1. A communication method for transferring messages over an error-prone channel, comprising the steps of, communicating between a plurality of master communications devices and a plurality of slave communications devices over a communications link a plurality of messages that may comprise protocol code and data; and each of said messages comprising one of a WD, RD, REN, RENRAK, RDWAK, WAK, FLAK, and FLSH protocol codes, transmitting four master message from one of said plurality of master communications devices to one of said plurality of slave devices, and each of said four master messages includes one of said WD, REN, RENRAK or FLSH protocol codes, and each of said four master messages has one code that may have multiple meanings, and each of said four master messages may further include data for further processing by said slave communication device, transmitting four slave messages from one of said plurality of slave communications devices to one of said plurality of said master communications devices, and each of said four slave messages includes one of said RD, RDWAK, WAK and FLAK protocol codes, and each of said four slave messages has one code that may have multiple meanings, and each of said four slave messages may further include data for further processing by said master communications device.