Key identification code and manufacturing method
AssigneeMachine Magic, LLC
InventorsBrad Wetterlin, John S. Titus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
After making measurements of a key, the measurements are converted into a compact format which can be read back at a later date or at a different location by apparatus capable of accurately reproducing the original key. The data may be stored on, for example, a sticker, paper strip, or magnetic swipe card. When the duplicate key is required, the data are read from the storage medium and transmitted to a suitable key duplication device to produce a reproduction key.
Claims36
A method of making a key, comprising:
- receiving a key identification code indicative of a keyway of an original key, the key identification code being received from a user-portable device;
- and
- machining the keyway in a duplicate key in response to the identification code.
A system for making a key, comprising:
- means for receiving a key identification code indicative of a keyway of an original key, from a user-portable device;
- and
- means for machining the keyway in a duplicate key in response to the key identification code.
A system for making a duplicate key, comprising:
- a processor coupled to an input device adapted to read information from a user-portable device, the processor adapted to receive a key identification code representative of the keyway from the input device;
- and
- a key machining module, coupled to receive coded instructions from the processor to machine the keyway in the duplicate key in response to the key identification code.
A method of producing a key identification code, comprising:
- obtaining keyway information related to a keyway of a target key;
- producing a key identification code representative of the keyway to be duplicated;
- and
- outputting the key identification code in a manually portable form to a user.
A system of producing a duplicate key identification code, comprising:
- a module adapted to receive target keyway information;
- a processor, coupled to the measuring module to receive target keyway information and to generate a key identification code representative of the target keyway;
- and
- an output module, coupled to the processor to output the key identification code in a manually portable form to a user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.