Patent ID: 7916869

Claim:
A system for transmitting an encrypted LAN configuration message within a local area network (LAN) to a device to enable the device to transmit and receive encrypted communications within the LAN, the system comprising: a first infrared (IR) remote control having a button-pad configured to enable a user to generate an arbitrary button-sequence to thereby transmit a digital code corresponding to said arbitrary button-sequence via IR outside the LAN; a LAN comprising: a LAN member device comprising a first processor, first memory coupled to the processor, a shared LAN security key stored in the first memory configured to insure all transmissions within the LAN are encrypted, and a first computer program configured to encrypt, using a cipher key, a LAN configuration message transmitted within the LAN, wherein the encrypted LAN configuration message includes said shared LAN security key; and a nonmember device associated with the LAN for unencrypted communication prior to transmission of the encrypted configuration message including said shared LAN security key by the member device, the nonmember device comprising an IR receiver configured to receive said digital code from said first IR remote control outside the LAN, a second processor configured to generate said cipher key from said digital code, second memory coupled to the second processor configured to store said cipher key, and a second computer program responsive to said cipher key configured to decrypt the encrypted LAN configuration message including said shared LAN security key transmitted within the LAN by the member device; and a second IR remote control having a button-pad for enabling the user to generate the same button-sequence as generated at the first IR remote control to thereby transmit the same digital code via IR outside the LAN as transmitted by the first IR remote control, wherein the LAN member device includes an IR receiver configured to receive said digital code from said second IR remote control via IR outside the LAN, and wherein said first processor in the LAN member device generates the same cipher key from said digital code as generated by the nonmember device.