Method and apparatus for determining the bitting pattern of keys

An apparatus for determining a bitting pattern of a key, the key having a longitudinal axis, opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, and a blade having opposed edges defining a width therebetween, a length, and the bitting pattern in at least one edge of the blade, the bitting pattern defined by at least one cut having a depth which corresponds to a decrease in the width of the blade resulting from the cut therein, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a housing;
• b. means in the housing for optically outlining at least the profile of the blade of the key so as to form an image;
• c. means for digitizing the image of the profile;
• d. compilation means for creating key information from the digitized image of the profile, including information about the width of the blade of the key at a plurality of selected longitudinal positions along the length thereof;
• e. memory means for storing information about a plurality of reference keys, including information for each of the reference keys about a longitudinal position of each cut of a bitting pattern relative to a predetermined reference point of that reference key;
• and
• f. depth determination means for determining the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key from the key information of the compilation means so as to form a result, wherein the depth determination means locates the cut on the key at the same relative distance on the key as one selected reference key determined by using a corresponding predetermined reference point on the key as for the selected reference key.

An apparatus for determining a bitting pattern of a key, the key having a longitudinal axis, opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, and a blade having opposed edges defining a width therebetween, a length, and the bitting pattern in at least one edge of the blade, the bitting pattern defined by at least one cut having a depth which corresponds to a decrease in the width of the blade resulting from the cut therein, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a housing;
• b. means in the housing for optically outlining at least the profile of the blade of the key so as to form an image;
• c. means for digitizing the image of the profile;
• d. compilation means for creating key information from the digitized image of the profile, including information about the width of the blade of the key at a plurality of selected longitudinal positions along the length thereof;
• e. memory means for storing information about a plurality of reference keys, including information about a longitudinal position of each cut of a bitting pattern relative to a predetermined reference point of that reference key for each of the reference keys and about a plurality of predetermined widths for the cuts of the bitting pattern for each of the reference keys;
• f. depth determination means for determining the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key from the key information by comparing the nominal width of one selected reference key to the width of the blade of the key at a position substantially corresponding to one cut of the bitting pattern of the selected reference key, the cut on the key being located at the same relative distance on the key as the selected reference key determined by using a corresponding predetermined reference point on the key as for the selected reference key;
• and
• g. conforming means for adjusting the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key to be one of the predetermined widths of the cuts of the selected reference key from the memory means, thereby creating a regenerated bitting pattern of the key so as to form a result.

A method for determining a bitting pattern of a key, the key having a longitudinal axis and a blade having opposed edges defining a width therebetween, a length, and the bitting pattern in at least one edge of the blade, the bitting pattern defined by at least one cut, comprising the steps of:

• a. optically separating the profile of at least the blade of the key from a background;
• b. digitizing the separated profile of the key;
• c. creating key information from the digitized profile of the key, including information about the width of the blade of the key at a plurality of selected longitudinal positions along the length thereof;
• and
• d. determining the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key so as to form a result.

A method for determining a bitting pattern of a key, the key having a longitudinal axis and a blade having opposed edges defining a width therebetween, a length, and the bitting pattern in at least one edge of the blade, the bitting pattern defined by at least one cut, comprising the steps of:

• a. optically separating the profile of at least the blade of the key from a background;
• b. digitizing the separated profile of the key;
• c. creating key information from the digitized profile of the key, including information about the width of the blade of the key at a plurality of selected longitudinal positions along the length thereof;
• and
• d. determining the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key at a predetermined position so as to form a result.

A method for determining a bitting pattern of a key, the key having a longitudinal axis and a blade having opposed edges defining a width therebetween, a length, and the bitting pattern in at least one edge of the blade, the bitting pattern defined by at least one cut, comprising the steps of:

• a. optically separating the profile of at least the blade of the key from a background;
• b. digitizing the separated profile of the key;
• c. creating key information from the digitized profile of the key, including information about the width of the blade of the key at a plurality of selected longitudinal positions along the length thereof;
• d. determining the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key;
• and
• e. adjusting the width of the blade at a location of at least one cut of the bitting pattern of the key from the determining step by comparing the width of the cut of the key to one of a plurality of predetermined widths for a selected reference key stored in a memory subsystem so as to form a result.