Patent ID: 8275371

Claim:
An interface device for providing communications between a first device and a second device, the interface device comprising: an input for receiving data in a first format from the first device; a processor configured for determining an amount of delay associated with transmitting the data to each of a plurality of devices capable of receiving the data, wherein the amount of delay is determined based on an amount of transmissions being received by each of the plurality of devices, an existence of a queue of additional transmissions associated with each of the plurality of devices, and a functioning status of each of the plurality of devices, identifying the second device for receiving the data from the plurality of devices based on the amount of delay determined for each of the plurality of devices and a cost of routing to each of the plurality of devices, the amount of delay associated with the second device determined to be lesser than the amount of delay associated with at least a portion of each of the plurality of devices remaining and the cost of routing to the second device determined to be lesser than the cost of routing associated with each of the plurality of devices remaining, identifying a second format compatible with the second device, and translating the data to the second format; an output for transmitting the data to the second device; and the processor further configured for while transmitting the data to the second device, determining that the amount of delay associated with the second device has increased such that the amount of delay associated with the second device is higher than the amount of delay associated with at least a portion of each of the plurality of devices remaining, and handing off transmission of the data to another device associated with the amount of delay lesser than the amount of delay associated with the second device.