Random number generator
View Patent ↗A system is described for generating random numbers. The system may include a plurality of information sources and one or more sampling devices coupled to each of the information sources. Each information source may have a characteristic which may differ from the characteristic of any other information source. The sampling devices may sample the information sources at some sampling interval. A sample value may be captured from each of the information sources by the sampling devices coupled thereto at the sampling interval. An output representative of a substantially random number may be derived from the sample values captured at the sampling interval.
1. A digital system for generating a random number, comprising:
a plurality of digital information sources, each digital information source comprising a characteristic, wherein the characteristic of each digital information source differs from the characteristic of any other digital information source, wherein at least one of the digital information sources includes a first clock source, a second clock source, a pseudo random number generator, and a sampling device, wherein the pseudo random number generator is configured to generate a pseudo random number responsive to the first clock source, and output a signal to the sampling device, wherein the second clock source is input into the sampling device and causes the sampling device to output a sampled version of the signal output from the pseudo random number generator;
one or more second sampling devices coupled to each of the plurality of digital information sources, wherein the one or more second sampling devices sample the sampled version of the signal output from the pseudo random number generator for each of the plurality of digital information sources at one or more sampling intervals; and
wherein a sample value is captured from each of the digital information sources, including the sampled version of the signal output from the pseudo random number generator by the one or more second sampling devices coupled thereto at the one or more sampling intervals, and an output is determined based on the sample values, the output being representative of a substantially random number.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources comprises a frequency at which each of the plurality of digital information sources gathers or provides information.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources comprises a phase at which each of the plurality of digital information sources gathers or provides information.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources comprises a time at which each of the plurality of digital information sources gathers or provides information.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources comprises a location at which each of the plurality of digital information sources gathers or provides information.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources comprises a voltage at which each of the plurality of digital information sources gathers or provides information.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources comprises a method used by each of the plurality of digital information sources to gather or provide information.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristic of each of the plurality of digital information sources is dependent on parameters of components of each digital information source.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital information sources gather or provides information at a time that is dependent on at least one of a gate delay, a relative phase, or a response time of components of the at least one digital information source.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more second sampling devices comprises a flip-flop.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein a status signal is outputted for determining whether the system is functioning correctly.
12. A system for generating a random number, comprising:
a plurality of oscillators, each of the plurality of oscillators comprising a plurality of cycles, wherein each of the plurality of oscillators operates at a frequency or a phase different from a frequency or a phase at which each other of the plurality of oscillators operates;
a plurality of pseudo-random generators, each pseudo-random generator being coupled to a first respective one of the plurality of oscillators, wherein each of the plurality of pseudo-random generators comprises a state which changes at each of the plurality of cycles of the oscillator coupled thereto, and each of the plurality of pseudo-random generators comprises a pseudo-random output which changes independent of a change of the state;
a plurality of first flip-flops, each of the plurality of first flip-flops comprising a clock signal coupled to a second respective one of the plurality of oscillators, and each of the plurality of first flip-flops comprising an enable signal coupled to the pseudo-random output of one of the plurality of pseudo-random generators, wherein a state of each of the plurality of flip-flops changes at each of the plurality of cycles of the oscillator coupled thereto if the enable signal of each of the plurality of first flip-flops is asserted, and the state of each of the plurality of flip-flops does not change at each of the plurality of cycles of the oscillator coupled thereto if the enable signal of each of the plurality of first flip-flops is de-asserted; and
a plurality of second flip-flops, wherein an input of each of the plurality of second flip-flops is coupled to a third respective one of the plurality of first flip-flops, and a clock input of each of the plurality of second flip-flops is coupled to one of the plurality of oscillators;
wherein, upon receiving a first signal from the oscillator coupled thereto, each of the plurality of pseudo-random generators output the pseudo-random output to the enable signal each of the plurality of first flip-flops coupled thereto, each of the plurality of first flip-flops outputs a value indicative of the state of each of the plurality of first flip-flops to the input of each of the plurality of second flip-flops coupled thereto, and upon receiving a second signal from the oscillator coupled thereto, each of the plurality of second flip-flops outputs a second value based on the value outputted by each of the plurality of first flip-flops coupled thereto;
further wherein a substantially random output is determined based on the second value outputted by each of the plurality of second flip-flops at a time determined by an oscillator of the plurality of oscillators coupled thereto.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of oscillators comprises a periodic oscillator or an aperiodic oscillator.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of oscillators is coupled to only one of the plurality of pseudo-random generators, one of the plurality of first flip-flops or one of the plurality of second flip-flops.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of first flip-flops comprise a plurality of toggle-type flip-flops.
16. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of second flip-flops comprise a plurality of D-type flip-flops.
17. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the plurality of pseudo-random number generators modulates the oscillator coupled thereto.
18. A method for generating random numbers digitally, the method comprising:
sampling a plurality of digital information sources at one or more sampling intervals by one or more first sampling devices coupled to each of the plurality of digital information sources to obtain a plurality of sample values, each digital information source comprising a characteristic, wherein the characteristic of each digital information source differs from the characteristic of any other digital information source, wherein at least one of the digital information sources includes a first clock source, a second clock source, a pseudo random number generator, and a second sampling device, wherein the pseudo random number generator is configured to generate a pseudo random number responsive to the first clock source, and output a signal to the second sampling device, wherein the second clock source is input into the second sampling device and causes the second sampling device to output a sampled version of the signal output from the pseudo random number generator;
determining an output based on the plurality of sample values obtained at the one or more sampling intervals, wherein the output is representative of a substantially random number.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the characteristic of each digital information source comprises gathers or provides information at a time that is dependent on at least one of a frequency at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a phase at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a location at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a voltage at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a method used by each digital information source to gather or provide information, or an aspect of a same measurement used by each of the digital information sources to gather or provide information.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital information sources gathers or provides information at a time that is dependent on at least one of a gate delay, a relative phase, or a response time.
21. A digital system for generating random numbers, the system comprising:
means for sampling a plurality of digital information sources at one or more sampling intervals to obtain a plurality of sample values, each digital information source comprising a characteristic, wherein the characteristic of each digital information source differs from the characteristic of any other digital information source, wherein at least one of the digital information sources includes a first clock source, a second clock source, a pseudo random number generator, and a sampling device, wherein the pseudo random number generator is configured to generate a pseudo random number responsive to the first clock source, and output a signal to the sampling device, wherein the second clock source is input into the sampling device and causes the sampling device to output a sampled version of the signal output from the pseudo random number generator; and
means for determining an output based on the plurality of sample values obtained at the one or more sampling intervals, wherein the output is representative of a substantially random number.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the characteristic of each digital information source comprises at least one of a frequency at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a phase at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a time at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a location at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a voltage at which each digital information source gathers or provides information, a method used by each digital information source to gather or provide information, or an aspect of a same measurement used by each of the digital information sources to gather or provide information.
23. The system of claim 21 wherein at least one of the plurality of digital information sources is based on at least one of a gate delay, a relative phase, or a response time.