US 6,064,747 A · Method and apparatus for using light to identify a key

Abstract

An apparatus and method for identifying a key using a housing having a support that allows light to pass therethrough adjacent the key, a light source for emitting light through at least a portion of the support so as to form a first image of at least a portion of the profile of the key, a substantially planar light beam directed at the key so as to form a second image as the light beam interfaces with the side of the key, and a receiving means for receiving the first image of the profile of the key and receiving the second image so that the non-planar portion of the side of the key forms a non-linear segment across the width of the key. The present invention then can digitize the first and second images and create key information from the digitized images, in which the information is compared to stored information about a plurality of reference keys. Reference keys are eliminated by comparing the length, the head shape, and information of the light beam interfacing with each of the reference keys to determine the type of key in the housing.

Claims67

Dependent claims

An apparatus for backlighting a key to identify the key, the key having opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing defining an interior,
b. a drawer slidably mounted in the housing for supporting the key, a portion of the drawer adjacent where the key is placed being formed of a material to allow light to pass therethrough;
c. light source means disposed in the housing for emitting light through at least a portion of the drawer so as to form an image of at least a portion of the profile of the key disposed on the drawer;
and
d. means disposed in the housing for receiving the image of the key when disposed on the drawer.

2 more elements

An apparatus for identifying a key, the key having a length, a head, and opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing;
b. means in the housing for optically outlining the profile of the key so as to form an image;
c. means for digitizing the image of the profile of the key;
d. compilation means for creating key information from the digitized image of the profile of the key, including information about the length of the key and the head of the key;
e. memory means for storing information about a plurality of reference keys, including information about a length of each of the reference keys and a head of each of the reference keys;
f. length elimination means for comparing information about the length of the reference keys in the memory means with information about the length of the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that are outside a range of lengths determined by the length of the key and a predetermined variation, wherein the length elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
g. first head shape elimination means for comparing information about the head of the reference keys in the memory means with information about the head of the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the head of the key, wherein the first head shape elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
and
h. analysis means for combining the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means and the subset of reference keys created by the first head shape elimination means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys not included in all of the subsets so as to form a result.

6 more elements

An apparatus for identifying a key, the key having a length, a head, and opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing;
b. means in the housing for optically outlining the profile of the key so as to form an image;
c. means for digitizing the image of the profile of the key;
d. compilation means for creating key information from the digitized image of the profile of the key, including information about the length of the key and the head of the key;
e. memory means for storing information about a plurality of reference keys, including information about a length of each of the reference keys and a head of each of the reference keys;
f. length elimination means for comparing information about the length of the reference keys in the memory means with information about the length of the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that are outside a range of lengths determined by the length of the key and a predetermined variation, wherein the length elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
g. first head shape elimination means for comparing information about the head of the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means with information about the head of the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the head of the key, wherein the first head shape elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
h. head shape comparison means for comparing information about the head of the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means with information about the head of the key in the compilation means and determining which reference key in the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means has the most similar head information to the head information of the key, wherein the subset of reference keys remaining that the first head shape elimination means creates includes the reference key selected by the head shape comparison means;
and
i. second head shape elimination means for comparing information about the head of the reference key selected by the head shape comparison means with the other reference keys in the subset of reference keys created by the first head shape elimination means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys from the subset that deviate more than a predetermined percentage difference from the reference key selected by the head shape comparison means, wherein the second head shape elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining so as to form a result.

7 more elements

An apparatus for identifying a key, the key having a length, a head, opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, and at least one non-planar portion on at least one side, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing;
b. means in the housing for optically outlining the profile of the key so as to form an image;
c. light emitting means for emitting a substantially planar light beam, wherein the light beam is directed at a selected portion of one side of the key disposed within the housing;
d. means for optically separating an image of the light beam interfacing with the selected portion of the key so as to form an image which is non-linear where the light beam interfaces with the non-planar portion of the side of the key;
e. means for digitizing the image of the profile of the key and for digitizing the image of the light beam interfacing with the selected portion of the key;
f. compilation means for creating key information from the digitized image of the profile of the key and from the digitized image of the light beam interfacing with the selected portion of the key, including information about the length of the key and the head of the key;
g. memory means for storing information about a plurality of reference keys, including information about a length of each of the reference keys, a head of each of the reference keys, and the light beam interfacing with each of the reference keys at a selected portion thereof;
h. length elimination means for comparing information about the length of the reference keys in the memory means with information about the length of the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that are outside a range of lengths determined by the length of the key and a predetermined variation, wherein the length elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
i. first head shape elimination means for comparing information about the head of the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means with information about the head of the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the head of the key, wherein the first head shape elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
j. head shape comparison means for comparing information about the head of the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means with information about the head of the key in the compilation means and determining which reference key in the subset of reference keys created by the length elimination means has the most similar head information to the head information of the key, wherein the subset of reference keys remaining that the first head shape elimination means creates includes the reference key selected by the head shape comparison means;
k. second head shape elimination means for comparing information about the head of the reference key selected by the head shape comparison means with the other reference keys in the subset of reference keys created by the first head shape elimination means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys from the subset that deviate more than a predetermined percentage difference from the reference key selected by the head shape comparison means, wherein the second head shape elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining;
and
l. light beam elimination means for comparing information of the light beam interfacing with each of the reference keys in the subset of reference keys created by the second head shape elimination means with information of the light beam interfacing with the key in the compilation means and further comprising means for eliminating reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the key, wherein the light beam elimination means creates a subset of reference keys remaining so as to form a result.

10 more elements

A method of identifying a key, the key having a length, a head, and opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, comprising the steps of:

a. optically separating the profile of the key so as to form an image;
b. digitizing the image of the profile of the key;
c. creating key information from the digitized image of the profile of the key, including information about the length of the key and the head of the key;
d. eliminating at least one key from a plurality of reference keys stored in a memory subsystem by comparing information about a length of the reference keys in the memory subsystem with information about the length of the key so that reference keys that are outside a range of lengths determined by the length of the key and a predetermined variation are eliminated;
e. developing a subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison;
f. removing at least one key from the reference keys stored in the memory subsystem by comparing information about a head of the reference keys in the memory subsystem with information about the head of the key so that the reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the head of the key are eliminated;
g. creating a subset of reference keys remaining after the removing step using a head comparison;
and
h. combining the subsets of reference keys so that reference keys not included in all of the subsets are eliminated.

6 more elements

A method of identifying a key, the key having a length, a head, and opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, comprising the steps of:

a. optically separating the profile of the key so as to form an image;
b. digitizing the image of the profile of the key;
c. creating key information from the digitized image of the profile of the key, including information about the length of the key and the head of the key;
d. eliminating at least one key from a plurality of reference keys stored in a memory subsystem by comparing information about a length of the reference keys in the memory subsystem with information about the length of the key so that reference keys that are outside a range of lengths determined by the length of the key and a predetermined variation are eliminated;
e. developing a subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison;
f. removing at least one key from the subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison by comparing information about a head of the reference keys in the subset with information about the head of the key so that the reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the head of the key are eliminated;
g. forming a subset of reference keys remaining after the removing step using a head comparison;
h. determining which reference key in the subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison has the most similar head information to the head information of the key by a comparison of information about the head of the reference keys in the memory subsystem with information about the head of the key;
and
i. comparing information about the head of the reference key selected in the determining step with information about the head of each in the subset of reference keys remaining after the removing step using a head comparison so that the reference keys that deviate more than a predetermined percentage difference from the reference key selected in the determining step are eliminated so as to form a result.

7 more elements

A method of identifying a key, the key having a length, a head, opposed sides in which each side in a plan perspective defines a profile of the key, and at least one non-planar portion on at least one side, comprising the steps of:

a. optically separating the profile of the key so as to form an image;
b. digitizing the image of the profile of the key;
c. emitting a substantially planar light beam, wherein the light beam is directed at a selected portion of one side so as to form an image;
d. optically separating the image of the light beam interfacing with the selected portion of the key, wherein the image is non-linear where the light beam interfaces with the non-planar portion of the key;
e. digitizing the image of the light beam interfacing with the selected portion of the key;
f. creating key information from the digitized image of the profile of the key and the digitized image of the light beam, including information about the length of the key and the head of the key;
g. eliminating at least one key from a plurality of reference keys stored in a memory subsystem by comparing information about a length of the reference keys in the memory subsystem with information about the length of the key so that reference keys that are outside a range of lengths determined by the length of the key and a predetermined variation are eliminated;
h. developing a subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison;
i. removing at least one key from the subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison by comparing information about a head of the reference keys in the subset with information about the head of the key so that the reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the head of the key are eliminated;
j. forming a subset of reference keys remaining after the removing step using a head comparison;
k. determining which reference key in the subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a length comparison has the most similar head information to the head information of the key by a comparison of information about the head of the reference keys in the memory subsystem with information about the head of the key;
l. comparing information about the head of the reference key selected in the determining step with information about the head of each in the subset of reference keys remaining after the eliminating step using a head comparison so that the reference keys that deviate more than a predetermined percentage difference from the reference key selected in the determining step are eliminated;
m. generating a subset of reference keys remaining after the comparing step;
and
n. correlating information about the light beam interfacing with each of the reference keys remaining after the comparing step with information of the light beam interfacing with the key so that reference keys that deviate more than a desired value when compared with the key are eliminated so as to form a result.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for using light to identify a key

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for using light to identify a key

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims67