Three arguments for the use of patented keys.

Keys satisfy one of the most fundamental human needs: security. They protect homes, secure businesses, and serve to safeguard privacy. But what about their justification for existence if it is still child’s play to gain access to someone else’s property?

Although locks and keys have been in use for thousands of years, their development has been relatively sluggish. Up until the 20th century, keys and locks were essentially the same systems that originated thousands of years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. Nevertheless, recent developments in access technologies are also changing the way we view keys.

Even though developments in the field of access technologies have now advanced considerably, many people still prefer the more affordable and simpler options. Mechanical locking systems are therefore still popular, as they represent one of the simplest ways to protect your own property or business. However, their comparatively simple design can be a disadvantage, especially in terms of security: ordinary mechanical keys can be copied quite easily. This is where patented systems against illegal key copies can help to compensate for the limitations of the good old mechanical key.

Thanks to the following advantages, patented keys, also known as copy-protected keys, are still a good choice, but without any compromises in terms of security.

1. Exclusive access through patented keys

A patent is an industrial property right for a product or process. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a product to be patented must not have been published in any way prior to the patent application. The role is: First apply – then publish. In Germany, an international patent application can be submitted to WIPO via the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) as the transmitting authority.

Patented key systems thus have similar characteristics to musical or visual masterpieces: they are all unique, attributed to an author, cannot be copied, and are legally protected.

Patented key systems ensure that no one other than the manufacturer – or a third party commissioned by them – can produce the keys or key blanks.

Attempting to copy patented keys has similar consequences to a copyright infringement. Reproducing a patented key without the express permission of the owner or manufacturer can have serious financial consequences.

2. Protection against lock manipulation

Lock manipulation refers to the attempt to gain unauthorized access to a place by methods such as lockpicking, bump key techniques, drilling, striking or pulling the cylinder, or by using counterfeit keys.

While conventional mechanical low-tech locks are susceptible to these methods, manipulating a patented lock system is much more difficult – if not impossible. Good patented keys are made of high-quality and durable material, which makes them virtually indestructible. Ideally, the optional predetermined breaking point ensures controlled breakage in the event of a manipulation attempt by pulling the cylinder.

With the new mechatronic locking systems, protection against lock manipulation reaches a new level. The mechanical keys with a digital chip are able to “delete” the data of a key – similar to blocking a credit card – thus providing more security. In this way, people who have come into possession of this key without authorization – for example, through theft – cannot access the place secured by this key.

The less likely the possibility of manipulation, the stronger the feeling of being in control: both individuals and entire companies thus gain the security of “having everything under control.”

3. Save money through high-level security

In the United States, research in the field of criminology has shown that a property crime occurs every 3.7 seconds, with the main motive being to obtain money or valuables. The methods used to gain access to someone else’s property are not necessarily innovative: for example, 90 percent of burglars in the UK enter homes through the front or back door.

In the USA alone, property crimes in 2018 resulted in estimated losses of 16.4 billion US dollars. The majority of these offenses involved burglaries with violent and unlawful entry. Houses with security systems were much less likely to be targeted by burglars.

Thus, patented keys not only reduce the risk of burglary and the resulting financial losses, but they can also lower the insurance costs of a building. If a building has been broken into, insurance premiums usually increase. Some providers may even refuse to insure the premises against further break-ins. Therefore, a low-quality locking system could be associated with a high price.

Patented keys: Added value in everyday life

Buildings that use patented keys are more secure, and thus the risk of burglary is lower. Thanks to these technologies, keys can fulfill the purpose intended for them by earlier civilizations.

Patented keys are no longer simple metal tools, but intelligent tools that add value to life.