Keon-A Information Technology Co. Ltd

Keon-A Information Technology Co. Ltd. (Hangul: 건아정보기술 (주), Keon-A) is a Korean based technology corporation specialising in the manufacture Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and other advanced technology transportation solutions. Its headquarters are located in Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

The company was established in 1987 as Keon-A Mechatronics, and was incorporated in 1988. In April 1999, the company changed its corporate name to Keon-A Information Technology CO. LTD, under which it operates today.

History

In the first couple of years of activity, Keon-A invested a lot of effort in research & development resulting in the release of its first Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in 1990 as a Vehicle License Plate Recognition System via a fixed camera installation. This project gained the support of the Korean government and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) which formed a joint effort with Keon-A to invent a technological solution for Licence Plate Recognition (LPR). From this effort, Keon-A was granted the rights to commercialise Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) which applied LPR and delivered an initial product solution to the Korean National Police Agency.

In 1991, Keon-A established its own Research and Development centre, and since then it has been a leading researcher and innovator in the global ITS industry specializing in Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

Since 1987, the company has continued innovating its technologies and products. As a result, as of 2010, Keon-a has 34 patents registered under its name as well as the right for the development of 6 specialized software development rights, 2 design development rights, and 26 invention rights. This has helped Keon-A to establish its status as a leader in the Korean market and other markets. Keon-A was also granted with numerous awards for its products, research, and business organization, including winning the prestigious Excellent Korean Technology (KT Mark) four times 1993 - 2000.

Korean projects

Keon-A currently has approx 58% market share of Over-Speed Enforcement, Travel Time Enforcement and All-in-One System, such as SSF (Signal, Speed and Traffic Information System) Market and has approx 99% market share of Blacklist/Wanted Vehicle Detection System market in South Korea.

The company operates and maintains 1732 camera sites nationwide (as of 2008) with the city of Daegu being its biggest centre of activity with some 530 cameras spread within its jurisdiction. Other big operation centres are Seoul (133 cameras), Busan (460), Ulsan (274) and Jeolla and Jeju provinces (335 combined).

Keon-A’s integrated Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and Over-Speed cameras dominate the Korean market; however, over-speed and traffic volume measuring cameras are also being used on a large extent. According to official data, ANPR cameras throughout Korea help to resolve up to 2,000 criminal cases a year, including a recent fraud of KRW₩200 billion in Daejeon(USD $175million).

International Projects

Since 1999 Keon-A has been very active in the Chinese market, most notably in the capital Beijing, whose police agency had purchased 216 ANPR systems to be installed on its most critical vehicle lanes. This installation was part of the city’s preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games which Beijing hosted. Keona-A has installed cameras in the city of Tianjin, ordered by the city’s police agency and in 2009 Keon-A systems were installed across over 550 additional locations in Huairou, Fangshan, Yanshan and Beijing.

Among other countries and authorities that use Keon-A equipment are: Vietnam - Hanoi Police; Malaysia – Military and Police forces; South African police; and, the Polish police. Keon-A’s software and operational systems have been adapted to identify Hindu and Arabic numerals, letters, colours, symbols and other custom requirements authorities or militaries may require.

Business Organization

Keon-A is based in Seoul, South Korea, and has two branches in the cities of Busan and Daegu in South Korea. Keon-A was founded by Shim Kwang-Ho who is also the CEO.

Recently, the company has been seeking to extend its business overseas. A joint-venture Bolong-Keon-a Technology Co. Ltd, was established in Beijing, China. Additionally, Keon-A has commenced operations in London, UK and is currently evaluating business partners to expand its European business and beyond.

Patents

Design Development Rights

Specialized Software Development Rights

Invention Rights

Products

Keon-A produces a wide range of systems and solutions for ITS applications as well as custom solutions for targeted situations as dictated by client requirements.

Criminal Vehicle Detection Systems

• Automatic vehicle license plate recognition system (AVNI)
• Portable vehicle license plate recognition system (PAVNI)
• In vehicle license plate recognition system (VAVNI)
• CCTV for crime prevention

A range of sophisticated ANPR cameras with greater that 95% accuracy have a real time link to criminal number plate databases and immediately notify Keon-A control centre software when its cameras identify a vehicle with a positive match in the database.

Unattended Traffic Enforcement Equipment

• Stationary over-speed enforcement system
• Traffic signal enforcement system
• Bus lane enforcement system
• Portable speed enforcement & blacklisted vehicle detection system
• Unauthorized parking and stopping enforcement system

Using a combination of ANPR and proprietary technology, Keon-A’s Traffic enforcement cameras capture and record data automatically of license plate and offense details which can be used to issue summons, fines or court appearances depending on gravity of the offence. Each incident is automatically logged and reported individually for each offender while an evidence record packet is created suitable to be admissible as evidence in a judged court environment.

Advanced Traffic Information Management Systems

• Traveling time information system (TTIS)
• Traffic monitoring equipment
• Bus information service system

The systems collect traffic information (traffic volume, speed, vehicle occupation ratio) and send it to the control centre where it is available for review, processing and analysis. The software transmits the gathered data to the control centre and stores information which can be used for traffic control, monitoring and other management purposes.

Detection sensors are used with

• Inductive loop coil
• Laser
• Radar
• Non-Contact way (vision detection)

Electronic Toll Collection System (ETC) Toll Management / Road Management Systems

• Toll Gate Photographing System provides and controls access permission of toll gates
• Tunnel Management System reports accidents in tunnels immediately.
• Overload Enforcement System detects, reports and records overload vehicles which may damage the road.

Subway (Tube Station) Surveillance System

• Detection of fallen objects or humans
• Detecting platform situations (i.e. capacity, emergency)
• Decides dangerous situation during train operation
• Emergency response SOP and automatic transmission of moving pictures
• Stereo/Thermal Camera compatible
• Office devices can be integrated into data process
• Control the system on PDA

Video Processed Detection System can be used in train or subway platform environments as both: (i) a safety monitoring system that can determine an emergency situation; and, (ii) a first response immediate emergency control management system which can automatically stop trains from entering station, control other devices (i.e. escalators and emergency lighting) all while simultaneously notifying appropriate authorities based on pre-determined emergency operating procedures. Responses can be balanced between automated and manual integration depending on requirements of managing authority.

External links

• WWW.KEONA.CO.KR
• WWW.KEON-A.CO.UK