IDENTIFICATION MODULE FOR KEY MAKING MACHINE

• US 20190284837A1
• Filed: 05/23/2019
• Published: 09/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hillman Group Incorporated (Hillman Solutions Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hillman Group Incorporated (Hillman Solutions Corp.)
• Inventors: Grice, Byron Keith, Gerlings, Phillip, Campbell, John Clayton, Schmidt, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 10,400,474 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2235/28 Key blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2235/41 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/35 Milling grooves in keys
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/355 Holders for the template keys
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/005 keys making keys without essentially removing material, e.g. by punching B21D53/42; milling grooves in keys B23C3/35
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0058 with key bits on at least one wide side surface of the key
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/04 Construction of the bow or head of the key; Attaching the bow to the shank
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/14 Double or multiple keys , e.g. with two or more bows or bits see also E05B35/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/300952 to cut lock key
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7842 Single shank or stem

Abstract

An identification module is disclosed for use in a key making machine. The identification module may have a key receiving assembly configured to receive only a shank of an existing key. The identification module may also have a tip guide, configured to receive a tip of the shank of the existing key. The tip guide may have a slot that exposes a tip end of the shank. The identification module may also have an imaging assembly configured to capture an image of the tip end through the slot.

Claims

1. A key making machine, comprising:

a housing;

an identification system, wherein the identification system includes;

a slot opening in the housing configured to receive only the shank of an existing key;

a transponder sensor located at or around the slot opening configured to detect the presence of a transponder within the head of the existing key and to read a transponder code associated with the detected transponder; and

an imaging system comprising one or more light sources and one or more receivers, wherein the imaging system is configured to determine at least one feature selected from the group of features consisting of a bitting pattern of the existing key and a channel profile of the existing key;

a fabrication system, wherein the fabrication system is configured to;

receive a key blank that the identification system has determined to be associated with the existing key;

receive information associated with the determined bitting pattern from the identification system; and

cut the determined bitting pattern into a key blank; and

a user interface associated with the housing,

wherein the user interface includes a touch screen, and

wherein the user interface is configured to provide status information to a user regarding a key duplication process.

2. The key making machine of claim 1,

wherein at least one of the one or more light sources is a back light;

wherein at least one image generated by the imaging system includes at least a backlight image; and

wherein the identification system is configured to determine whether the existing key is an edge-cut key or a milled key based on the backlight image.

3. The key making machine of claim 1, wherein determining the channel profile of the existing key further comprises determining at least one characteristic selected from the group of characteristics consisting of the shape of a channel formed within the existing key, the size of a channel formed within the existing key, and the location of a channel formed within the existing key.

4. The key making machine of claim 3, wherein the identification system uses the channel profile to determine a key blank associated with the existing key.

5. The key making machine of claim 4, wherein the identification system determines a channel profile of each side of the shank of the existing key, and uses said channel profiles of each side of the shank of the existing key to determine the key blank associated with the existing key.

6. The key making machine of claim 1, wherein upon detection of the presence of a transponder within the head of the existing key, the user interface is further configured to receive input from a user via the touchscreen comprising at least one input selected from the group of inputs consisting of a make of an automobile associated with the existing key, a model of an automobile associated with the existing key, and a year of an automobile associated with the existing key.

7. The key making machine of claim 1, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive input from a user via the touchscreen comprising a delivery address for a duplicated key that is to be fabricated at a location remote from the key making machine.

8. The key making machine of claim 1, wherein the key making machine is configured to generate a queue of key duplication events.

9. The key making machine of claim 8, wherein the key making machine is further configured to transmit information associated with the queue to the user interface for display.

10. The key making machine of claim 1, wherein the transponder sensor is configured to read the transponder code associated with the detected transponder upon the existing key being fully inserted into the slot opening.

11. A system for duplicating a key, comprising:

an identification system, wherein the identification system includes;

a housing;

a slot opening in the housing configured to receive only the shank of an existing key;

a transponder sensor located at or around the slot opening configured to detect the presence of a transponder within the head of the existing key and to read a transponder code associated with the detected transponder;

an imaging system comprising one or more light sources and one or more receivers, wherein the imaging system is configured to determine at least one feature selected from the group of features consisting of a bitting pattern of the existing key and a channel profile of the existing key;

wireless communication hardware; and

a user interface associated with the housing,

wherein the user interface includes a touch screen, and

wherein the user interface is configured to provide status information to a user regarding a key duplication process; and

a fabrication system located at a location remote from the identification system, wherein the fabrication system includes;

wireless communication hardware; and

at least one system for duplication of the existing key selected from the group of systems consisting of a cutting system, a milling system, and a transponder cloning pocket;

wherein the wireless communication hardware of the identification system and the wireless communication hardware of the fabrication system are configured to exchange communications, and

wherein the identification system is configured to transmit information associated with one or both of the determined bitting pattern and the determined channel profile to the fabrication system via the wireless communication hardware.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein at least one of the one or more light sources is a back light;

wherein at least one image generated by the imaging system includes at least a backlight image; and

wherein the identification system is configured to determine whether the existing key is an edge-cut key or a milled key based on the backlight image.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the channel profile of the existing key further comprises determining at least one characteristic selected from the group of characteristics consisting of the shape of a channel formed within the existing key, the size of a channel formed within the existing key, and the location of a channel formed within the existing key.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the identification system uses the channel profile to determine a key blank associated with the existing key.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the identification system determines a channel profile of each side of the shank of the existing key, and uses said channel profiles of each side of the shank of the existing key to determine the key blank associated with the existing key.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein upon detection of the presence of a transponder within the head of the existing key, the user interface is further configured to receive input from a user via the touchscreen comprising at least one input selected from the group of inputs consisting of a make of an automobile associated with the existing key, a model of an automobile associated with the existing key, and a year of an automobile associated with the existing key.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the identification system is configured to transmit information associated with one or both of the transponder code read from the transponder and the user input comprising at least one input selected from the group of inputs consisting of a make of an automobile associated with the existing key, a model of an automobile associated with the existing key, and a year of an automobile associated with the existing key to the fabrication system via the wireless communication hardware.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the fabrication system includes a transponder cloning pocket; and

the fabrication system is configured to program a transponder within the head of a key blank with the transponder code received from the identification system.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface is further configured to receive input from a user via the touchscreen comprising a delivery address for a duplicated key that is to be fabricated by the fabrication system.

20. A key making machine, comprising:

a housing;

an identification system, wherein the identification system includes;

a slot opening in the housing configured to receive only the shank of an existing key;

a transponder sensor located at or around the slot opening configured to detect the presence of a transponder within the head of the existing key and to read a transponder code associated with the detected transponder; and

an imaging system comprising one or more light sources and one or more receivers, wherein the imaging system is configured to determine both a bitting pattern of the existing key and a channel profile of both sides of the shank of the existing key, and

wherein the identification system uses the determined channel profiles of both sides of the shank of the existing key to identify the existing key; and

a fabrication system configured to cut a bitting pattern of an existing key without a transponder into a key blank selected from a plurality of a key blanks that are stored within the housing which the identification system has determined to be associated with the existing key,

wherein the key making machine is configured to transmit the transponder code read from the transponder to a remote system to permit an existing key with a transponder to be duplicated by the remote system.