Circuit and method for controlling quality of random numbers

• US 8,949,300 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Akihiro, Tajima, Akio, Takahashi, Seigo, Maeda, Wakako
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Chat
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANDIFER, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US11/621,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,946 Days
• Field of Search: 708/3, 708250-256, 380255-263
• US Class Current: 708/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0852 Quantum cryptography transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. light, infrared H04B10/00; wavelength-division multiplex systems H04J14/02; WDM arrangements H04J14/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A random number quality control circuit capable of fast control of the level of random number quality is present. When a “0” output section and a “1” output section generate random numbers by individually receiving a random number signal, a random number quality monitor monitors an unbalance between the numbers of “0”s and “1”s. If a deviation from a desired ratio is found, a drive controller controls the reception characteristics of the “0” output section and “1” output section individually so that the deviation will be compensated for. The amount of information intercepted between a sender and a receiver can be reduced by maintaining the mark ratio of shared random numbers at 50%.

Claims

1. A receiver of a quantum key distribution system in which a sender and the receiver are connected to each other through a transmission line, the receiver comprising:

a photodetecting section which receives optical pulses to detect random numbers and separately outputs a plurality of values of the random numbers, wherein the photodetecting section varies in reception efficiency depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key, wherein the photodetecting section comprises a plurality of photodetectors corresponding to the plurality of values;

a calculating section which calculates a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values of the random numbers detected by the photodetecting section; and

a controller which controls a reception efficiency of the photodetecting section so as to bring the proportion closer to a desired value, wherein the controller controls the reception efficiency by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the photodetecting section detects the plurality of values to output detection signals of the respective values to the calculating section.

3. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the reception efficiency of the photodetecting section such that the respective proportions for the plurality of values are made equal to each other.

4. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein each photodetector receives a signal conveying the random numbers to output a corresponding one of the plurality of values to the calculating section.

5. A random number generator comprising the receiver according to claim 1.

6. A system for receiving by a receiver of a quantum key distribution system in which a sender and the receiver are connected to each other through a transmission line, wherein the receiver comprises:

a photodetector which receives optical pulses to detect a random-number signal from a first communication device through the transmission line to output a plurality of values of received random numbers, wherein the photodetector comprises a plurality of photodetectors each corresponding to the plurality of values, wherein the photodetector varies in reception efficiency depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key;

a random-number quality monitor which monitors the quality of the received random numbers; and

a controller which changes a reception efficiency of the photodetector based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers, wherein the controller controls the reception efficiency by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the random-number quality monitor monitors a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values of the received random numbers.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller controls the reception efficiency of the photodetector so as to reduce a difference between the proportion and a desired value.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the desired value is determined such that the respective proportions for the plurality of values are made equal to each other.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the controller controls a reception efficiency of the plurality of photodetectors.

11. A receiver of a quantum key distribution system for receiving a random-number signal, the receiver comprising:

a photodetecting section which receives optical pulses to detect the random-number signal to output received random numbers, wherein the photodetecting section comprises a plurality of photodetectors each corresponding to a plurality of values included in the received random numbers, wherein the photodetecting section varies in reception efficiency depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key;

a random-number quality monitor which monitors quality of the received random numbers; and

a controller which changes a reception efficiency of the photodetecting section based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers, wherein the controller controls the reception efficiency by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

12. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein the random-number quality monitor monitors a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values.

13. The receiver according to claim 12, wherein the controller controls the reception efficiency of the photodetecting section so as to reduce a difference between the proportion and a desired value.

14. The receiver according to claim 13, wherein the desired value is determined such that the respective proportions for the plurality of values are made equal to each other.

15. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein each of the photodetectors varies in reception efficiency depending on an applied voltage, wherein the controller controls the applied voltage based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers.

16. The receiver according to claim 15, wherein the applied voltage is a bias voltage applied to the photodetector.

17. The receiver according to claim 15, wherein the applied voltage is a pulse height of voltage pulses applied to the photodetector.

18. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein each of the photodetectors varies in reception efficiency depending on a reception timing of the random-number signal and a timing of applying a pulse-like voltage to the photo detector, wherein the controller controls the timing of applying the pulse-like voltage based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers.

19. The receiver according to claim 11, wherein each of the photodetectors varies in reception efficiency depending on a threshold which is used to discriminate the detected random-number signal, wherein the controller controls the threshold based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers.

20. A method for receiving in a quantum key distribution system in which a sender and a receiver are connected to each other through a transmission line, the method comprising:

receiving, by one of two communication devices, optical pulses to detect random numbers to separately output a plurality of values of the random numbers according to independent reception efficiencies for respective ones of the plurality of values, wherein the one of the two communication devices varies in reception efficiency depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key, wherein the one of the two communication devices comprises a plurality of photodetectors corresponding to the plurality of values;

storing, by a memory device, a predetermined amount of received random numbers;

generating, by the one of the two communication devices, a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values in the predetermined amount of received random numbers; and

independently changing the independent reception efficiencies, by the one of the two communication devices, so as to bring the proportion closer to a desired value, wherein the one of the two communication devices controls the reception efficiency by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the independent reception efficiencies are controlled such that the respective proportions for the plurality of values are made equal to each other.

22. A random number generator performing a method according to claim 20.

23. A method for receiving in a quantum key distribution system in which a sender and a receiver are connected to each other through a transmission line, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first communication device, a random-number signal to a second communication device;

sharing random numbers between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the random-number signal;

receiving, by the second communication device, which includes a photodetecting section comprising a plurality of photodetectors each corresponding to the plurality of values, optical pulses to detect the random-number signal to output received random numbers, wherein the photodetecting section varies in reception efficiency depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key, wherein the photodetecting comprises a plurality of photodetectors corresponding to the plurality of values;

monitoring, by a random number quality monitor, the quality of the received random numbers; and

changing, by a reception efficiency changing device, a reception efficiency of the photodetecting section based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers, wherein the reception efficiency is changed by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the quality of the received random numbers is a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the reception efficiency of the photodetecting section is changed so as to reduce a difference between the proportion and a desired value.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the desired value is determined such that the respective proportions for the plurality of values are made equal to each other.

27. A quantum key distribution system performing a method according to claim 23.

28. A method for receiving in a quantum key distribution system in which a sender and the receiver are connected through a transmission line, the method comprising:

receiving, at a photodetecting section, optical pulses to detect the random-number signal to output received random numbers, the photodetecting section comprising a plurality of photodetectors each corresponding to a plurality of values included in the received random numbers, wherein a reception efficiency varies depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key;

monitoring, by a random number quality monitor, quality of the received random numbers obtained from the detected random-number signal; and

changing, by a reception efficiency changing device, the reception efficiency of the photodetecting section based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers, wherein the reception efficiency is changed by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the quality of the received random numbers is a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the reception efficiency of the photodetecting section is controlled so as to reduce a difference between the proportion and a desired value.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the desired value is determined such that the respective proportions for the plurality of values are made equal to each other.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program containing instructions for instructing a computer to execute operations to receive in a quantum key distribution system, the operations comprising:

receiving, at a photodetecting section, optical pulses to detect random numbers to separately output a plurality of values according to independent reception efficiencies for respective ones of the plurality of values, wherein the reception efficiencies vary depending on applied bias voltage, wherein detected random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key, wherein the photodetecting section comprises a plurality of photodetectors corresponding to the plurality of values;

storing a predetermined amount of received random numbers in a memory;

generating a proportion of count of each of the plurality of values in the predetermined amount of received random numbers; and

independently changing the independent reception efficiencies so as to bring the proportion closer to a desired value, wherein the reception efficiency is changed by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program containing instructions for instructing a computer to execute operations to receiving in a quantum key distribution system through a transmission line, the operations comprising:

receiving optical pulses to detect a random-number signal to output received random numbers at a photodetecting section which comprises a plurality of photodetectors each corresponding to a plurality of values included in the received random numbers, wherein reception efficiencies vary depending on applied bias voltage, wherein the received random numbers are used for the generation of a quantum key;

monitoring quality of the received random numbers obtained from the detected random-number signal; and

changing a reception efficiency of the photodetecting section based on the monitored quality of the received random numbers, wherein the reception efficiency is changed by independently adjusting respective bias voltages applied to the plurality of photodetectors.