Many of the modern patented key systems that were created at the end of the 1990s are now expiring – often unbeknown to their owners – leaving people vulnerable with no key control. If the patent runs out, a key system is no longer protected against unauthorised copying and duplication, therefore the entire key system and security could be at risk. Jon Burke, Marketing Manager at Abloy UK, discusses patented key systems, and the dangers of not updating patents before they expire.
If a key system is patent protected, it means that the patent agencies have granted exclusivity of that specific key design. Therefore there is no legal way of making a physical copy of the patented keys, and if any unauthorised copies were to be unlawfully made, legal action could be taken. Patented key systems can offer peace of mind for people who are after a long term security solution, and can last for anywhere up to around twenty years, depending on the brand of choice. But what happens when that patent expires?
All patents will eventually come to an end, including those for key systems, which then leaves unapproved persons able to use the once patented technology to create copies of keys. They can then gain access to areas presumed secure without technically breaking the law. With no secure key control in place, a building that the owner thinks is protected could become in danger of burglary.
Dated design
The patented key systems that are nearing their expiry now are also more at risk than newer key systems because they have been around longer, therefore it’s likely that there has been a larger number of people who have had access to the system over the years.
For example, if a patented key system was created for a hotel twenty years ago, there may have been many different past and present staff members who have used a number of sets of keys over the duration of the patent.
Here lies the danger, as the owner of the hotel would lose key control as soon as the patent expires. Can they be sure that there are not keys out there that can now be legally copied? Of course, this doesn’t mean that every building is at immediate risk as soon as the patent expires, but the threat of key duplication will be present until a new patented system is in place.
How good is your current key system patent?
So although customers are unable to prevent their key system patent from expiring, what they can do is choose the best patented key system available to them in the first place. This will significantly reduce the risk of people copying keys and decrease the chance of illegitimate parties gaining access to the building.
Abloy UK offers a selection of high quality key systems that are patented, including Protec2, Novel, and Sentry. The Novel cylinder and key is patented until 2027, including key blanks, cut keys and the cylinder construction, the Protec2 cylinder and key is patented until 2031 and the Sentry cylinder and key is patented until 2027.
For extra security, the centres in Abloy’s Dealer Network are contractually obliged to inform Abloy if they see an unauthorised copy of an Abloy patented key, providing extra security and reassurance for Abloy and their customers against the possibility of unauthorised duplication.
The intricate and unique design of Abloy cylinders and keys and the complexity of the key cutting procedures also acts as a large deterrent alone, making it extremely challenging for rogue locksmiths to physically duplicate the keys.
For more information on Abloy’s patented key systems and other products contact: [email protected].
