A method of synchronizing a slave device (54, 54a, 54b) to a master device (52, 52') that communicates using a unified bus communication protocol having first and second modes of operation, wherein the method comprises: searching, according to the first mode of operation, for a first synchronization pattern, the first synchronization pattern comprising a first constant sync portion and a first dynamic sync portion, the searching for the first synchronization pattern comprising searching for the first constant sync portion; obtaining synchronization when the first synchronization pattern is located and the located first synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the first mode of operation; and if synchronization is not obtained: searching, according to the second mode of operation, for a second synchronization pattern, the second synchronization pattern comprising a second constant sync portion and a second dynamic sync portion, the searching for the second synchronization pattern comprising searching for the second constant sync portion; and obtaining synchronization when the second synchronization pattern is located and the located second synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the second mode of operation; wherein the first constant sync portion is different than the second constant sync portion and wherein the first mode of operation is word mode and the second mode of operation is bitstream mode or the first mode of operation is bitstream mode and the second mode of operation is word mode, wherein in bitstream mode data is transferred one bit at a time and is multiplexed from different data channels, and wherein in word mode, data is multiplexed as words and transmitted along the bus without being converted to another format. searching, according to the first mode of operation, for a first synchronization pattern, the first synchronization pattern comprising a first constant sync portion and a first dynamic sync portion, the searching for the first synchronization pattern comprising searching for the first constant sync portion; obtaining synchronization when the first synchronization pattern is located and the located first synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the first mode of operation; and if synchronization is not obtained: searching, according to the second mode of operation, for a second synchronization pattern, the second synchronization pattern comprising a second constant sync portion and a second dynamic sync portion, the searching for the second synchronization pattern comprising searching for the second constant sync portion; and obtaining synchronization when the second synchronization pattern is located and the located second synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the second mode of operation; wherein the first constant sync portion is different than the second constant sync portion and wherein the first mode of operation is word mode and the second mode of operation is bitstream mode or the first mode of operation is bitstream mode and the second mode of operation is word mode, wherein in bitstream mode data is transferred one bit at a time and is multiplexed from different data channels, and wherein in word mode, data is multiplexed as words and transmitted along the bus without being converted to another format.