package com.nailabs.abac.process;

import edu.stanford.peer.rbtm.credential.Entity;
import java.rmi.Remote;
import java.rmi.RemoteException;

/**
 * The negotiator interface is responsible for sending and receiving messages.
 * In this class, the term opponent is used to describe the other negotiatior,
 * not necessarily the opponent, O, described in the processing algorithms.
 */
public interface Negotiator extends Remote {
    /** 
     * Synchronously receive a message which can contain multiple operations 
     * from an opponent and then return the updates to the originating 
     * opponent.
     */
    public abstract Message receive(Message msg) 
        throws Exception, RemoteException;

    /**
     * Method to invoke a negotiation.
     */
    public abstract boolean negotiate() throws RemoteException;

    /**
     * Accessor method for getting the identity of whose behalf the peer
     * negotiator is working.
     */
    public abstract Entity getSelf()throws RemoteException;

    /**
     * Asynchronous method to transmit a message to the opponent. 
     */
    //public abstract void transmit(Message msg);

    /**
     * Asynchronous method to receive a method from the opponent.
     */
    //public abstract void receive(Message msg);

}