Prioritized serial communication

An apparatus for transmitting serial communication messages with different priorities over a communication link, the apparatus comprising a first processor configured to:

• encode the serial communication messages such that each message comprises a start of packet (SOP) symbol and a plurality of data symbols,
• interrupt transmission of a first message if the SOP symbol of a second message is sent before the first message has been completed, and
• continue the transmission of the first message from a point where the first message was interrupted only after the second message has been transmitted,
• wherein:
• the transmission of the second message is interrupted if the SOP symbol of a third message is sent before the second message has been completed,
• the transmission of the second message is continued only after the third message has been completely transmitted,
• the third message has higher priority than the second message, and the second message has higher priority than the first message,
• each symbol of each of the serial communication messages comprises a predefined number of bits, and
• the serial communication messages are encoded such that information on the plurality of data symbols in a message is included in a first symbol of the message, wherein the first symbol is part of the plurality of data symbols, and wherein the plurality of data symbols follow the SOP symbol.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program configured to implement a method of:

• encoding serial communication messages such that each message comprises a start of packet (SOP) symbol and a plurality of data symbols,
• interrupting transmission of a first message if the SOP symbol of a second message is sent before the first message has been completed, and
• continuing the transmission of the first message from a point where the first message was interrupted only after the second message has been transmitted,
• wherein:
• the transmission of the second message is interrupted if the SOP symbol of a third message is sent before the second message has been completed,
• the transmission of the second message is continued only after the third message has been completely transmitted,
• the third message has higher priority than the second message, and the second message has higher priority than the first message,
• each symbol of each of the serial communication messages comprises a predefined number of bits, and
• the serial communication messages are encoded such that information on the plurality of data symbols in a message is included in a first symbol of the message, wherein the first symbol is part of the plurality of data symbols, and wherein the plurality of data symbols follow the SOP symbol.