Search Vehicles

The Search Vehicles feature in the OPS-COM Android application allows enforcement officers to instantly look up vehicle information using text, voice, or License Plate Recognition (LPR). Its primary purpose is to quickly retrieve live permit status and violation history to assist officers in making accurate enforcement decisions in the field. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators and field enforcement personnel.

Setup and Configuration

The vehicle search functionality is a core component of the handheld application and requires no specialized backend setup.

Admin Side: Enforcement officers simply need to ensure they have an active session in the application and have granted the device necessary microphone and camera permissions to utilize voice and LPR search methods.

Connection Status Indicator A colored dot on the search panel indicates your real-time connectivity: Green Dot: The unit is actively connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular (3G/LTE) network, providing real-time data. Yellow Dot: The unit does not have an active connection. Searches can still be performed using the device's local cache, but data may not be fully up to date.

Using this Feature

Enforcement personnel can query the database using three distinct methods: manual text entry, voice dictation, or the device's LPR camera.

Tap Search Vehicles from the main application menu to begin. (Note: If you are connecting to a preview system, an additional menu item at the top of the list will indicate that the device is in Preview Mode).

Performing a Text Search

1. Tap the search field and enter the full license plate number or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) using the on-screen keypad.

2. Tap the Search button.

Performing a Voice Search

1. Tap the microphone icon.

2. Wait for the Google Voice Recognition prompt to appear.

3. Speak the license plate number clearly out loud to populate the search field.

Performing an LPR/OCR Camera Search

1. Tap the camera icon to enter LPR Search mode.

2. Line up the physical license plate within the on-screen rectangle.

3. Tap and Hold the screen to capture a shot. The screen will refresh with a list of possible plate numbers.

4. Tap the specific plate number that matches the image (e.g., BDHE385) to execute the search.

Reviewing Results and Available Actions

Selecting the vehicle from the search results expands a yellow ribbon detailing the available enforcement options.

• Virtual Chalk: Tap this button to initiate a time-stamped digital chalk record for time-limit enforcement.

• Issue Violation: Tap this button to proceed directly to the ticket issuance screen for the selected vehicle.

• Details: Tap this button to open the comprehensive Search Vehicle Results screen, detailing the full permit and violation history.

• Permit Pill: Tap the specific permit name appearing directly underneath the license plate number to quickly review its expiration details without opening the full history.

Best Practices and Considerations

• Maintain an active connection: Always try to maintain a Wi-Fi or 3G/LTE connection (Green Dot) when actively patrolling. While the yellow dot indicates cached searches are possible, real-time connectivity guarantees you are seeing the most recent permit purchases and user updates.

• Optimize LPR conditions: Hold the device steady and ensure the license plate is well-lit and centered within the rectangle when using the LPR/OCR camera to guarantee the highest accuracy and avoid manual corrections.

• Minimize environmental noise: Speak clearly and shield the device's microphone from wind or heavy traffic noise when using the voice search feature to prevent incorrect plate transcriptions.