System and method for programming electronic devices from a remote site

A system for programming an electronic device comprising:

• means for converting information needed to program said electronic device into programming data for said electronic device, said means for converting comprising:
• means for receiving said information needed to program said electronic device;
• and
• means for encrypting said programming data using an element of real time as an encryption key;
• means for communicating said programming data from said means for converting information to a programming module;
• means for linking said programming module to said electronic device;
• means for transferring said programming data from said programming module to said electronic device through said means for linking;
• and
• means for preventing the means for transferring from operating.

A system for programming a plurality of electronic devices comprising:

• means for converting information needed to program a selected set of said electronic devices into programming data for said selected set of electronic devices, said means for converting comprising means for receiving said information needed to program said selected set of electronic devices;
• means for embedding the date on which the programming data has been converted into the programming data as an embedded date;
• means for communicating said programming data from said means for converting information to a programming module;
• means for separately linking said programming module to each of said selected electronic devices;
• means for transferring said programming data from said programming module to each of said selected electronic devices through said means for separately linking;
• and
• means for preventing the means for transferring from operating if the embedded date is more than a predetermined period of time previous to a present date.

A system for programming a plurality of electronic devices comprising:

• means for converting information needed to program a selected set of said electronic devices into programming data for said selected set of electronic devices, said means for converting comprising:
• means for receiving said information needed to program said selected set of electronic devices;
• and
• means for encrypting said programming data using an element of real time as an encryption key;
• means for communicating said programming data from said means for converting information to a programming module;
• means for separately linking said programming module to each of said selected electronic devices;
• means for transferring said programming data from said programming module to each of said selected electronic devices through said means for separately linking;
• and
• means for preventing the means for transferring from operating.

The method of programming an electronic device comprising the steps of:

• communicating information needed to program said electronic device from the location of said electronic device to a remote programming site
• converting said information into programming commands for said electronic device;
• embedding the date on which the programming data has been converted into the programming data as an embedded date;
• downloading said programming commands from said remote programming site to said electronic device only if the embedded date is more than a predetermined period of time before a present date.

The method of programming an electronic device comprising the steps of:

• communicating information needed to program said electronic device from the location of said electronic device to a remote programming site;
• converting said information into programming commands for said electronic device, wherein said step of converting comprises the step of encrypting said programming commands using an element of real time as an encryption key;
• and
• downloading said programming commands from said remote programming site to said electronic device, wherein said step of downloading comprises the step of decrypting said programming commands.

The method of programming an electronic device comprising the steps of:

• establishing a communication link between a consumer and a programming assistant;
• communicating information needed to program said electronic device from the consumer to the programming assistant;
• converting said information into programming commands for said electronic device;
• embedding the date on which the programming data has been converted into the programming commands as an embedded date;
• downloading said programming commands to a programming module;
• establishing a data linking between said programming module and said electronic device;
• and
• transferring said programming data from said programming module to said electronic device only if the embedded date is more than a predetermined period of time before a present date.

The method of programming an electronic device comprising the steps of:

• establishing a communication link between a consumer and a programming assistant;
• communicating information needed to program said electronic device from the consumer to the programming assistant;
• converting said information into programming commands for said electronic device, said step of converting comprising the step of encrypting said programming commands using an element of real time as an encryption key;
• downloading said programming commands to a programming module, said step of downloading comprising the step of decrypting said programming commands;
• establishing a data linking between said programming module and said electronic device;
• and
• transferring said programming data from said programming module to said electronic device.

An appliance programming module for programming a variety of home electronic appliances comprising:

• means for receiving at least one set of appliance programming data with a date on which the programming data has been received being embedded within the programming data for at least one of said appliances;
• means for coupling said appliance programming module to one of said appliances;
• means for transferring said at least one set of appliance programming data to said one of said appliances;
• and
• means for preventing the means for transferring from operating if the embedded current date is more than a predetermined period of time before a present date.