Systems and methods for duplicating keys

Abstract

Systems and methods for duplicating keys are provided. In some embodiments, a system for creating keys is provided, the system comprising: a kiosk comprising: a key scanner capturing geometric information of a key; and a hardware processor that: receives security information; automatically determines a key type and bit heights of the key and causes these, along with first identifying information based on the first security information, to be stored at a remote storage device; receives second security information corresponding to second identifying information; verifies the second security information and, in response, identifies stored geometric information about one or more keys that can be made, wherein the stored geometric information includes geometric information corresponding to the second security information; and a key shaping device that creates a third key using the second geometric information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for creating keys, the system comprising:
 a computing device comprising:
 a storage device; and 
 a first hardware processor that:
 receives first geometric information about a first key from a first source, wherein the first geometric information includes a first key type of the first key and first bit heights of the first key determined based on geometric information about the first key captured at the first source; 
 receives first identifying information identifying a first particular user based on first security information specified by the first particular user in connection with the first geometric information; 
 causes the first geometric information and the first identifying information to be stored at the storage device; 
 receives second geometric information about a second key from a second source, wherein the second geometric information includes a second key type of the second key and second bit heights of the second key determined based on geometric information about the second key captured at the second source; 
 receives second identifying information identifying a second particular user based on second security information specified by the second particular user in connection with the second geometric information; and 
 causes the second geometric information and the second identifying information to be stored at the storage device; and 
 
   a kiosk, which does not correspond to the first source and which does not correspond to the second source, comprising:
 a communication network interface; 
 a second hardware processor that:
 receives third security information, wherein the third security information corresponds to the first identifying information but not the second identifying information; 
 verifies that the third security information corresponds to the first identifying information; 
 identifies stored geometric information about one or more keys that can be made in response to verifying that the third security information corresponds to the first security information, wherein the stored geometric information includes the first geometric information but does not include the second geometric information; and 
 receives the first geometric information from the storage device using the first communication network interface based on the verification that the third security information corresponds to the first security information; and 
 a key shaping device that creates a third key based on the first geometric information, including the first key type and the first bit heights. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication network interface includes a wireless network interface. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first key type and the first bit heights are determined using machine learning techniques to recognize features of the first key based on the geometric information about the first key captured at the first source. 
     
     
         4 . A method for creating keys, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a kiosk, first security information specified by a first particular user and identifying the first particular user;   capturing, using a key scanner of the kiosk, first geometric information about a first key; and   automatically determining a key type of the first key from a plurality of known key types based on the captured geometric information about the first key;   automatically determining bit heights of the first key based on the captured geometric information about the first key;   causing the first geometric information, including the key type of the first key and the bit heights of the first key, and first identifying information based on the first security information to be stored at a remote storage device;   receiving second security information, wherein the second security information corresponds to second identifying information associated with a second particular user, but not the first identifying information;   verifying that the second security information corresponds to the second identifying information;   identifying stored geometric information about one or more keys that can be made in response to verifying that the second security information corresponds to the second identifying information, wherein the stored geometric information includes second geometric information, including the key type of a second key and the bit heights of the second key, but does not include the first geometric information; and   receiving the second geometric information from the remote storage device based on the verification that the second security information corresponds to the second identifying information; and   creating a third key using the second geometric information, including the key type of the second key and the bit heights of the second key.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the remote storage device is a server. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the remote storage device is a portable electronic device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 indicating to the user an identity of the one or more keys for which geometric information is stored in the stored geometric information using a display coupled to the hardware processor upon verifying the second security information; and   receiving, from an input device coupled to a hardware processor of the kiosk, an identification of a key to create from the displayed identity information.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the input device comprises at least one of the following: a biometric sensor, a keypad, a keyboard, a touchscreen, an image sensor, and a near-field communication receiver. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first security information and the second security information comprises at least one of the following: a username, a password, biometric information of the user, a barcode, a Quick Response code, a radio signal encoded with account information, and a light signal encoded with account information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the third key is created from a key blank stored in one of a plurality of magazines that are each configured to hold a plurality of key blanks 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of magazines are arranged on a rotating carousel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the third key is created using a key shaping device comprising:
 a computer numerical control device; and   a shaping tool.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the third key is created using an additive manufacturing device, and wherein the third key is created from material used by the additive manufacturing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a material used to create the third key includes at least one of the following: key blanks, plastic, and stock material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises moving material used to create the third key from a key material storage area to a key shaping device. 
     
     
         16 . A method for creating keys, the method comprising:
 receiving, using a first hardware processor, first geometric information about a first key from a first source, wherein the first geometric information includes a first key type of the first key and first bit heights of the first key determined based on geometric information about the first key captured at the first source;   receiving, using the first hardware processor, first identifying information identifying a first particular user based on first security information specified by the first particular user in connection with the first geometric information;   causing, using the first hardware processor, the first geometric information and the first identifying information to be stored in a storage device coupled to the first hardware processor;   receiving, using the first hardware processor, second geometric information about a second key from a second source, wherein the second geometric information includes a second key type of the second key and second bit heights of the second key determined based on geometric information about the second key captured at the second source;   receiving, using the first hardware processor, second identifying information identifying a second particular user based on second security information specified by the second particular user in connection with the second geometric information;   causing, using the first hardware processor, the second geometric information and the second identifying information to be stored in the storage device coupled to the first hardware processor;   receiving, using a second hardware processor, third security information, wherein the third security information corresponds to the first identifying information but not the second identifying information;   verifying, using the second hardware processor, that the third security information corresponds to the first identifying information;   identifying, using the second hardware processor, stored geometric information about one or more keys that can be made in response to verifying that the third security information corresponds to the first security information, wherein the stored geometric information includes the first geometric information but does not include the second geometric information;   receiving, using a communication network interface coupled to the second hardware processor, the first geometric information from the storage device based on the verification that the third security information corresponds to the first security information; and   creating a third key based on the first geometric information, including the first key type and the first bit heights, received by the second hardware processor.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the communication network interface includes a wireless network interface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first key type and the first bit heights are determined using machine learning techniques to recognize features of the first key based on the geometric information about the first key based on the first geometric information.