Non-destructive outside device alerts for multi-lane i3c

An apparatus, comprising:

• a bus interface configured to couple the apparatus to a multi-lane serial bus;
• a first control register configured with a fairness value;
• and
• I3C logic having a byte counter, the I3C logic being configured to cause the bus interface to:
• transmit a first command code over the multi-lane serial bus;
• transmit a plurality of frames over the multi-lane serial bus;
• and
• transmit a second command code over the multi-lane serial bus after the byte counter indicates that a number of bytes transmitted since transmission of the first command code is at least equal to the fairness value,
• wherein the first command code is configured to restrain one or more devices coupled to the multi-lane serial bus from launching an alert over the multi-lane serial bus, and
• wherein the second command code is configured to notify the one or more devices of an opportunity to launch an alert over the multi-lane serial bus.

An apparatus comprising:

• a serial bus;
• means for providing a plurality of frames, each frame being configured to carry up to a maximum number of data bytes;
• means for transmitting frames over the serial bus, wherein a first frame transmitted over the serial bus is filled with first data bytes and a second frame transmitted over the serial bus includes second data bytes less in number than the maximum number of data bytes;
• means for notifying one or more devices of unavailability of an alert opportunity prior to transmitting the first frame;
• and
• means for notifying the one or more devices that the second frame provides an opportunity to launch an alert after transmission of the second data bytes.

A processor-readable storage medium comprising instructions for:

• providing a plurality of frames, each frame being configured to carry up to a maximum number of data bytes;
• transmitting a first frame over a serial bus, wherein the first frame is filled with first data bytes;
• and
• transmitting a second frame over the serial bus, wherein the second frame includes second data bytes less in number than the maximum number of data bytes, and wherein the first frame and the second frame have a common duration.