diff --git a/helper/ccnx-coding-helper.cc b/helper/ccnx-coding-helper.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6899543
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper/ccnx-coding-helper.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+/* -*- 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: 
+ */
+
+#include "ccnx-coding-helper.h"
+
+#include "ns3/name-components.h"
+#include "ns3/ccnx-interest-header.h"
+#include "ns3/ccnx-content-object-header.h"
+
+#include <sstream>
+
+namespace ns3 {
+
+#define CCN_TT_BITS 3
+#define CCN_TT_MASK ((1 << CCN_TT_BITS) - 1)
+#define CCN_MAX_TINY ((1 << (7-CCN_TT_BITS)) - 1)
+#define CCN_TT_HBIT ((unsigned char)(1 << 7))
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::AppendBlockHeader (Buffer::Iterator start, size_t val, enum ccn_tt tt)
+{
+  unsigned char buf[1+8*((sizeof(val)+6)/7)];
+  unsigned char *p = &(buf[sizeof(buf)-1]);
+  size_t n = 1;
+  p[0] = (CCN_TT_HBIT & ~CCN_CLOSE) |
+  ((val & CCN_MAX_TINY) << CCN_TT_BITS) |
+  (CCN_TT_MASK & tt);
+  val >>= (7-CCN_TT_BITS);
+  while (val != 0) {
+    (--p)[0] = (((unsigned char)val) & ~CCN_TT_HBIT) | CCN_CLOSE;
+    n++;
+    val >>= 7;
+  }
+  start.Write (p,n);
+  return n;
+}
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::AppendNumber (Buffer::Iterator start, uint32_t number)
+{
+  std::ostringstream os;
+  os << number;
+
+  size_t written = 0;
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, os.str().size(), CCN_UDATA);
+  written += os.str().size();
+  start.Write (reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(os.str().c_str()), os.str().size());
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+  
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::CcnxCodingHelper::AppendCloser (Buffer::Iterator start)
+{
+  start.WriteU8 (CCN_CLOSE);
+  return 1;
+}
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::AppendName (Buffer::Iterator start, const Name::Components &name)
+{
+  return 0;
+}
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::AppendTimestampBlob (Buffer::Iterator start, Time time)
+{
+  // the original function implements Markers... thought not sure what are these markers for...
+
+  // Determine miminal number of bytes required to store the timestamp
+  int required_bytes = 2; // 12 bits for fractions of a second, 4 bits left for seconds. Sometimes it is enough
+  intmax_t ts = time.ToInteger (Time::S) >> 4;
+  for (;  required_bytes < 7 && ts != 0; ts >>= 8) // not more than 6 bytes?
+     required_bytes++;
+  
+  size_t len = AppendBlockHeader(start, required_bytes, CCN_BLOB);
+
+  // write part with seconds
+  ts = time.ToInteger (Time::S) >> 4;
+  for (int i = 0; i < required_bytes - 2; i++)
+    start.WriteU8 ( ts >> (8 * (required_bytes - 3 - i)) );
+
+  /* arithmetic contortions are to avoid overflowing 31 bits */
+  ts = ((time.ToInteger (Time::S) & 15) << 12) + ((time.ToInteger (Time::NS) / 5 * 8 + 195312) / 390625);
+  for (int i = required_bytes - 2; i < required_bytes; i++)
+    start.WriteU8 ( ts >> (8 * (required_bytes - 1 - i)) );
+  
+  return len + required_bytes;
+}
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::AppendTaggedBlob (Buffer::Iterator start, ccn_dtag dtag,
+                  const uint8_t *data, size_t size)
+{
+  size_t written = AppendBlockHeader (start, dtag, CCN_DTAG);
+  if (size>0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, size, CCN_BLOB);
+      start.Write (data, size);
+      written += size;
+    }
+  written += AppendCloser (start);
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::Serialize (Buffer::Iterator start, const CcnxInterestHeader &interest)
+{
+  size_t written = 0;
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_Interest, CCN_DTAG); // <Interest>
+  
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_Name, CCN_DTAG); // <Name>
+  written += AppendName (start, interest.GetName());                // <Component>...</Component>...
+  written += AppendCloser (start);                               // </Name>
+
+  if (interest.GetMinSuffixComponents() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_MinSuffixComponents, CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetMinSuffixComponents ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetMaxSuffixComponents() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_MaxSuffixComponents, CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetMaxSuffixComponents ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetExclude().size() > 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_Exclude, CCN_DTAG); // <Exclude>
+      written += AppendName (start, interest.GetExclude());                // <Component>...</Component>...
+      written += AppendCloser (start);                                  // </Exclude>
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledChildSelector())
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_ChildSelector, CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, 1);
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.IsEnabledAnswerOriginKind())
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_AnswerOriginKind, CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, 1);
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetScope() >= 0)
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_Scope, CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendNumber (start, interest.GetScope ());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (!interest.GetInterestLifetime().IsZero())
+    {
+      written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_InterestLifetime, CCN_DTAG);
+      written += AppendTimestampBlob (start, interest.GetInterestLifetime());
+      written += AppendCloser (start);
+    }
+  if (interest.GetNonce()>0)
+    {
+      uint32_t nonce = interest.GetNonce();
+      written += AppendTaggedBlob (start, CCN_DTAG_Nonce,
+                                   reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(&nonce),
+                                   sizeof(nonce));
+    }
+  written += AppendCloser (start); // </Interest>
+
+  return written;
+}
+
+size_t
+CcnxCodingHelper::Serialize (Buffer::Iterator start, const CcnxContentObjectHeader &contentObject)
+{
+  size_t written = 0;
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_ContentObject, CCN_DTAG); // <ContentObject>
+
+  // fake signature
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_Signature, CCN_DTAG); // <Signature>
+  // Signature ::= DigestAlgorithm? 
+  //               Witness?         
+  //               SignatureBits   
+  written += AppendTaggedBlob (start, CCN_DTAG_SignatureBits, 0, 0);      // <SignatureBits />
+  written += AppendCloser (start);                                    // </Signature>  
+
+  written += AppendName (start, contentObject.GetName()); // <Name><Component>...</Component>...</Name>
+
+  // fake signature
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_SignedInfo, CCN_DTAG); // <SignedInfo>
+  // SignedInfo ::= PublisherPublicKeyDigest
+  //                Timestamp
+  //                Type?
+  //                FreshnessSeconds?
+  //                FinalBlockID?
+  //                KeyLocator?
+  written += AppendTaggedBlob (start, CCN_DTAG_PublisherPublicKeyDigest, 0, 0); // <PublisherPublicKeyDigest />
+  written += AppendCloser (start);                                     // </SignedInfo>
+
+  written += AppendBlockHeader (start, CCN_DTAG_Content, CCN_DTAG); // <Content>
+
+  // there is no closing tag !!!
+  return written;
+}
+
+} // namespace ns3