diff --git a/src/include/channels.h b/src/include/channels.h
index ef3600893..dd2cd3301 100644
--- a/src/include/channels.h
+++ b/src/include/channels.h
@@ -32,21 +32,13 @@
  */
 struct _base_channel_methods {
   /**
-   * @brief Channel synchronous put method.
-   * @param[in] b the byte value to be written in the queue
-   * @param[in] timeout the number of ticks before the operation timeouts,
-   *             the following special values are allowed:
-   *             - @a TIME_IMMEDIATE immediate timeout.
-   *             - @a TIME_INFINITE no timeout.
-   *             .
-   * @return The operation status:
-   * @retval Q_OK if the operation succeeded.
-   * @retval Q_TIMEOUT if the specified time expired.
-   * @retval Q_RESET if the queue was reset.
+   * @brief Channel put method with timeout specification.
+   * @see chIOPut()
    */
   msg_t (*put)(void *instance, uint8_t b, systime_t timeout);
   /**
-   * Channel synchronous get method.
+   * @brief Channel get method with timeout specification.
+   * @see chIOGet()
    */
   msg_t (*get)(void *instance, systime_t timeout);
 };
@@ -68,14 +60,73 @@ struct _base_channel_vmt {
 
 /**
  * @brief Base channel class.
- * @details This class represents a generic, synchronous, byte-wide,
- *          I/O channel.
+ * @details This class represents a generic, byte-wide, I/O channel.
  */
 typedef struct {
   struct _base_channel_vmt *vmt;                /**< Virtual Methods Table. */
   struct _base_channel_data d0;                 /**< Class data. */
 } BaseChannel;
 
+/**
+ * @brief Channel blocking byte write.
+ * @details This function writes a byte value to a channel. If the channel
+ *          is not ready to accept data then the calling thread is suspended.
+ *
+ * @param[in] ip pointer to a @p BaseChannel or derived class
+ * @param[in] b the byte value to be written to the channel
+ * @return The operation status:
+ * @retval Q_OK if the operation succeeded.
+ * @retval Q_RESET if the channel associated queue (if any) was reset.
+ */
+#define chIOPut(ip, b) ((ip)->vmt.m0->put(ip, b, TIME_INFINITE))
+
+/**
+ * @brief Channel blocking byte write with timeout.
+ * @details This function writes a byte value to a channel. If the channel
+ *          is not ready to accept data then the calling thread is suspended.
+ *
+ * @param[in] ip pointer to a @p BaseChannel or derived class
+ * @param[in] b the byte value to be written to the channel
+ * @param[in] timeout the number of ticks before the operation timeouts,
+ *             the following special values are allowed:
+ *             - @a TIME_IMMEDIATE immediate timeout.
+ *             - @a TIME_INFINITE no timeout.
+ *             .
+ * @return The operation status:
+ * @retval Q_OK if the operation succeeded.
+ * @retval Q_TIMEOUT if the specified time expired.
+ * @retval Q_RESET if the channel associated queue (if any) was reset.
+ */
+#define chIOPutTimeout(ip, b, timeout) ((ip)->vmt.m0->put(ip, b, timeout))
+
+/**
+ * @brief Channel blocking byte read.
+ * @details This function reads a byte value from a channel. If the data
+ *          is not available then the calling thread is suspended.
+ *
+ * @param[in] ip pointer to a @p BaseChannel or derived class
+ * @return A byte value from the queue or:
+ * @retval Q_RESET if the channel associated queue (if any) was reset.
+ */
+#define chIOGet(ip) ((ip)->vmt.m0->put(ip, TIME_INFINITE))
+
+/**
+ * @brief Channel blocking byte read with timeout.
+ * @details This function reads a byte value from a channel. If the data
+ *          is not available then the calling thread is suspended.
+ *
+ * @param[in] ip pointer to a @p BaseChannel or derived class
+ * @param[in] timeout the number of ticks before the operation timeouts,
+ *             the following special values are allowed:
+ *             - @a TIME_IMMEDIATE immediate timeout.
+ *             - @a TIME_INFINITE no timeout.
+ *             .
+ * @return A byte value from the queue or:
+ * @retval Q_TIMEOUT if the specified time expired.
+ * @retval Q_RESET if the channel associated queue (if any) was reset.
+ */
+#define chIOGetTimeout(ip, timeout) ((ip)->vmt.m0->put(ip, timeout))
+
 #if CH_USE_EVENTS
 /**
  * @brief Virtual methods table for base asynchronous channels.
@@ -83,12 +134,14 @@ typedef struct {
 struct _base_asynchronous_channel_methods {
   /**
    * Channel asynchronous write method.
+   * @see chIOWrite()
    */
-  size_t (*write)(void *instance, uint8_t *bp, size_t n);
+  size_t (*write)(void *instance, uint8_t *buffer, size_t n);
   /**
    * Channel asynchronous read method.
+   * @see chIORead()
    */
-  size_t (*read)(void *instance, uint8_t *bp, size_t n);
+  size_t (*read)(void *instance, uint8_t *buffer, size_t n);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -115,7 +168,6 @@ struct _base_asynchronous_channel_vmt {
   struct _base_asynchronous_channel_methods m1; /**< Class methods. */
 };
 
-
 /**
  * @extends BaseChannel
  *
@@ -128,6 +180,33 @@ typedef struct {
   struct _base_channel_data d0;                 /**< Super class data. */
   struct _base_asynchronous_channel_data d1;    /**< Class data. */
 } BaseAsynchronousChannel;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Channel non-blocking write.
+ * @details The function writes data from a buffer to a channel. The
+ *          transfer is non-blocking and can return zero if the channel is
+ *          not read to accept data.
+ *
+ * @param[in] ip pointer to a @p BaseAsynchronousChannel or derived class
+ * @param[out] bp pointer to the buffer where the data is stored
+ * @param[in] n the maximum amount of data to be transferred
+ * @return The number of bytes transferred.
+ */
+#define chIOWrite(ip, bp, n) ((ip)->vmt.m1->write(ip, bp, n))
+
+/**
+ * @brief Channel non-blocking read.
+ * @details The function reads data from a channel into a buffer. The
+ *          transfer is non-blocking and can return zero if the channel has
+ *          no data immediately available.
+ *
+ * @param[in] ip pointer to a @p BaseChannel or derived class
+ * @param[out] bp pointer to the buffer where the input data is copied
+ * @param[in] n the maximum amount of data to be transferred
+ * @return The number of bytes transferred.
+ */
+#define chIORead(ip, bp, n) ((ip)->vmt.m1->read(ip, bp, n))
+
 #endif /* CH_USE_EVENTS */
 
 #endif /* _CHANNELS_H_ */
diff --git a/src/templates/chconf.h b/src/templates/chconf.h
index f06a537b2..9909a60d3 100644
--- a/src/templates/chconf.h
+++ b/src/templates/chconf.h
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
  * If specified then the full duplex serial driver APIs are included in the
  * kernel.
  * @note The default is @p TRUE.
- * @note Requires @p CH_USE_QUEUES.
+ * @note Requires @p CH_USE_QUEUES and @p CH_USE_EVENTS.
  */
 #if !defined(CH_USE_SERIAL_FULLDUPLEX) || defined(__DOXYGEN__)
 #define CH_USE_SERIAL_FULLDUPLEX        TRUE