Random number generation apparatus and method
US7613756B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 2005 |
| Grant date | Nov 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F7/588
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and a method are provided for generating a random number, wherein the randomness of the random number is derived from thermal noise present across a pair of resistors. Each of the pair of resistors is defined to receive a respective input voltage and add a respective noise component to the input voltage. The output from each resistor in the pair of resistors is amplified to generate a noisy analog voltage that includes a representation of the random noise components added by the pair of resistors. The randomly varying noisy analog voltage is used to control a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The VCO generates a random digital signal based on the randomly varying noisy analog voltage. The random digital signal generated by the VCO is used to set a number of bits for defining a random number.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.