Authentication systems and methods for controllers

A computer-implemented method to authenticate a controller that is configured to communicate over the Internet, the controller comprising a user interface with at least one switch that is mounted to the controller, the at least one switch including an actuatable control, the at least one switch configured to be manually placed in a plurality of positions by applying a mechanical force to the actuatable control, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• randomly selecting a position of the plurality of positions of the at least one switch;
• causing a web-enabled device to display a prompt to position the at least one switch to the randomly selected position, the controller unable to display the prompt;
• receiving an indication from the controller of the position of the at least one switch;
• comparing an indication of the randomly selected position stored in memory with the indication of the position from the controller;
• and
• initiating a next action in response to the comparison associated with the randomly selected position.

A system to authenticate a controller, the system comprising:

• a controller configured to communicate over the Internet, the controller comprising a user interface including a plurality of switches mounted to the controller, each of the switches including an actuatable control, each of the switches configured to be manually placed in more than one position by applying a mechanical force to the actuatable control;
• and
• a web server comprising at least one computer processor and memory storing an indication for each position of a plurality of positions and instructions executable by the at least one computer processor, wherein the plurality of positions include each position of the more than one position of each switch of the plurality of switches, the web server configured to interact with a web-enabled device to cause the web-enabled device to display prompts to a user, the controller unable to display the prompts to the user from the web server, the at least one computer processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the at least one computer processor to:
• (i) randomly select a position of the plurality of positions;
• (ii) cause the web-enabled device to display a prompt to position a switch associated with the randomly selected position to the randomly selected position;
• (iii) receive an indication from the controller of the position of the switch associated with the randomly selected position;
• (iv) compare an indication of the randomly selected position stored in memory with the indication of the position from the controller;
• and
• (v) initiate a next action in response to the comparison associated with the randomly selected position.