Adjustable Meta-Stable Inverter for Random Number Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current random number generators using ring-oscillator circuits are limited by significant jitter accumulation, while those employing meta-stability generate numbers quickly but with decreased quality due to mismatches between meta-stable inverters, leading to insufficient encryption speed and quality.
Innovation Solution
A random number generator is designed with adjustable meta-stable voltage using a meta-stable inverter, amplifier, control circuitry, and sampler, allowing for adjustable threshold and common mode input voltages to prevent output from being stuck on '0' or '1', thereby enhancing encryption speed and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ring-oscillator circuit is used for random number generation, then the generated random numbers have good quality, but the generation speed is limited due to considerable time required to accumulate jitter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the threshold voltage adjustable rather than fixed. The control circuitry dynamically adjusts the threshold voltage of the meta-stable inverter to optimize performance, allowing the system to adapt between speed and quality requirements through voltage modulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (threshold voltage) of the meta-stable inverter to resolve the contradiction. By adjusting the threshold voltage, the system can optimize the balance between generation speed and random number quality, overcoming the fixed-performance limitation of conventional designs.
2Productivity
If meta-stability is used for random number generation, then the generation speed is fast, but the quality of random numbers decreases due to mismatch between meta-stable inverter and amplifier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the threshold voltage dynamically adjustable through control circuitry, enabling real-time optimization of the meta-stable inverter's performance to compensate for mismatches and maintain high random number quality while preserving fast generation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the threshold voltage parameter of the meta-stable inverter, the system optimizes the balance between speed and quality. The adjustable threshold voltage compensates for the mismatch between the meta-stable inverter and amplifier, resolving the quality degradation issue while maintaining fast generation.
3Device complexity
If fixed threshold voltage is used in meta-stable inverter, then the circuit structure is simple, but the output gets stuck on specific values reducing encryption quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the threshold voltage through control circuitry, allowing the system to prevent output from getting stuck on specific values. This dynamic adjustment maintains encryption quality while adding minimal complexity to the overall circuit structure.
Solution Approach 2:
By making the threshold voltage adjustable rather than fixed, the system prevents the output from getting stuck on specific values that would compromise encryption quality. The parameter change approach resolves the reliability issue while keeping the circuit structure relatively simple.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves the speed and quality of random number generation, preventing output from being stuck on specific values, thus enabling faster and more secure information encryption.
Implementation Method 1
The first meta-stable inverter may be configured to generate a meta-stable voltage
Implementation Method 2
The amplifier may be configured to amplify the meta-stable voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A random number generator may include a first meta-stable inverter having an input terminal and an output terminal connected to each other and configured to generate a meta-stable voltage, an amplifier configured to amplify the meta-stable voltage, control circuitry configured to adjust a threshold voltage of the meta-stable voltage, and a sampler configured to generate a random number based on sampling the meta-stable voltage. The random number generator may be configured to be operated according to different modes of operation of a plurality of modes of operation. The amplifier may be a second meta-stable inverter configured to amplify the meta-stable voltage or include an input terminal and an output terminal that are connected to each other based on the random number generator being operated according to a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, respectively, of the plurality of modes of operation.