Programmable random bit source

• US 7,177,888 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Wells, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai; Tan V.
• Application Number:
  US10/633,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 708/3, 708250-256
• US Class Current: 708/3
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/017 Adjustment of width or dutycycle of pulses pulse width modulation H03K7/08 ; to maintain energy constant H03K3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/84 Generating pulses having a predetermined statistical distribution of a parameter, e.g. random pulse generators
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/1565 the output pulses having a constant duty cycle

Abstract

A method of producing a uniform duty cycle output from a random bit source. The method includes testing the duty cycle of said random bit source; varying the output voltage of a voltage source if the duty cycle is not substantially fifty percent; and iteratively altering the output voltage of the voltage source until said duty cycle is substantially fifty percent.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

testing a duty cycle of a random bit source;

varying an output voltage of a voltage source if the duty cycle has not substantially reached a first threshold; and

iteratively altering the output voltage of the voltage source until the duty cycle has not substantially reached the first threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

periodically latching a high frequency signal in response to a low frequency signal; and

outputting one or more binary digits corresponding to a voltage level of the latching high frequency signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the output voltage of the voltage circuit further comprises updating a threshold voltage of a flash memory cell in the voltage circuit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the output voltage of the voltage circuit further comprises:

varying an input current to a non-inverting input of a differential amplifier to produce a first input voltage; and

varying an input current to an inverting input of the differential amplifier to produce a second input voltage.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the output voltage of the voltage circuit further comprises altering the number of transistors in the voltage circuit determining the output voltage.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the method of producing a uniform duty cycle output from a random bit source is used in a random number generator operable to produce random binary numbers for use in a cryptographic system for secure communications between a plurality of computers in a network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first threshold is fifty percent.

8. A random bit source comprising:

a latch to produce a uniform duty cycle output;

a component to test the duty cycle; and

a programmable voltage source to vary an output voltage if the duty cycle has not substantially reached a first threshold and iteratively alter the output voltage until the duty cycle has not substantially reached the first threshold.

9. The random bit source of claim 8 wherein the programmable voltage source comprises a flash memory cell, wherein varying the output voltage of the voltage circuit further comprises updating a threshold voltage of the flash memory cell.

10. The random bit source of claim 8 wherein the programmable voltage source further comprises differential amplifier, wherein varying the output voltage of the programmable voltage source further comprises varying an input current to a non-inverting input of the differential amplifier to produce a first input voltage and varying an input current to an inverting input of the differential amplifier to produce a second input voltage.

11. The random bit source of claim 8 wherein varying the output voltage of the programmable voltage source further comprises altering the number of transistors in the programmable voltage source determining the output voltage.

12. The random bit source of claim 8 wherein producing a uniform duty cycle output from the random bit source is used in a random number generator operable to produce random binary numbers for use in a cryptographic system for secure communications between a plurality of computers in a network.

13. The random bit source of claim 8 wherein the first threshold is fifty percent.