Patent ID: 8407379

Claim:
An application processor for reading and writing data from and to a bi-directional memory buffer, the application processor configured to: responsive to an indication to write data to the bi-directional memory buffer, read a defined size of input data from the bi-directional memory buffer; replace the input data read from the bi-directional memory buffer with output data of the defined size; and responsive to a mode-change signal, change the defined size of data that is read and written from and to the bi-directional memory buffer, wherein the mode-change signal indicates one of a plurality of modes for the application processor to operate in, a first mode reading and writing a first size of data at a first rate, and a second mode reading and writing a second size of data greater than the first size of data at a second rate less than the first rate, wherein: in the first mode of operation the application processor receiving intermittently signals from a discontinuous interface at a first rate to provide a segment of data of a first predetermined size over a first data path connection to be stored in the bi-directional memory buffer; and in the second mode of operation the application processor receiving intermittently signals from the discontinuous interface at a second data rate greater than the first data rate to read and replace a segment of data of a second predetermined size less than the first predetermined size over the first data path connection at a position in the bi-directional memory buffer; wherein a continuous interface reads and replaces a block of data stored in the memory buffer over the second data path connection.