Is the TrueWay key-swap mechanism patented?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes — in three major jurisdictions, as granted rights rather than pending applications: United States: US Patent 12,499,723 B1, granted by the USPTO on December 16, 2025 Germany: Utility Model DE202025001780 China: Invention Patent CN201610502753 The US patent, titled "Intelligent lock that replaces electronic components with a key," names Long Ke as inventor and Guangzhou Runfu Biotechnology Co., Ltd as applicant and assignee (application no. 19/212,665, filed May 19, 2025, with priority to Chinese application 202411741081.0). It covers the lock's core architecture: a housing, a detachably mounted electronic component (the front module), and an internal locking assembly that secures the module and releases it via a key. In plain terms, this is the legal protection behind TrueWay's signature feature: an end-user inserts a key, turns it 90°, and swaps the lock's entire electronic module — fingerprint, keypad, or face-recognition panel — in under 10 seconds, without tools, a technician, or removing the lock from the door. For buyers, the portfolio means the feature is genuine and documented. For distributors, it means the modular key-swap category cannot legally be copied in these markets — a real moat for exclusive territory partners. TrueWay products are FCC-ID and CE-RED certified. Patent documentation and distribution inquiries: www.truewaylock.com.

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