Communicator.java

package org.reprap.comms;

import java.io.IOException;

import org.reprap.Device;
import org.reprap.comms.OutgoingMessage;

/**
 *
 */
public interface Communicator {
	
	/**
	 * @param device
	 * @param messageToSend
	 * @return IncomingContext
	 * @throws IOException
	 */
	public IncomingContext sendMessage(Device device,
			OutgoingMessage messageToSend) throws IOException;

	/**
	 * @param message
	 * @throws IOException
	 */
	public void receiveMessage(IncomingMessage message) throws IOException;
	
	/**
	 * @param message
	 * @param timeout
	 * @throws IOException
	 */
	public void receiveMessage(IncomingMessage message, long timeout) throws IOException;
	
	/**
	 * 
	 */
	public void close();
	
	/**
	 * 
	 */
	public void dispose();
	
	/**
	 * @return Address
	 */
	public Address getAddress();
	
	// These methods will be removed when the asynchronous contexts are completed
	/**
	 * 
	 */
	public void lock();
	
	/**
	 * 
	 */
	public void unlock();
}