Patent US4833633A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4833633A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Opto-electronic random number generating system and computing systems based thereon

Assignee: University of Rochester
•
Filing: 1984-10-25
•
Granted: 1989-05-23
•
Expires: 2004-10-25
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Images having specified illumination intensity distributions are used at low light levels to produce photoevents which are electronically detected to generate random numbers having probability density distributions which correspond to the specified illumination intensity distribution and at very high rates, e.g., one hundred thousand numbers per second. These random numbers are used to operate the systems which are based upon random processes such as can be expressed in Monte Carlo algorithms, for example using a Markov process, which systems include computers to carry out the random processes.

Inventors

  • 👤 George M. Morris

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 23:29
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06E; G06E1/00; G06E1/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 71 words
In a system which utilizes random numbers, a random number generator which comprises means for detecting photoevents, means for illuminating said detecting means with an image having a specified intensity distribution, and means responsive to the photoevents detected by said detecting means for deriving random number outputs having a probability density in accordance with said distribution and in accordance with the spatial coordinates of the photoevents detected by said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 71 words
In a system which utilizes random numbers, a random number generator which comprises means for detecting photoevents, means for illuminating said detecting means with an image having a specified intensity distribution, and means responsive to the photoevents detected by said detecting means for deriving random number outputs having a probability density in accordance with said distribution and in accordance with the spatial coordinates of the photoevents detected by said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 41 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein said illuminating means comprises means for generating a display having said intensity distribution, and means for limiting the intensity of light reaching said detecting means such that said photoevents occur at a specified rate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system according to claim 2 wherein said display generating means comprises a cathode-ray tube display on which said images produced, and computer means for operating said display.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 50 words
The system according to claim 3 wherein said matrix is a checkerboard pattern having a plurality of squares where the relative intensity of each square is proportional to the probability of a transition between the states of a Markov process, the transition probabilities of which are represented as said matrix.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system according to claim 2 wherein said display generating means includes means for generating said image as a matrix, and computer means operative in accordance with a Monte Carlo program for providing an output approximately the inverse of said matrix in response to said random number outputs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for computing solutions in accordance with a Monte Carlo program in response to said random number outputs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 49 words
A random number generating system which comprises means for providing an image constituted of photons incident on an area, opto-electronic means for detecting the photons of said image incident on said area, and means for providing random number outputs in accordance with the spatial coordinates of said incident photons.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 49 words
A random number generating system which comprises means for providing an image constituted of photons incident on an area, opto-electronic means for detecting the photons of said image incident on said area, and means for providing random number outputs in accordance with the spatial coordinates of said incident photons.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 40 words
The system according to claim 7 wherein said image providing means includes means for generating said image with a specified intensity distribution over said area whereby said random number outputs occur with a probability density corresponding to said intensity distribution.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system according to claim 7 wherein said imaging means includes means for limiting said intensity such that photons are detected by said opto-electronic means at a specified rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system according to claim 4 wherein said rate is of the order of one photon every ten microseconds.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system according to claim 4 wherein the means for providing said image and limiting the intensity thereof comprises a pinhole camera.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 40 words
The system according to claim 9 wherein said means for providing said image and limiting the intensity thereof comprises an imaging lens and a filter with sufficient neutral density to reduce the photoevents at said area to said specified rate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system according to claim 7 wherein said opto-electronic means comprises two dimension photon event detector means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 36 words
The system according to claim 13 wherein said two-dimensional photon event detector means comprises a photodetector having a photocathode which defines said area, and means for detecting the spatial coordinates of said photoevents at said photocathode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system according to claim 14 wherein said spatial coordinate detector means comprises means for detecting the positions on said photocathode of the electrons emitted in response to the photons incident on said photocathode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 70 words
The system according to claim 15 wherein said photodetector comprises said photocathode, means for multiplying said emitted electrons, and a resistive anode on which said multiplied electrons are incident, and said position detector means comprises position computer means connected to said anode for providing the spatial coordinates of the centroid of the charge collected in response to each group of multiplied electrons corresponding to each photon incident on said photocathode.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3011057A Cited
US3748470A Cited
US4058113A Cited
US4403777A Cited
US4577184A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-05-22 1992-11-21 1993-05-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-05-22 1996-11-21 1997-05-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-05-22 2000-11-21 2001-05-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag