Patent ID: 8745137

Claim:
A method, performed by an add device, for joining a join device to a hybrid network comprising a plurality of member devices including at least the add device and a proxy device, wherein the join device is not yet a member of the hybrid network, the method comprising: activating the add device to enter the add device into an add state, wherein the add device is to listen for a connect message from the join device; determining, in the add device, whether the connect message is received from the join device, wherein the connect message is communicated using a first communication protocol; when the connect message is received by the add device within a predetermined time period after the activating, then facilitating the joining of the join device to the hybrid network using the add device; and when the connect message is not received by the add device within the predetermined time period after the activating: sending a proxy connect message in a second communication protocol from the add device to the proxy device, wherein the first communication protocol is different than the second communication protocol, and wherein the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol are selected from powerline communication protocols, wireless protocols, and wired protocols; and allowing the proxy device to join the join device to the hybrid network using the second communication protocol.