diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.cpp b/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.cpp
index 2bb2093..39f7b4a 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   return new BinaryXmlWireFormat();
 }
   
-ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > BinaryXmlWireFormat::encodeInterest(const Interest& interest) 
+Blob BinaryXmlWireFormat::encodeInterest(const Interest& interest) 
 {
   struct ndn_NameComponent nameComponents[100];
   struct ndn_ExcludeEntry excludeEntries[100];
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@
   interest.set(interestStruct);
 }
 
-ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > BinaryXmlWireFormat::encodeData
-  (const Data& data, unsigned int *signedFieldsBeginOffset, unsigned int *signedFieldsEndOffset) 
+Blob BinaryXmlWireFormat::encodeData(const Data& data, unsigned int *signedFieldsBeginOffset, unsigned int *signedFieldsEndOffset) 
 {
   struct ndn_NameComponent nameComponents[100];
   struct ndn_NameComponent keyNameComponents[100];
@@ -96,7 +95,7 @@
   data.set(dataStruct);
 }
 
-ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > BinaryXmlWireFormat::encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry) 
+Blob BinaryXmlWireFormat::encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry) 
 {
   struct ndn_NameComponent prefixNameComponents[100];
   struct ndn_ForwardingEntry forwardingEntryStruct;
diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.hpp b/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.hpp
index aca140d..6647566 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/binary-xml-wire-format.hpp
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
   /**
    * Encode interest in binary XML and return the encoding.
    * @param interest The Interest object to encode.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    */  
-  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeInterest(const Interest& interest);
+  virtual Blob encodeInterest(const Interest& interest);
     
   /**
    * Decode input as an interest in binary XML and set the fields of the interest object.
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@
    * If you are not encoding in order to sign, you can call encodeData(const Data& data) to ignore this returned value.
    * @param signedFieldsEndOffset Return the offset in the encoding of the end of the fields which are signed.
    * If you are not encoding in order to sign, you can call encodeData(const Data& data) to ignore this returned value.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    */
-  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeData
+  virtual Blob encodeData
     (const Data& data, unsigned int *signedFieldsBeginOffset, unsigned int *signedFieldsEndOffset);
   
   /**
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@
   /**
    * Encode forwardingEntry in binary XML and return the encoding. 
    * @param forwardingEntry The ForwardingEntry object to encode.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    */
-  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry);
+  virtual Blob encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry);
   
   /**
    * Decode input as a forwarding entry in binary XML and set the fields of the forwardingEntry object. 
diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp b/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp
index e0a4fc0..ced4c18 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
   return defaultWireFormat_;
 }
 
-ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > WireFormat::encodeInterest(const Interest& interest) 
+Blob WireFormat::encodeInterest(const Interest& interest) 
 {
   throw logic_error("unimplemented");
 }
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@
   throw logic_error("unimplemented");
 }
 
-ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > WireFormat::encodeData
-  (const Data& data, unsigned int *signedFieldsBeginOffset, unsigned int *signedFieldsEndOffset) 
+Blob WireFormat::encodeData(const Data& data, unsigned int *signedFieldsBeginOffset, unsigned int *signedFieldsEndOffset) 
 {
   throw logic_error("unimplemented");
 }
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@
   throw logic_error("unimplemented");
 }
 
-ptr_lib::shared_ptr<vector<unsigned char> > WireFormat::encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry) 
+Blob WireFormat::encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry) 
 {
   throw logic_error("unimplemented");
 }
diff --git a/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.hpp b/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.hpp
index b0b2ea4..575b441 100644
--- a/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.hpp
+++ b/ndn-cpp/encoding/wire-format.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #define NDN_WIREFORMAT_HPP
 
 #include "../common.hpp"
-#include <vector>
+#include "../util/blob.hpp"
 
 namespace ndn {
   
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
   /**
    * Encode interest and return the encoding.  Your derived class should override.
    * @param interest The Interest object to encode.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    * @throw logic_error for unimplemented if the derived class does not override.
    */
-  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeInterest(const Interest& interest);
+  virtual Blob encodeInterest(const Interest& interest);
   
   /**
    * Decode input as an interest and set the fields of the interest object.  Your derived class should override.
@@ -41,19 +41,19 @@
    * If you are not encoding in order to sign, you can call encodeData(const Data& data) to ignore this returned value.
    * @param signedFieldsEndOffset Return the offset in the encoding of the end of the fields which are signed.
    * If you are not encoding in order to sign, you can call encodeData(const Data& data) to ignore this returned value.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    * @throw logic_error for unimplemented if the derived class does not override.
    */
-  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeData
+  virtual Blob encodeData
     (const Data& data, unsigned int *signedFieldsBeginOffset, unsigned int *signedFieldsEndOffset);
 
   /**
    * Encode data and return the encoding.
    * @param data The Data object to encode.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    * @throw logic_error for unimplemented if the derived class does not override.
    */
-  ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeData(const Data& data)
+  Blob encodeData(const Data& data)
   {
     unsigned int dummyBeginOffset, dummyEndOffset;
     return encodeData(data, &dummyBeginOffset, &dummyEndOffset);
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@
   /**
    * Encode forwardingEntry and return the encoding.  Your derived class should override.
    * @param forwardingEntry The ForwardingEntry object to encode.
-   * @return A shared_ptr with the vector<unsigned char> containing the encoding.
+   * @return A Blob containing the encoding.
    * @throw logic_error for unimplemented if the derived class does not override.
    */
-  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<std::vector<unsigned char> > encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry);
+  virtual Blob encodeForwardingEntry(const ForwardingEntry& forwardingEntry);
   
   /**
    * Decode input as a forwarding entry and set the fields of the forwardingEntry object.  Your derived class should override.