Pipelined packet encryption and decryption using counter mode with cipher-block chaining message authentication code protocol

An apparatus for processing N encrypted Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the apparatus comprising:

• key mixing means for generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address for a transmitter of the MPDUs, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• input means for receiving the N encrypted MPDUs, wherein each of the N encrypted MPDUs comprises the transmitter MAC address and one of N values for the packet number, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• and
• decryption means for decrypting each of the N encrypted MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• wherein the key mixing means generates each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks before the input means receives the respective one of the N encrypted MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

A method for processing N encrypted Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the method comprising:

• generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• receiving the N encrypted MPDUs, wherein each of the N encrypted MPDUs comprises the transmitter MAC address and one of N values for the packet number, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• and
• decrypting each of the N encrypted MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N encrypted MPDUs;
• wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated before receiving the respective one of the N encrypted MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

A computer program for processing N encrypted Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the computer program stored on a computer-readable medium and executed by a processor, the computer program comprising instructions for:

• generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• receiving the N encrypted MPDUs, wherein each of the N encrypted MPDUs comprises the transmitter MAC address and one of N values for the packet number, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• and
• decrypting each of the N encrypted MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N encrypted MPDUs;
• wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated before receiving the respective one of the N encrypted MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

An apparatus for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the apparatus comprising:

• a key mixing circuit to generate N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• an input circuit to receive the N MPDUs;
• a packet number circuit to insert a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• an encryption circuit to encrypt each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• and
• an output circuit to send the N encrypted packets of data;
• wherein the encryption circuit generates each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks before the input circuit receives the respective one of the N MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

An apparatus for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the apparatus comprising:

• key mixing means for generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• input means for receiving the N MPDUs;
• packet number means for inserting a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• encryption means for encrypting each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• and
• output means for sending the N encrypted packets of data;
• wherein the encryption means generates each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks before the input means receives the respective one of the N MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

A method for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the method comprising:

• generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• receiving the N MPDUs;
• inserting a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• encrypting each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• and
• sending the N encrypted packets of data;
• wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated before receiving the respective one of the N MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

A computer program for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the computer program stored on a computer-readable medium and executed by a processor, comprising:

• generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, a transmitter MAC address, and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• receiving the N MPDUs;
• inserting a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• encrypting each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• and
• sending the N encrypted packets of data;
• wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated before receiving the respective one of the N MPDUs, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

An apparatus for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the apparatus comprising:

• an output circuit to send a message comprising a transmitter MAC address and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• a packet number circuit to insert a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• a key mixing circuit to generate N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, the transmitter MAC address, and the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• and
• an encryption circuit to encrypt each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• wherein the output circuit sends the N encrypted MPDUs after sending the message, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

An apparatus for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the apparatus comprising:

• output means for sending a message comprising a transmitter MAC address and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• packet number means for inserting a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• key mixing means for generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, the transmitter MAC address, and the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• and
• encryption means for encrypting each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• wherein the output means sends the N encrypted MPDUs after sending the message, and wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

A method for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the method comprising:

• sending a message comprising a transmitter MAC address and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• inserting a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, the transmitter MAC address, and the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• encrypting each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• and
• transmitting the N encrypted MPDUs after sending the messages,
• wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.

A computer program for transmitting N Media Access Control (MAC) Payload Data Units (MPDUs), wherein N is an integer and N≧1, the computer program stored on a computer-readable medium and executed by a processor, the computer program comprising instructions for:

• sending a message comprising a transmitter MAC address and a predetermined start value for a packet number;
• inserting a different one of N values for the packet number into each of the N MPDUs, wherein each of the N values for the packet number is greater than, or equal to, the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• generating N groups of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Output Blocks, wherein each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated based upon a predetermined key, the transmitter MAC address, and the predetermined start value for the packet number;
• encrypting each of the N MPDUs using one of the N groups of AES Output Blocks that was generated based on the one of the N values for the packet number in a respective one of the N MPDUs;
• and
• sending the N encrypted MPDUs after sending the message,
• wherein the predetermined start value is initialized when the apparatus is initialized and incremented when each of the N groups of AES Output Blocks is generated.