public static Character getCharacter(ByteBuf packetPDU) {
		byte value = packetPDU.readByte();

		if (0x2F == value) {
			return null;
		}// else read the separator and return the value

		if (0x2F != packetPDU.readByte()) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException("0x2F expected after a character field");
		}

		return (char) value;
	}