field	Used for
From Date	The start date of the event
From Time	The start time of the event
To Date	The end date of the event
To Time	The end time of the event
X coordinate	The X coordinate of the event. This location can be on another iBase entity such as a dedicated location entity
Y coordinate	The Y coordinate of the event. This location can be on another iBase entity such as a dedicated location entity

Note: The X and Y coordinates of the event can be taken either from the event entity itself or from a linked location entity. Many iBase schemas are designed to hold all location/address data, regardless of the originating entity type, in a single location entity. An example of this would be a particular entity that is designed to hold personal addresses, business addresses, and event addresses.

Apply the Configuration

When you have selected a coordinate system and mapped all the required fields, click the Apply button to save the configuration.

Optimize the Database for Plate Analysis

The final step in configuration is to click the Optimize button. This creates an index in the database that can be used to quickly locate data. This index is used for both Convoy Analysis and Geographical Profiling and improves the performance of both functions.

Note: The time taken to create the index will depend heavily on the amount of data; more data will take longer to index.

Once you have optimized the database, you will not be able to remove the Plate Analysis entity from the database schema directly in iBase Designer. In the unlikely event that you do need to remove the Plate Analysis entity from the database schema, you will need to remove the associated date field first, and then delete the entity. Leave the entity configured as the Plate Analysis entity until after it has been deleted.