Patent ID: 8024780

Claim:
A method for authenticating a computerized component in a home network with a computerized server in the network, comprising: instructing a user to point wireless a remote control device at the server; instructing a user to press a button indicating that authentication is impending, the button being on at least one of the server or the remote control device; instructing a user to randomly select a button on the remote control device; instructing a user to press the randomly selected button to generate a wireless signal; instructing a user to point the remote control device at the component; instructing a user to press the randomly selected button to generate the wireless signal; from at least one of: the server, or the component, sending a signal representing the wireless signal to the other of: the server, or the component, which compares the wireless signal it received from the remote control device with the a signal assumed to represent the wireless signal and if a match is found, determines that authentication exists between the server and component and otherwise does not determine that authentication exists between the server and component.