IDEA (International Data Encryption Algorithm), formerly known as IPES (Improved Proposed Encryption Standard). Algorithm developed by Xuejia Lai and James L. Massey, of ETH Zurich. This implementation modified and derived from original C code developed by Xuejia Lai. Extensively optimized and restructured by Colin Plumb. The IDEA algorithm was developed by Xuejia Lai and James L. Massey, of ETH Zurich. The implementation used in Netfone was modified and derived from original C code developed by Xuejia Lai and optimized for speed by Colin Plumb . The IDEA[tm] block cipher is patented by Ascom-Tech AG. The Swiss patent number is PCT/CH91/00117, the European patent number is EP 0 482 154 B1, and the U.S. patent number is US005214703. IDEA[tm] is a trademark of Ascom-Tech AG. There is no license fee required for noncommercial use. Commercial users may obtain licensing details from Dr. Dieter Profos, Ascom-Tech AG, Solothurn Lab, Postfach 151, CH-4502 Solothurn, Switzerland, Tel +41 65 242 885, Fax +41 65 235 761. For further information on the IDEA cipher, see: Xuejia Lai. "On the Design and Security of Block Ciphers", ETH Series on Information Processing (ed. J.L. Massey) Vol 1. Hartung-Gorre Verlag, Konstanz, Switzerland, 1992. ISBN 3-89191-573-X.