The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 16, 2000
Filed:
May. 13, 1997
Phillip R Wills, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Roger F Kromann, Atlanta, GA (US);
Norman N Axelrod, New York, NY (US);
Wesley A Schroeder, Seville, OH (US);
James A Berilla, Highland Heights, OH (US);
Bryce Burba, Cleveland Heights, OH (US);
Axxess Technologies, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US);
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.