Digital signal processor buffer management

A method for capturing images with a camera, the method comprising:

• capturing, by an image sensor, image data at a first rate;
• outputting the image data captured at the first rate to a DSP buffer, the DSP buffer configured to buffer received image data for processing by a DSP image processor;
• receiving a buffer status from the DSP buffer indicating that the available storage capacity at the DSP buffer falls below a first threshold;
• in response to the received buffer status, capturing, by the image sensor, image data at a second rate, the second rate lower than the first rate;
• and
• outputting the image data captured at the second rate to the DSP buffer.

A system for compressing image data, the system comprising:

• a DSP buffer, the DSP buffer comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and coupled to a DSP image processor, and configured to:
• buffer received image data;
• output a first buffer status in response to the available capacity of the DSP buffer falling below a first threshold;
• output buffered data to the DSP image processor;
• and
• an image sensor configured to:
• capture image data at a first rate;
• output the image data captured at the first rate to the DSP buffer for buffering;
• in response to receiving the first buffer status from the DSP buffer:
• capture image data at a second rate lower than the first rate;
• and
• output the image data captured at the second rate to the DSP buffer for buffering.