Key storage and retrieval
First Claim
1. A method performed by a service provider, the method comprising:
- providing a template and a guide to a client, wherein the guide includes instructions for the client to, for each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, perform operations comprising;
placing a key corresponding to the vehicle in a first section of the template, the key comprising at least one of a physical vehicle key and a key fob;
arranging the template over a portion of the vehicle so that a vehicle identifier of the vehicle is visible through a second section of the template;
capturing a template image of the template so that the key and the vehicle identifier are both visible in the template image;
transmitting the template image to the service provider; and
sending the key to the service provider;
receiving the template image for each vehicle and storing the template images of the plurality of vehicles in a computing system;
associating, in the computing system, each template image with a corresponding vehicle identifier;
receiving the key corresponding to each vehicle and storing the key into a respective location having a location identifier in a storage facility;
associating, in the computing system, each associated vehicle identifier with the location identifier of the key corresponding to the vehicle identifier;
receiving from the client a request for a specific key corresponding to a specific vehicle, the request including a specific vehicle identifier of the specific vehicle; and
finding the specific vehicle identifier in the computing system, and in response;
retrieving the specific key associated with the specific vehicle identifier, andsending the specific key to the client,wherein retrieving the specific key associated with the specific vehicle identifier comprises;
finding a specific template image for the specific key stored in the computing system associating vehicle identifiers with respective template images; and
making a new key based on the specific template image, wherein the new key is made to be identical to the specific key and perform functions of the specific key.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing key storage and retrieval services to be performed by a service provider. The service provider provides a template to a client and instructs the client to use the template to capture, for each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, both a vehicle identifier and a key of the vehicle in an image. The service provider stores the image in a computing system, extracts the vehicle identifier from the stored image, and associates the vehicle identifier with a location identifier corresponding to a location where the key is stored. When the service provider receives from the client a request for retrieving a key for a specific vehicle, the service provider searches a vehicle identifier of the specific vehicle in the computing system, retrieves the requested key from the location associated with the vehicle identifier, and sends the requested key to the client.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method performed by a service provider, the method comprising:
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providing a template and a guide to a client, wherein the guide includes instructions for the client to, for each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, perform operations comprising; placing a key corresponding to the vehicle in a first section of the template, the key comprising at least one of a physical vehicle key and a key fob; arranging the template over a portion of the vehicle so that a vehicle identifier of the vehicle is visible through a second section of the template; capturing a template image of the template so that the key and the vehicle identifier are both visible in the template image; transmitting the template image to the service provider; and sending the key to the service provider; receiving the template image for each vehicle and storing the template images of the plurality of vehicles in a computing system; associating, in the computing system, each template image with a corresponding vehicle identifier; receiving the key corresponding to each vehicle and storing the key into a respective location having a location identifier in a storage facility; associating, in the computing system, each associated vehicle identifier with the location identifier of the key corresponding to the vehicle identifier; receiving from the client a request for a specific key corresponding to a specific vehicle, the request including a specific vehicle identifier of the specific vehicle; and finding the specific vehicle identifier in the computing system, and in response; retrieving the specific key associated with the specific vehicle identifier, and sending the specific key to the client, wherein retrieving the specific key associated with the specific vehicle identifier comprises; finding a specific template image for the specific key stored in the computing system associating vehicle identifiers with respective template images; and making a new key based on the specific template image, wherein the new key is made to be identical to the specific key and perform functions of the specific key. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system providing key storage and retrieval services, the system comprising:
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a plurality of templates; a guide including instructions for a client to, for each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles, perform client operations comprising; placing a key of the vehicle in a first section of a template of the plurality of templates, the key comprising at least one of a physical vehicle key and a key fob; arranging the template over a portion of the vehicle so that a vehicle identifier of the vehicle is visible through a second section of the template; capturing a template image of the template so that the key and the vehicle identifier are both visible in the template image; transmitting the template image to the service provider; and sending the key to the service provider; a storage facility for storing each key into a respective location having a location identifier; and a computing system comprising one or more computers, wherein the computing system is configured to perform service operations comprising; receiving the template image for each vehicle and storing the template images of the plurality of vehicles in the computing system; associating, in the computing system, each template image with a corresponding vehicle identifier; associating, in the computing system, the associated vehicle identifier with the location identifier of the key corresponding to the vehicle identifier; receiving from the client a request for a specific key corresponding to a specific vehicle, the request including a specific vehicle identifier of the specific vehicle; and finding the specific vehicle identifier in the computing system, and in response; retrieving the specific key associated with the specific vehicle identifier, and sending the specific key to the client, wherein retrieving the specific key associated with the specific vehicle identifier comprises; finding a specific template image for the specific key stored in the computing system associating vehicle identifiers with respective template images; and making a new key based on the specific template image, wherein the new key is made to be identical to the specific key and perform functions of the specific key. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification