Semiconductor-junction-derived random number generation with triggering mechanism

• US 9,547,476 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Suarez, John, Mingle, Moses
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Tan V.
• Application Number:
  US14/514,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 708/3, 708/255
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes

Abstract

Various embodiments are described that relate to random number generation. When a desire arises for a random number a circuit can be completed with a reverse biased semiconductor junction element. When the circuit is completed an analog voltage spike can be produced that is random due to properties of the reverse biased semiconductor-junction element. This analog voltage spike can be converted into a digital value that serves as the random number. The digital value can be outputted and used as the random number.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an activation component to activate a circuit comprising a reverse biased semiconductor-junction element in response to a request for a randomly-generated number; and

an identification component to identify a voltage for the reverse biased semiconductor junction element, where the randomly-generated number is based, at least in part, on the voltage,

where the activation component, the identification component, or a combination thereof is implemented, at least in part, but way of non-software.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising:

an analog to digital converter to convert the voltage for the reverse biased semiconductor-junction element, the voltage being an analog input, to a digital output that is the randomly-generated number; and

an output component to output the digital output to an external structure.

3. The system of claim 2, where the circuit is activated in response to an event external to the system and external to the circuit.

4. The system of claim 1,

where the circuit comprises:

a resistor; and

a Zener diode that is the reverse biased semiconductor junction element;

where the request originates external to the system,

where when the circuit is activated a voltage is generated across the resistor that corresponds to the voltage for the reverse biased semiconductor junction element, and

where identification of the voltage for the reverse biased semiconductor-junction element comprises measurement of the voltage across the resistor.

5. The system of claim 1,

where activation of the circuit comprises powering the circuit such that a threshold voltage is met for the reverse biased semiconductor-junction element and

where, in response to the threshold voltage being met, the reverse biased semiconductor junction element produces the voltage non-uniformly.

6. The system of claim 1,

where the request designates a future time for production of the randomly-generated number and

where the circuit is activated at the future time.

7. A system, comprising:

a measurement component that measures a voltage for a non-diode reverse biased semiconductor-junction element; and

a generation component that generates a number based on the voltage for the non-diode reverse biased semiconductor-junction element,

where the number is outputted to a computer structure and

where the measurement component, the generation component, or a combination thereof is implemented, at least in part, by way of hardware.

8. The system of claim 7, where the voltage is produced from transmission of wireless power.

9. The system of claim 7, where the non-diode reverse biased semiconductor-junction element is an NPN transistor.

10. The system of claim 7, where the non-diode reverse biased semiconductor-junction element is a PNP transistor.

11. The system of claim 7,

where a circuit comprises the non-diode reverse biased semiconductor-junction element and a resistor,

where the voltage is measured from across the resistor,

where the circuit is non-functional prior to generation of the number, and

where the circuit is functional for generation of the number.

12. The system of claim 7, comprising:

a monitor component that monitors an event external to a circuit to produce a monitor result, the circuit comprises the non-diode reverse biased semiconductor junction element;

an analysis component that analyzes the monitor result to produce an analysis result; and

a causation component that causes the voltage to be available in response to the analysis result being that the voltage should be available.

13. The system of claim 12, where the event is a command of a computer program.

14. The system of claim 13, where the event is a non-first-in-time command of the computer program when the computer program proactively implements a series of commands that comprises the non-first-in-time command.

15. A system, comprising:

a trigger component configured to;

trigger a circuit in a first instance in response to a first request for a first randomly-generated number, the circuit comprising a reverse biased semiconductor-junction element, and

trigger the circuit in a second instance in response to a second request for a second randomly-generated number;

a spike component configured to;

read a first voltage spike for the reverse biased semiconductor-junction element produced from triggering the circuit in the first instance and

read a second voltage spike for the reverse biased semiconductor-junction element produced from triggering the circuit in the second instance;

an analog to digital converter configured to;

convert the first voltage spike from a first analog input to a first floating point number output and

convert the second voltage spike from a second analog input to a second floating point number output; and

a number component configured to;

cause an output of the first floating point number output as the first randomly-generated number and

cause an output of the second floating point number as the second randomly-generated number,

where the first instance and the second instance are independent instances,

where the first voltage spike and the second voltage spike have different values,

where the first floating point number output and the second floating point number output are non-identical, and

where the first randomly-generated number and the second randomly-generated number are different numbers.

16. The system of claim 15,

where the circuit is triggered in the first instance in response to a first computer program sending a first instruction as the first request,

where the circuit is triggered in the second instance in response to a second computer program sending a second instruction as the second request,

where the first computer program and the second computer program are different computer programs.

17. The system of claim 15,

where the circuit is triggered in the first instance in response to a computer program sending a command as the first request at a first point in time,

where the circuit is triggered in the second instance in response to the computer program sending the command as the second request at a second point in time, and

where the first point in time is different from the second point in time.

18. The system of claim 15, where at least one of the first request, the second request, or a combination thereof is a manual request.

19. The system of claim 15, where at least one of the first voltage spike, the second voltage spike, or a combination thereof result from transmission of wireless energy.

20. The system of claim 15,

where the circuit is non-functional before the triggering from the first instance,

where the circuit is functional after the triggering from the first instance,

where the circuit is non-functional after the reading of the first voltage spike,

where the circuit is non-functional before the triggering from the second instance, and

where the circuit is functional after the triggering from the second instance.