Patent ID: 8606231

Claim:
An automated method on a control device for authenticating the control device to a radio receiver being controlled, comprising: establishing a connection from a control device to a radio receiver, the connection communicating (a) commands from the control device to the radio receiver and (b) a reduced set of metadata from the radio receiver to the control device, the reduced set of metadata (i) pertaining to and being contemporary with processing performed by the radio receiver, (ii) having been received by the radio receiver over a broadcast link, and (iii) comprising a tuned channel indicator of a radio channel being received by the radio receiver; receiving a device identifier from the radio receiver; transmitting, over the connection, a control command to the radio receiver; determining a first authentication code, the first authentication code being derived from the device identifier in accordance with a defined algorithm; transmitting the first authentication code from the control device to the radio receiver; receiving, in response to transmitting the first authentication code, an enhanced set of metadata over the connection, the enhanced set of metadata (i) pertaining to and contemporary with processing performed by the radio receiver, (ii) comprising a song title and artist, and (iii) having been received by the radio receiver over the broadcast radio link; receiving, from the radio receiver, a specification of a time window, the time window defining a time period in which to transmit a second authentication code; transmitting, within the specified time window, the second authentication code to the radio receiver, the second authentication code being derived from the device identifier; and continuing to receive, in response to the transmitting the second authentication code, the enhanced set of metadata over the connection.