Systems, methods and apparatus are described that offer improved performance of a sensor bus. A first command is transmitted to devices coupled to a serial bus operated in a first mode in accordance with a first protocol to cause the serial bus to be operated in a second mode. After communicating in accordance with a second protocol while the serial bus is operated in the second mode, a second command is transmitted to the plurality of devices in accordance with the first protocol to terminate the second mode. In the second mode, extra symbols inserted into a sequence of symbols transmitted on the serial bus prevent the occurrence of an unintended signaling state on the serial bus. Pulses transmitted on a wire of the serial bus in the second mode may have their duration limited such that a filter of a second device suppresses the limited-duration pulses.