Patent ID: 8170215

Claim:
A method of managing a home network key in a home network environment, which includes a key management server for managing the home network key and a plurality of home network devices separate from the key management server, the method comprising: (a) generating device unique information for at least one of the home network devices; (b) transmitting the device unique information to the key management server; (c) generating a parameter at the key management server using the device unique information, wherein the generating the parameter does not comprise encrypting a key; (d) transmitting the parameter to the home network device corresponding to the device unique information; and (e) generating the home network key at the home network device using the parameter, wherein the generating the home network key using the parameter does not comprise decrypting the key, the generated home network key is common to the home network devices and is not modified when a new home network device joins the home network environment and generates the home network key.