Systems and methods for facilitating truly random bit generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10860403-B2
Application number	US-201715714937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Various techniques provide systems and methods for facilitating truly random bit generation. In one example, a method includes receiving a first truly random bit stream in a first memory that includes a plurality of memory cells. Each of the plurality of memory cells stores a respective one bit of the first truly random bit stream. The method further includes generating, by a logic circuit, each bit of a second truly random bit stream based on a respective pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream. The method further includes storing the second truly random bit stream in a second memory. Related methods and devices are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving in a first memory a first truly random bit stream, wherein the first truly random bit stream is generated based on quantum mechanical processes;
receiving in a second memory a second truly random bit stream;
generating, by a logic circuit, a third truly random bit stream by performing bitwise operations to combine each bit of the first truly random bit stream with a corresponding bit of the second truly random bit stream;
storing the third truly random bit stream in a third memory;
retrieving one bit of a pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream from a first memory cell of the first memory and another bit of the pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream from a second memory cell of the first memory;
generating, by the logic circuit, a bit of a fourth truly random bit stream based on the pair of bits from the retrieving.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bitwise operations have logical equality.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the third truly random bit stream to a processing circuit to cause generation of an encryption key based on the third truly random bit stream.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first truly random bit stream is generated based on quantum mechanically coupled photon states from a laser.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising for each remaining bit of the fourth truly random bit stream:
retrieving one bit of a respective pair of bits from a first respective memory cell of the first memory and another bit of the respective pair of bits from a second respective memory cell of the first memory; and
generating a respective bit of the fourth truly random bit stream based on the respective pair of bits.

6. A method comprising:
receiving a first truly random bit stream in a first memory comprising a plurality of memory cells, wherein each of the plurality of memory cells stores a respective one bit of the first truly random bit stream, wherein the first truly random bit stream is generated based on quantum mechanical processes;
retrieving one bit of a pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream from a first memory cell of the plurality of memory cells and another bit of the pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream from a second memory cell of the plurality of memory cells;
generating, by a logic circuit, a bit of a second truly random bit stream based on the pair of bits from the retrieving; and
storing the bit of the second truly random bit stream in a second memory.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the generating comprises:
performing a bitwise operation on the pair of bits to obtain the current bit of the second truly random bit stream, wherein the bitwise operation has logical equality.

8. The method of claim 6 ,
further comprising providing, subsequent to the retrieving of the pair of bits associated with the bit, one bit of a pair of bits associated with a next bit of the second truly random bit stream into the first memory cell and another bit of the pair of bits associated with the next bit in the second memory cell.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first memory comprises a shift register, wherein the providing comprises:
shifting, from the second memory cell into the first memory cell, the one bit of the pair of bits associated with the next bit; and
shifting, from a third memory cell of the plurality of memory cells into the second memory cell, the another bit of the pair of bits associated with the next bit.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first memory comprises a shift register, wherein the providing comprises:
shifting, from a third memory cell of the plurality of memory cells into the first memory cell, the one bit of the pair of bits associated with the next bit; and
shifting, from a fourth memory cell of the plurality of memory cells into the second memory cell, the another bit of the pair of bits associated with the next bit.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the providing comprises:
shifting out a bit of the first truly random bit stream stored in a last memory cell of the plurality of memory cells; and
shifting over each remaining bit of the first truly random bit stream.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the last memory cell is the first memory cell of the plurality of memory cells.

13. The method of claim 6 , further comprising generating, by the logic circuit, each bit of a third truly random bit stream based on the first truly random bit stream by:
retrieving one bit of the pair of bits associated with a bit of the third truly random bit stream from the first memory cell and another bit of the pair of bits associated with the bit of the third truly random bit stream from a third memory cell of the plurality of memory cells;
performing a bitwise operation on the pair of bits associated with the bit of the third truly random bit stream to obtain the bit of the third truly random bit stream; and
repeating the retrieving and performing for each remaining bit of the third truly random bit stream.

14. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
generating, by the logic circuit, each bit of a third truly random bit stream based on a respective pair of bits of the second truly random bit stream;
storing the third truly random bit stream in a third memory;
generating a plurality of additional truly random bit streams; and
sampling one or more bits from each of the plurality of additional truly random bit streams to form at least a portion of a fourth truly random bit stream.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating, by the logic circuit, each bit of a fourth truly random bit stream based on bitwise operations on the second and third truly random bit streams, wherein the second truly random bit stream is stored in a shift register, and wherein the first and second truly random bit streams have a predetermined length.

16. The method of claim 6 , further comprising for each remaining bit of the second truly random bit stream:
retrieving one bit of a respective pair of bits from a first respective memory cell of the plurality of memory cells and another bit of the respective pair of bits from a second respective memory cell of the plurality of memory cells; and
generating a respective bit of the second truly random bit stream based on the respective pair of bits.

17. A device comprising:
a memory comprising a plurality of memory cells, wherein each of the plurality of memory cells is configured to store a respective one bit of a first truly random bit stream, and wherein the first truly random bit stream is generated based on quantum mechanical processes; and
a logic circuit configured to
retrieve one bit of a pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream from a first memory cell of the plurality of memory cells and another bit of the pair of bits of the first truly random bit stream from a second memory cell of the plurality of memory cells; and
generate a bit of a second truly random bit stream based on the pair of bits from the retrieving.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the logic circuit is configured to generate the bit of the second truly random bit stream by:
performing a bitwise operation on the pair of bits to obtain the current bit of the second truly random bit stream.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the memory comprises a shift register configured to:
store, in the first memory cell, one bit of the pair of bits associated with the bit of the second truly random bit stream

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Howe Wayne R
• Hunt Jeffrey H

Classifications

• G06F7/588 Primary

  Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes · CPC title

• H04L63/0428

  wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload · CPC title

• G06F11/0763 Primary

  by bit configuration check, e.g. of formats or tags · CPC title

• H04L9/0869 Primary

  involving random numbers or seeds · CPC title

• G06F11/102

  Error in check bits · CPC title