Method and apparatus for encrypting transmissions in a communication system

An apparatus for encrypting transmission traffic at separate protocol layers, comprising:

• means for providing a plurality of encryption elements, each encryption element provided by inputting a variable value and an encryption key into an encryption algorithm to obtain an encryption mask that varies from data unit to data unit as the variable value changes;
• means for assigning different types of transmission traffic to the encryption elements to provide different levels of encryption based on service requirements of the different types of transmission traffic;
• and
• means for encrypting the different types of transmission traffic using the corresponding encryption mask for the assigned encryption elements.

An apparatus for encrypting transmission traffic at separate protocol layers, comprising:

• a processor;
• a storage element coupled to the processor comprising an instruction set executable by the processor, wherein the instruction set comprises instructions for:
• providing a plurality of encryption elements, each encryption element provided by inputting a variable value and an encryption key into an encryption algorithm to obtain an encryption mask that varies from data unit to data unit as the variable value changes;
• assigning different types of transmission traffic to the encryption elements to provide different levels of encryption based on service requirements of the different types of transmission traffic;
• and
• encrypting the different types of transmission traffic using the corresponding encryption mask for the assigned encryption elements.

A non-transitory storage medium comprising an instruction set executable by a processor, wherein the instruction set comprises instructions for:

• providing a plurality of encryption elements, each encryption element provided by inputting a variable value and an encryption key into an encryption algorithm to obtain an encryption mask that varies from data unit to data unit as the variable value changes;
• assigning different types of transmission traffic to the encryption elements to provide different levels of encryption based on service requirements of the different types of transmission traffic;
• and
• encrypting the different types of transmission traffic using the corresponding encryption mask for the assigned encryption elements.