Significant random number generator

• US 9,465,582 B1
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Whelan, David A., Gutt, Gregory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US13/229,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/222 using random or pseudorandom pulse repetition frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18593 Arrangements for preventing unauthorised access or for providing user protection arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/25 based on characteristics of target signal or of transmission as countermeasure against surveillance H04K3/827, e.g. using direct sequence spread spectrum or fast frequency hopping spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0662 with particular pseudorandom sequence generator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for a significant random number generator are disclosed. The method involves sensing, with a sensor on a spacecraft, a physical phenomenon. In one or more embodiments, the system utilizes a Lower Earth Orbiting (LEO) Iridium satellite for the spacecraft. The method further involves outputting, from the sensor, a value for the physical phenomenon. Also, the method involves inputting the value of the physical phenomenon into a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG). In addition, the method involves generating, with the PRNG, a sequence of random numbers using the value of the physical phenomenon as a seed for the PRNG. In some embodiments, the disclosed significant random number generator is employed by a spot beam based authentication system that is used to authenticate a claimant. In other embodiments, the disclosed significant random number generator is used for cryptology, routing network traffic, anti-jamming, certified time stamping, and secure identification applications.

Claims

1. A method for a random number generator using physical phenomena relating to a spacecraft, the method comprising:

sensing, with a sensor, at least one random physical phenomenon originating from electronics internal to the spacecraft;

outputting, from the sensor, a value for the at least one random physical phenomenon;

inputting, into a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG), the value for the at least one random physical phenomenon;

generating, with the PRNG, a truly random sequence of random numbers by using at least a portion of the value of the at least one random physical phenomenon as at least one seed for the PRNG;

outputting, from the PRNG, the truly random sequence of the random numbers; and

transmitting, from the spacecraft, the outputted truly random sequence of the random numbers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one physical phenomenon is at least one of temperature of the spacecraft, resistance of a resistor on the spacecraft, thermal noise, radio frequency (RF) noise, shot noise produced from a reversed biased diode, white noise produced from an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, a fluctuation of a voltage of a unit on the spacecraft, a fluctuation of a voltage of a resistor on the spacecraft, a fluctuation of a temperature of the unit on the spacecraft, a fluctuation of magnetic field of the unit on the spacecraft, and radioactive decay of a radioactive material on the spacecraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

inputting, into a transmitter, the sequence of the random numbers; and

transmitting, from the transmitter, the sequence of the random numbers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is a radio frequency (RF) antenna.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining whether an event occurs that indicates to obtain at least one new seed to input into the PRNG.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, the method further comprises sensing, with the sensor, at least one physical phenomenon again to obtain a new value for the physical phenomenon to be used by the PRNG as the at least one new seed, when the processor determines that the event has occurred.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the event is at least one of a predetermined time interval, a random time interval, a time interval that is dependent upon the sequence of the random numbers, related to an occurrence of a certain value of the random numbers, related to an occurrence of a certain value of the physical phenomenon that is sensed, related to an occurrence of a certain amount of change in the value of the physical phenomenon that is sensed, and an authentication request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is on the spacecraft.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the spacecraft is one of a satellite and a pseudo-satellite.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the satellite is one of a low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite, a medium Earth orbiting (MEO) satellite, and a geosynchronous Earth orbiting (GEO) satellite.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the LEO satellite is an Iridium satellite.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the PRNG is located on one of the spacecraft and a terrestrial location.

13. A system for generating random numbers using physical phenomena relating to a spacecraft, the system comprising:

a sensor device configured to sense at least one random physical phenomenon originating from electronics internal to the spacecraft, and to output a value for the at least one random physical phenomenon; and

a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) to receive the value for the at least one random physical phenomenon, to generate a truly random sequence of random numbers by using at least a portion of the value of the at least one random physical phenomenon as at least one seed for the PRNG, and to output the truly random sequence of the random numbers; and

the spacecraft to transmit the outputted truly random sequence of the random numbers.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the physical phenomenon is at least one of temperature of the spacecraft, resistance of a resistor on the spacecraft, thermal noise, radio frequency (RF) noise, shot noise produced from a reversed biased diode, white noise produced from an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, a fluctuation of a voltage of a unit on the spacecraft, a fluctuation of a voltage of a resistor on the spacecraft, a fluctuation of a temperature of the unit on the spacecraft, a fluctuation of magnetic field of the unit on the spacecraft, and radioactive decay of a radioactive material on the spacecraft.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit the sequence of the random numbers that are outputted from the PRNG.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is a radio frequency (RF) antenna.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a processor configured to determine whether an event occurs that indicates to obtain at least one new seed to input into the PRNG.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor device is further configured to sense the physical phenomenon again to obtain a new value for the at least one physical phenomenon to be used by the PRNG as at least one new seed, when the processor determines that the event has occurred.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the event is at least one of a predetermined time interval, a random time interval, a time interval that is dependent upon the sequence of the random numbers, related to an occurrence of a certain value of the random numbers, related to an occurrence of a certain value of the physical phenomenon that is sensed, related to an occurrence of a certain amount of change in the value of the physical phenomenon that is sensed, and an authentication request.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor device is on the spacecraft.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the spacecraft is one of a satellite and a pseudo-satellite.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the satellite is one of a low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite, a medium Earth orbiting (MEO) satellite, and a geosynchronous Earth orbiting (GEO) satellite.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the LEO satellite is an Iridium satellite.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the PRNG is located on one of the spacecraft and a terrestrial location.