Switching electronic circuit for random number generation
US6771104B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 25, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 6, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/03
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A physical random number generator has a bi-stable latch that operates to latch a random number bit in response to a reception of a voltage oscillating signal. When a switching device is in a first operating state, the bi-stable latch is deactivated and an oscillator is activated to generate one or more unpredictable voltage oscillation signals, which may provoke the bi-stable latch into a metastable state upon an activation of the bi-stable latch. When the switching device is in a second operating state, the oscillator is deactivated and the bi-stable latch is activated to latch a random number bit as a function of the unpredictable voltage oscillation signals, the randomness of the random number bit being enhanced by any provoking of the bi-stable latch into the metastable state by the voltage oscillating signal(s).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.