Abstract: A method of communicating serial information from a source to a destination is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves numerous steps for communicating serial information from a source to a destination. First, transmission is commenced of a serial stream of status information from the source to the destination, wherein the serial stream of status information has a beginning, an end, and a plurality of serially ordered status units between the beginning and end. Second, after the first step, a serial stream of control information is transmitted from the source to the destination, wherein the serial stream of control information has a beginning and an end. Various receiving steps then follow. First, the destination receives the beginning and a first portion of the plurality of status units of the serial stream of status information. Second, the destination receives the serial stream of control information.