Method and apparatus for generating random numbers using a physical entropy source

摘要

A method and apparatus for generating random binary sequences from a physical entropy source having a state A and a state B by detecting whether the physical entropy source is in the state A or in the state B, attempting to shift the state of the physical entropy source to the opposite state in a probabilistic manner with less than 100% certainty, and producing one of four outputs based on the detected state and the state of the physical entropy source before the attempted shift. The outputs are placed in first and second queues and extracted in pairs from each queue. Random binary bits are output based on the sequences extracted from each queue.

主权项

1. A method for generating a random binary sequence, the method comprising:
providing a physical entropy source having a state A and a state B, the states A and B being bi-stable states, the physical entropy source being a physical device in which switching between the states is probabilistic and unpredictable; providing first logic for placing the physical entropy source into the state A, the first logic placing the physical entropy source into the state A with a first probability of less than 100% when the physical entropy source is in the state B and placing the physical entropy source into the state A with a probability of 100% when the physical entropy source is in the state A; providing second logic for placing the physical entropy source into a state B, the second logic placing the physical entropy source into the state B with a second probability of less than 100% when the physical entropy source is in the state A and placing the physical entropy source into the state B with a probability of 100% when the physical entropy source is in the state B; a) detecting whether the physical entropy source is in the state A or in the state B; b) if the physical entropy source is in the state B, using the first logic to place the physical entropy source into the state A and if the physical entropy source is in the state A, using the second logic to place the physical entropy source into the state B; c) determining whether the physical entropy source is in the state A or in the state B after using the second logic to place the physical entropy source into the state B or after using the first logic to place the physical entropy source into the state A; d) if the detected state of the physical entropy source is the state B and the determined state of the physical entropy source is the state B, outputting a first symbol and if the detected state of the physical entropy source is the state B and the determined state of the physical entropy source is the state A, outputting a second symbol, and if the detected state of the physical entropy source is the state A and the determined state of the physical entropy source is the state A, outputting a third symbol, and if the detected state of the physical entropy source is the state A and the determined state of the physical entropy source is the state B, outputting a fourth symbol, the first, second, third and fourth symbols being mutually distinguishable; e) placing the first symbol and the second symbol into a first queue; f) placing the third symbol and the fourth symbol into a second queue; g) repeating actions a-f a plurality of times; h) extracting a pair of symbols from the first queue; i) generating a first value when the pair of symbols extracted from the first queue is a first queue first sequence and generating a second value different than the first value when the pair of symbols extracted from the first queue is a first queue second sequence different than the first queue first sequence; and j) outputting the first value and the second value as the random binary sequence.