diff --git a/helper/ndn-encoding-helper.h b/helper/ndn-encoding-helper.h
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+++ b/helper/ndn-encoding-helper.h
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+/* -*- Mode: C++; c-file-style: "gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2011 University of California, Los Angeles
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation;
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * Author: Alexander Afanasyev <alexander.afanasyev@ucla.edu>
+ */
+
+#ifndef _NDN_ENCODING_HELPER_H_
+#define _NDN_ENCODING_HELPER_H_
+
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
+#include "ccnb-parser/ccnb-parser-common.h"
+#include "ns3/ptr.h"
+#include "ns3/nstime.h"
+#include "ns3/buffer.h"
+
+namespace ns3 {
+
+class NdnNameComponents;
+
+class NdnInterestHeader;
+class NdnContentObjectHeader;
+  
+/**
+ * \brief Helper to encode/decode ccnb formatted Ndn message
+ */
+class NdnEncodingHelper
+{
+public:
+  /**
+   * \brief Serialize NdnInterestHeader to Buffer::Iterator
+   * @param start Buffer to store serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   * @param interest Pointer to NdnInterestHeader to be serialized 
+   * @return length of serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   */
+  static size_t
+  Serialize (Buffer::Iterator start, const NdnInterestHeader &interest);
+
+  /**
+   * \brief Compute the size of serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   * @param interest Pointer to NdnInterestHeader
+   * @return length 
+   */
+  static size_t
+  GetSerializedSize (const NdnInterestHeader &interest);
+  
+public:
+  /**
+   * @brief Append CCNB block header
+   * @param start Buffer to store serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   * @param value dictionary id of the block header
+   * @param block_type Type of CCNB block
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendBlockHeader (Buffer::Iterator &start, size_t value, CcnbParser::ccn_tt block_type);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Estimate size of the CCNB block header
+   * @param value dictionary id of the block header
+   * @returns estimated length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  EstimateBlockHeader (size_t value);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Add number in CCNB encoding
+   * @param start Buffer to store serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   * @param number Number to be written
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendNumber (Buffer::Iterator &start, uint32_t number);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Estimate size of the number in CCNB encoding
+   * @param number Number to be written
+   * @returns estimated length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  EstimateNumber (uint32_t number);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Append CCNB closer tag (estimated size is 1)
+   * @param start Buffer to store serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendCloser (Buffer::Iterator &start);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Append NdnNameComponents in CCNB encoding
+   * @param start Buffer to store serialized NdnInterestHeader
+   * @param name constant reference to NdnNameComponents object
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendNameComponents (Buffer::Iterator &start, const NdnNameComponents &name);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Estimate size of NdnNameComponents in CCNB encoding
+   * @param name constant reference to NdnNameComponents object
+   * @returns estimated length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  EstimateNameComponents (const NdnNameComponents &name);
+
+  /**
+   * Append a binary timestamp as a BLOB using the ccn binary
+   * Timestamp representation (12-bit fraction).
+   *
+   * @param start start iterator of  the buffer to append to.
+   * @param time - Time object
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendTimestampBlob (Buffer::Iterator &start, const Time &time);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Estimate size of a binary timestamp as a BLOB using CCNB enconding
+   * @param time - Time object
+   * @returns estimated length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  EstimateTimestampBlob (const Time &time);
+
+  /**
+   * Append a tagged BLOB
+   *
+   * This is a ccnb-encoded element with containing the BLOB as content
+   *
+   * @param start start iterator of  the buffer to append to.
+   * @param dtag is the element's dtab
+   * @param data points to the binary data
+   * @param size is the size of the data, in bytes
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendTaggedBlob (Buffer::Iterator &start, CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag,
+                    const uint8_t *data, size_t size);
+  
+  /**
+   * @brief Estimate size of a tagged BLOB in CCNB enconding
+   * @param dtag is the element's dtab
+   * @param size is the size of the data, in bytes
+   * @returns estimated length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  EstimateTaggedBlob (CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag, size_t size);
+
+  /**
+   * Append value as a tagged BLOB (templated version)
+   *
+   * This is a ccnb-encoded element with containing the BLOB as content
+   *
+   * Data will be reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*> and size will be obtained using sizeof
+   *
+   * @param start start iterator of  the buffer to append to.
+   * @param dtag is the element's dtab
+   * @param data a value to add
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  template<class T>
+  static inline size_t
+  AppendTaggedBlob (Buffer::Iterator &start, CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag, const T &data);
+
+  /**
+   * Append a tagged string (should be a valid UTF-8 coded string)
+   *
+   * This is a ccnb-encoded element with containing UDATA as content
+   *
+   * @param start start iterator of  the buffer to append to.
+   * @param dtag is the element's dtab
+   * @param string UTF-8 string to be written
+   *
+   * @returns written length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  AppendString (Buffer::Iterator &start, CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag,
+                const std::string &string);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Estimate size of the string in CCNB encoding
+   * @param dtag is the element's dtab
+   * @param string UTF-8 string to be written
+   * @returns estimated length
+   */
+  static size_t
+  EstimateString (CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag, const std::string &string);
+};
+
+
+template<class T>
+size_t
+NdnEncodingHelper::AppendTaggedBlob (Buffer::Iterator &start, CcnbParser::ccn_dtag dtag, const T &data)
+{
+  return AppendTaggedBlob (start, dtag, reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*> (&data), sizeof (data));
+}
+
+} // namespace ns3
+
+#endif // _NDN_ENCODING_HELPER_H_
+