def read(self):
        """
        Reads a single character from the device.

        :returns: character read from the device
        :raises: :py:class:`~alarmdecoder.util.CommError`
        """
        ret = None

        try:
            ret = self._device.read_data(1)

        except (usb.core.USBError, FtdiError) as err:
            raise CommError('Error reading from device: {0}'.format(str(err)), err)

        return ret
Reads a single character from the device.

        :returns: character read from the device
        :raises: :py:class:`~alarmdecoder.util.CommError`