Transponder key replication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10068401-B1
Application number	US-201815951972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 12, 2018
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus for replicating a transponder key is disclosed. The transponder replication device includes an antenna that reads a transponder code from a transponder key; a camera, wherein the camera captures a bitting characteristic of the transponder key blade; a stabilizer that secures the transponder key in place while the camera captures the bitting characteristic; a memory device for storing the transponder data; means for transmitting the transponder code and the bitting characteristic of the transponder key blade to a remote location; and, a remote communication device that is compatible with the internet communications device that receives the transponder data and transmits it to a transponder duplication device at the remote location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for replicating a vehicle transponder key, comprising:
a local device including:
an antenna that captures a vehicle transponder code from a first transponder key having a key blade;
a camera that captures key blade bitting characteristics;
a stabilizer that secures the key blade while the camera captures the bitting characteristics;
a memory that stores the captured transponder code and bitting characteristics data;
an internet compatible transmitter that transmits the stored transponder code and bitting characteristics data from the memory to a remote location;

an internet compatible communication device at a location remote from the local device and configured to receive the stored transponder code and bitting characteristics data from the memory over the internet; and
a reproduction unit at the remote location that is configured to transfer the stored transponder code and bitting characteristics data transmitted from the memory to a second transponder key having a second key blade at the remote location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a transponder key stop.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes springs to center the transponder key.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising light emitting diode (LED) lights on the local device for facilitating use of the camera.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is positioned to circumscribe the transponder key while the stabilizer secures the transponder key.

6. A system for replicating transponder key and key blade information associated with a predetermined vehicle's transponder key and key blade at a first location on a second transponder key and key blade at a remote location, the system comprising:
a first subsystem at the first location having:
a housing containing a stabilizer, an antenna, a camera, and a memory:
the stabilizer secures the predetermined vehicle's transponder key in a predetermined location within the housing,
the antenna captures a transponder code from the predetermined vehicle's transponder key,
the camera captures bitting characteristics from the key blade,
the memory stores captured data of the captured transponder code and bitting characteristics;

a transmitter transmits the captured data from the first subsystem to a second subsystem; and,
the second subsystem located at the remote location having:
a receiver that receives the captured data transmitted from the first subsystem and provides the captured data to a transponder key and key blade replication device,
the transponder key and key blade replication device replicates the transponder code and key blade bitting characteristics on the second transponder key and transponder key blade.

7. A system for replicating transponder key and key blade information from a first transponder key and key blade on a different transponder key and key blade, the system comprising:
a first subsystem that is located at a first location and has:
a housing containing a stabilizer, an antenna, a camera, and a memory:
the stabilizer secures the first transponder key and key blade associated with a predetermined vehicle in a predetermined location within the housing,
the antenna captures a transponder code from the first transponder key,
the camera captures bitting characteristics from the first key blade,
the memory stores captured transponder code and bitting characteristics data;
a transmitter that transmits the captured transponder code and bitting characteristics data from the first subsystem to a second subsystem over the internet; and,

the second subsystem that is located at a remote location from the first subsystem and is in internet communication with the first subsystem, has:
a receiver that receives the transponder code and bitting characteristics data and provides that transponder code and bitting characteristics data to a transponder key and key blade replication device;
the transponder key and key blade replication device applies the captured transponder code and bitting characteristics data to a second transponder key and transponder key blade and replicates the captured transponder code and bitting characteristics data on the second transponder key and transponder key blade.

Assignees

• Rb Distrib Inc

Inventors

• Blalock Christopher
• Digregorio Michael
• Barnard Matthew
• Graver Brandon

Classifications

• G07C2009/0088

  centrally · CPC title

• H04N7/183

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title

• B23C3/35

  Milling grooves in keys · CPC title

• Y10T29/442

  of key article · CPC title

• G07C9/00857 Primary

  where the code of the data carrier can be programmed · CPC title