Patent ID: 8824445

Claim:
A method for accelerating expansion of a mesh network formed around a gateway, the method executed at a first wireless device configured to attach to the mesh network, and the method comprising: while disconnected from the mesh network, detecting multiple second wireless devices that are configured to attach to the mesh network, wherein detection of the second wireless devices occurs while the second wireless devices are also disconnected from the mesh network; while disconnected from the mesh network, forming a preliminary network that includes connections with the second wireless devices and facilitates data sharing with the second wireless devices; while disconnected from the mesh network and connected to the preliminary network, detecting a third wireless device that is connected to the mesh network; expanding the mesh network by attaching the preliminary network to the mesh network, wherein attaching includes: maintaining the connections between the second wireless devices and the first wireless device; forming a mesh network connection with the third wireless device, wherein forming the mesh network connection includes obtaining a mesh network cost function that describes routing capabilities of the third wireless device within the mesh network; subsequent to attaching the preliminary network to the mesh network, receiving status information from the second wireless devices, wherein the status information is communicated using the connections; and forwarding the status information to the gateway via the third wireless device.