In an example, a data communication device includes one or more receivers, and one or more transmitters. The data communication device detects a start of frame packet (μSOF) on a data bus, wherein the μSOF indicates the start of a microframe; determines whether there are any data packets contained in the microframe during a first threshold period after the μSOF; and detects that there is no data packet contained in the microframe during the first threshold period after the μSOF, and in response, transitions at least one of the one or more transmitters from an active state to an OFF state, and transitions the at least one of the one or more transmitters from the OFF state to the active state prior to a switchback period before the end of the microframe.