Key blank identification system with bitting analysis

• US 9,582,734 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hy-Ko Products Company
• Original Assignee: Hy-Ko Products Company
• Inventors: Thompson, Chester O. D., Mutch, William R., Porras, Randall A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ENTEZARI, MICHELLE M
• Application Number:
  US14/147,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20140140628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/12 Using a database to store details of the key, the information in the database being used for the generation of the profile of the key
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/41 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/35 Milling grooves in keys
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/22 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/46 Descriptors for shape, contour or point-related descriptors, e.g. scale invariant feature transform [SIFT] or bags of words [BoW]; Salient regional features colour feature extraction G06V10/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/300952 to cut lock key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/301008 Using templet other than a key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/301064 Complete cycle

Abstract

A key identification system is provided. The key identification system comprises a sensing device configured to extract bitting information from a master key, and a logic configured to analyze the image. The sensing device may be configured to capture information about the bittings of the master key, such as an image of the bittings. The logic analyzes information about the bittings of the master key and compares it with bitting characteristics of known key blanks to determine the likelihood of a match between the master key and a known key blank.

Claims

1. A key identification system comprising:

a sensing system configured to extract bitting information from a master key; and

a logic configured to analyze said bitting information to determine at least one geometric characteristic of the shape of said bittings of said master key and further to compare said geometric characteristic of said bittings with bitting characteristics of known key blanks to determine the likelihood of a match between said master key and a known key blank

wherein said at least one geometric characteristic of the shape includes at least one of a depth of a bitting, a width of a bitting, a bitting profile shape, and a spacing between the bittings, and at least one of a—

location, slope, angle, or radius of a feature of said master key;

wherein said data related to bitting characteristics of known key blanks includes a set of bitting centers associated with a given key blank.

2. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said sensing system includes an imaging system.

3. The key identification system of claim 2, wherein said imaging system is configured to capture an image of the bittings of said master key.

4. The key identification system of claim 2, wherein said imaging system includes a camera.

5. The key identification system of claim 4, wherein said camera is positioned perpendicular to the blade of said master key.

6. The key identification system of claim 2, wherein said imaging system includes a light.

7. The key identification system of claim 3, wherein said captured image is a digital image.

8. The key identification system of claim 1 further comprising a key holder to hold said master key.

9. The key identification system of claim 8, wherein said key holder comprises a support and an upper door.

10. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said data related to bitting characteristics of known key blanks includes a set of depths at given blade spacing points associated with a given key blank.

11. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said data related to bitting characteristics of known key blanks includes a set of bitting flat widths at given blade spacing points associated with a given key blank.

12. The key identification system of claim 10 wherein said logic compares the depth of the master key bitting at each spacing point to said set of depths for said given key blank.

13. The key identification system of claim 12 wherein said logic computes a score for said given key blank based on the comparison between the depths of said master key at each spacing point and said set of depths for said given key blank.

14. The key identification system of claim 11 wherein said logic compares the bitting flat widths of the master key bitting at each spacing point to said set of bitting flat widths for said given key blank.

15. The key identification system of claim 14 wherein said logic computes a score for said given key blank based on the comparison between the bitting flat widths of said master key at each spacing point and said set of bitting flat widths for said given key blank.

16. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said logic compares the bitting centers of the master key bitting to said set of bitting centers for said given key blank.

17. The key identification system of claim 16 wherein said logic computes a score for said given key blank based on the comparison between the bitting centers of said master key and said set of bitting centers for said given key blank.

18. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said logic analyzes one of a bitting depth, a bitting flat width, and a bitting center of said master key at a blade spacing point shifted from said blade spacing point associated with a given key blank.

19. The key identification system of claim 4, further comprising a mirror positioned to allow said camera to capture more than one view of said master key.

20. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said logic is configured to overlay bitting patterns for a plurality of known keys over said master key bittings.

21. The key identification system of claim 1, wherein said logic includes a tolerance range for each bitting characteristic to determine whether a master key passes or fails to match a known key blank.

22. The key blank identification system of claim 1, wherein said logic is configured to shift the position of said bittings information of said master key to compare with said bitting characteristics of said known key blanks.

23. The key blank identification system of claim 22, wherein said shift includes at least one of a move laterally towards the tip, a move longitudinally towards the head, or a rotation.