Apparatus, systems, and methods comprising tritium random number generator

• US 10,430,161 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2019
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Randaemon SP Z OO
• Original Assignee: Jan J. Tatarkiewicz
• Inventors: Tatarkiewicz, Jan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Malzahn, David H
• Application Number:
  US16/273,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20190310830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/178 for measuring specific activity in the presence of other radioactive substances, e.g. natural, in the air or in liquids such as rain water
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a true random number generator (TRNG). The TRNG includes a cavity filled with tritium and an electronic sensor constructed to detect energy from the decay of the tritium. The sensor produces a signal for the detected energy, and an amplifier amplifies the signal while a filter filters the signal. A processor (a) determines whether the signal represents decay events for tritium; (b) sets a timer to determine the time period between decay events; (c) based on the time period in step (b), assigns a value of a 0 or a 1; (d) stores the value in a memory; (e) repeats steps (b)-(d), resulting in a string of values; and (f) generates a true random number based on the string of values. This TRNG may be formed on an integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A true random number generator (TRNG) comprising:

a cavity filled with tritium;

an electronic sensor constructed to detect energy from the decay of the tritium and to produce a signal for the detected energy;

an amplifier connected to the sensor and constructed to amplify the signal;

a filter connected to the amplifier constructed to filter the signal;

a processor connected to the filter, constructed to perform the following steps;

a. determine whether the signal represents decay events for tritium;

b. set a timer to determine the time period between decay events;

c. based on the time period in step (b), assign a value of a 0 or a 1;

d. store the value in a memory;

e. repeat steps (b)-(d), resulting in a string of values; and

f. generate a true random number based on the string of values.

2. The TRNG of claim 1,

wherein step (b) further comprises determining:

a first time period T1 between a first pair of decay events;

a second time period T2 between a second pair of decay events; and

wherein step (c) further comprises comparing T1 to T2 and assigning the value based on the comparison.

3. The TRNG of claim 2, wherein the first pair of decay events and the second pair of decay events share a common decay event.

4. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the cavity, sensor amplifier, filter and processor are formed on an integrated circuit.

5. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the volume of tritium is less than 0.03 μ

L.

6. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the maximum radioactivity of the tritium is less than 3×

10<sup>−

5</sup> Ci.

7. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the processor generates an array of true random numbers.

8. The TRNG of claim 7, wherein the processor provides one of an array of true random numbers to a cryptographic client;

and deletes the delivered true random number from the memory.

9. The TRNG of claim 8, wherein the one of an array of true random number provided is the oldest one in the array.

10. The TRNG of claim 7, wherein when the memory is full, the processor deletes the oldest one in the array of true random numbers.

11. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the true random number is comprised of 256 bits or 512 bits.

12. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the amount of tritium is sufficient to create at least one million decay events per second.

13. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the timer has a clock frequency of at least 1 GHz.

14. The TRNG of claim 1, wherein the amplifier comprises a low noise charge-sensitive preamplifier or a pulse shaping amplifier.

15. A personal electronic device comprising:

a true random number generator comprising;

a cavity filled with tritium;

an electronic sensor constructed to detect energy from the decay of the tritium and to produce a signal for the detected energy;

an amplifier connected to the sensor and constructed to amplify the signal;

a filter connected to the amplifier constructed to filter the signal;

a processor connected to the filter, constructed to perform the following steps;

a. determine whether the signal represents decay events for tritium;

b. set a timer to determine the time period between decay events;

c. based on the time period in step (b), assign a value of a 0 or a 1;

d. store the value in a memory;

e. repeat steps (b)-(d), resulting in a string of values; and

f. generate an array of true random numbers based on the string of values;

a cryptographic client adapted to receive one of an array of true random numbers.

16. The personal electronic device of claim 15, wherein the true random number is used to encrypt a communication channel, to render computer simulations, or to render computer gaming.

17. The personal electronic device of claim 15, wherein the cavity, sensor amplifier, filter and processor are formed on an integrated circuit.

18. The personal electronic device of claim 15, wherein the volume of tritium is less than 0.03 μ

L.

19. The personal electronic device of claim 15, wherein the maximum radioactivity of the tritium is less than 3×

10<sup>−

5</sup> Ci.

20. A method of generating a true random number using tritium, the method comprising:

a. providing a volume of tritium;

b. detecting an energy signal from the decay of the tritium;

c. determining whether the energy signal represents decay events for tritium;

d. setting a timer to determine the time period between decay events;

e. assigning a value of a 0 or a 1 based on the time period;

f. storing the value;

g. repeating steps (b)-(f), resulting in a string of values; and

h. generating an array of true random numbers based on the string of values.

21. The method of claim 20,

wherein step (d) further comprises determining:

a first time period T1 between a first pair of decay events;

a second time period T2 between a second pair of decay events; and

wherein step (e) further comprises comparing T1 to T2 and assigning the value based on the comparison.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first pair of decay events and the second pair of decay events share a common decay event.

23. The method of claim 20, the method further comprising:

i. providing one of an array of true random numbers to a cryptographic client; and

j. deleting the delivered true random number from the memory.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one of an array of true random number provided is the oldest one in the array.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the true random number is comprised of 256 bits or 512 bits.