Patents by Inventor Phillip E. Froehlich

Phillip E. Froehlich has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5771176
    Abstract: This invention in its preferred embodiment comprises an apparatus and process (including a computer program) for controlling unmarked lock-opening keys in a security systems, whereby the conventional metal keys used to unlock rooms or cars or other entities can be controlled even though unmarked. The technique of the invention effectuates such control through taking electronic photographs, creating a silhouette of the side of unmarked keys using their individual configurations on the edge, generating an individual and distinctive electronic signal, specific for each such key to generate a digital coordinate series of numbers for each key and inventorying each such identifying signal representing a key so that keys are recognized by these signals rather than numbers or codes marks on the key. Although marked keys can be utilized in such a system, it would be a waste of the identifying ability of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Inventors: Phillip E. Froehlich, Edward E. Barker, III, David R. Ross