Reduction of IMU/AP link requirements for SDI

A method, controller and system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure facilitate reduced energy consumption in a motion sensing device having an inertial measurement unit (IMU), with a strap down integration unit, and an application processing unit (AP). The system and method include sensing acceleration values and rotational values at the IMU and converting the sensed acceleration and rotational values into velocity and orientation increments by strap down integration. The velocity and orientation increments are stored in a first buffer at the IMU between updates to the AP. When an update request is received at the IMU from the AP over an interrupt link, the buffer contents are transmitted over a serial link from the IMU to the AP.