diff --git a/src/app/util/bidir_subject.ts b/src/app/util/bidir_subject.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..069e004e83e7040dff2b273fad42ba9aef3ddd0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/util/bidir_subject.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import { Observer, Subject, firstValueFrom, lastValueFrom } from "rxjs";
+
+/**
+ * bi-directional subject (see RxJS Subject)
+ * Allows two objects to exchange messages in both directions. Each object has to choose a posting channel
+ * (messages will receive from the other one).
+ *
+ *    source1 ----post-----> | channel 0 | --subscribe--> source2
+ *            <--subscribe-- | channel 1 | <-----post----
+ * 
+ * EventEmitter is not used since it is reserved to properties in Angular component with @Output annotation
+ */
+export class BidirectionalSubject<T> {
+
+    // communication channels
+    private _channel0: Subject<T>;
+    private _channel1: Subject<T>;
+
+    // array of "who chose which posting channel"
+    private _channel0Posters: any[] = [];
+    private _channel1Posters: any[] = [];
+
+    constructor() {
+        this._channel0 = new Subject();
+        this._channel1 = new Subject();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * get posting channel index
+     * @param source object that chose one of the channels
+     */
+    private getPostingChannelIndex(source: any) {
+        if (this._channel0Posters.indexOf(source) !== -1) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        if (this._channel1Posters.indexOf(source) !== -1) {
+            return 1;
+        }
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * choose a posting channel
+     * @param source object that chooses the channel
+     * @param chan channel number
+     */
+    public selectPostingChannel(source: any, chan: number) {
+        switch (chan) {
+            case 0:
+                if (this.getPostingChannelIndex(source) !== -1) {
+                    throw new Error("object already has a selected channel");
+                }
+                this._channel0Posters.push(source);
+                break;
+
+            case 1:
+                if (this.getPostingChannelIndex(source) !== -1) {
+                    throw new Error("object already has a selected channel");
+                }
+                this._channel1Posters.push(source);
+                break;
+
+            default:
+                throw new Error(`invalid channel number ${chan}`);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * remove a source from its channel
+     */
+    public unselectPostingChannel(source: any) {
+        this._channel0Posters = this._channel0Posters.filter(o => o != source);
+        this._channel1Posters = this._channel1Posters.filter(o => o != source);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * used by a source to post a message to communication channel
+     */
+    public post(source: any, msg: T) {
+        switch (this.getPostingChannelIndex(source)) {
+            case 0:
+                this._channel0.next(msg);
+                break;
+
+            case 1:
+                this._channel1.next(msg);
+                break;
+
+            case -1:
+                throw new Error("must select a channel first");
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * create a Promise representing a received message (when posted by another source)
+     * @param source object that will use the Promise
+     */
+    public getReceivePromise(source: any): Promise<T> {
+        switch (this.getPostingChannelIndex(source)) {
+            case 0:
+                return firstValueFrom(this._channel1);
+
+            case 1:
+                return firstValueFrom(this._channel0);
+
+            case -1:
+                throw new Error("must select a channel first");
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Add a message handler (provided by source) to process received messages
+     * (alternative to getReceivePromise())
+     * @param source object providing handler
+     * @param handler message processing function
+     */
+    public addHandler(source: any, handler: Observer<T>) {
+        switch (this.getPostingChannelIndex(source)) {
+            case 0:
+                this._channel1.subscribe(handler);
+                break;
+
+            case 1:
+                this._channel0.subscribe(handler);
+                break;
+
+            case -1:
+                throw new Error("must select a channel first");
+        }
+    }
+}