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Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing cryptographic protection of a data stream are described in accordance with the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model for a communication system. This cryptographic protection is accomplished on the transmitting side by assigning a packet sequence number to a packet derived from a data stream received from a network layer. Subsequently, a transmit overflow sequence number is updated as a function of the packet sequence number. Then, prior to communicating the packet and the packet sequence number on a physical layer, the packet is encrypted as a function of the packet sequence number and the transmit overflow sequence number. On the receiving side, the packet sequence number is extracted from the physical layer. In addition, a receive overflow sequence number is updated as a function of the packet sequence number. Finally, the encrypted packet is decrypted as a function of the packet sequence number and the receive overflow sequence number. In addition, a transmitting and a receiving communication unit for use in a communication system which includes cryptographic protection of a data stream is described.

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First Claim