Object-oriented pseudo-random number generator interface
Systems and techniques to generate pseudo-random numbers in a specified target range. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes an object class definition that defines a constructor method for generating a pseudo-random number generator object that is capable of generating pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range and a method for instructing the pseudo-random number generator object to output a pseudo-random numbers within the specified output range. The pseudo-random number generator may use a specified seed. In that case, generating pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range may generate a reproducible sequence if the same seed is used. The pseudo-random number generator may be defined to generate pseudo-random numbers that are uniformly distributed across the specified output range.
1 . A method of facilitating the generation of pseudo-random numbers, the method comprising:
receiving input specifying an output range; and
invoking a constructor method to generate a pseudo-random number generator object having one or more methods for generating pseudo-random numbers within the specified output range.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated pseudo-random number generator object is configured to generate pseudo-random numbers that are uniformly distributed across the specified output range.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
invoking a method within the pseudo-random number generator object for outputting a pseudo-random number within the specified output range.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving input specifying a seed to be used by the pseudo-random number generator object to generate pseudo-random numbers.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a sequence of pseudo-random numbers generated within the specified output range is reproducible if the input specifies the same seed.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
invoking a method within the generated pseudo-random number generator object for generating a seed.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a method for generating pseudo-random numbers uniformly distributed across the specified output range comprises:
generating a plurality of pseudo-random numbers having a uniform distribution in a source range,
selecting an optimal subset of the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to map, and
mapping the selected pseudo-random numbers to a corresponding number in the specified output range such that the mapped numbers are uniformly distributed across the specified output range.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pseudo-random number generator object is serializable.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the constructor method comprises:
generating a plurality of pseudo-random numbers having a uniform distribution in a source range,
selecting an optimal subset of the plurality of pseudo-random numbers to map, and
mapping the selected pseudo-random numbers to a corresponding number in the specified output range such that the mapped numbers are uniformly distributed across the specified output range.
10 . A method of facilitating the generation of a pseudo-random number generator, the method comprising:
providing a class definition that defines an object for generating pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range;
receiving input specifying the output range; and
invoking a constructor method to create a pseudo-random number generator object capable of providing pseudo-random numbers in the specified output range.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction to return a pseudo-random number within the specified output range; and
returning a next pseudo-random number within the specified output range.
12 . An object class definition comprising:
a constructor method for generating a pseudo-random number generator object that is capable of generating pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range; and
a method for instructing the pseudo-random number generator object to output a pseudo-random numbers within the specified output range.
13 . The object class definition of claim 12 , wherein the pseudo-random number generator outputs numbers of a single data type.
14 . The object class definition of claim 12 , wherein the pseudo-random number generator object is serializable.
15 . The object class definition of claim 12 , wherein generating pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range includes using a specified seed.
16 . The object class definition of claim 15 , wherein generating pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range generates a reproducible sequence of pseudo-random numbers if the same seed is used.
17 . A method of generating pseudo-random numbers, the method comprising:
providing an output range to a pseudo-random number generator object; and
invoking a method within the pseudo-random number generator object that causes pseudo-random numbers within the output range to be generated by the pseudo-random number generator object.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
invoking a method to generate a pseudo-random number generator object that can generate pseudo-random numbers within a specified output range.
19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing a seed to a pseudo-random number generator object.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the seed is predefined.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the output range is predefined.
22 . A method of facilitating generation of PRNs, the method comprising:
providing a single object-oriented interface that enables PRN generation and PRN mapping, the single object-oriented interface comprising a constructor method for generating a PRNG object that is capable of generating PRNs within a specified output range and a method for instructing the PRNG object to output PRNs within the specified output range.