Method and apparatus for generating random numbers
US7571199B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L9/0869
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system collects entropy data and stores the entropy data in a nonvolatile memory. The entropy data stored in the nonvolatile memory is updated with newly collected entropy data. The entropy data stored in the nonvolatile memory is used to generate a string of random bits. The entropy data is collected from multiple sources within a computer system and may include data related to a processor in the computer system and an operating system executing on the computer system. The entropy data is maintained in a protected portion of an operating system kernel. A hashing algorithm is applied to the entropy data to generate random seed data.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.