Osvaldo Skliar^*
Ricardo E. Monge^†
Víctor Medina^‡
Sherry Gapper^§
Guillermo Oviedo^¶

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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel Hybrid Random Number Generator (HRNG). Here “hybrid” refers to the fact that to construct this generator it is necessary to use 1) physical components – texts – and a physical process, and 2) a mathematical procedure. This HRNG makes it possible to generate genuine random numbers which may be used both for computer simulation of probabilistic systems and in the field of cryptography. The results of a comparative study of the binary strings generated by this HRNG and of those generated by two highly used implementations of a congruential algorithm designed to generate pseudorandom numbers are given here. One of the latter is the implementation incorporated into the Java 2 platform (version 1.6), and the other is the implementation incorporated into the runtime library of Microsoft’s Visual C++ 2008 compiler.

Keywords: random number generator, pseudorandom number generator, hybrid random number generator. ]]>
Resumen

Se presenta un generador híbrido de números aleatorios que será denominado, de manera abreviada, “HRNG”. Mediante el calificativo “híbrido” se hace referencia al hecho de que la construcción de dicho generador requiere recurrir a 1) unos entes de carácter físico —textos— y un procedimiento físico y a 2) un procedimiento matemático. El HRNG permite generar genuinos números aleatorios que pueden ser utilizados tanto para la simulación computacional de sistemas probabilísticos como en el campo de la criptografía. Se aporta los resultados de un estudio comparativo de cadenas binarias generadas con el HRNG y cadenas binarias generadas por dos implementaciones —ampliamente utilizadas— de un algoritmo congruencial diseñado para generar números pseudoaleatorios: a) la implementación incorporada a la versión 1.6 de la plataforma Java 2 y b) la implementación incorporada a la biblioteca de ejecución del compilador Microsoft Visual C++ 2008.

Palabras clave: generador de números aleatorios, generador de números pseudoaleatorios, generador híbrido de números aleatorios

Mathematics Subject Classification: 11K45, 65C10.

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References

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Correspondencia a: Osvaldo Skliar. Escuela de Informática, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica. E-Mail: oskliar@costarricense.cr
Ricardo E. Monge. Universidad Interamericana, Heredia, Costa Rica. E-Mail: rmongeg@uinteramericana.edu
Víctor Medina. Escuela de Matemática, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica. E-Mail: vmedinabaron@yahoo.es
Sherry Gapper. Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica. E-mail: sgapper@una.ac.cr
Guillermo Oviedo. Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología, San José, Costa Rica. E-Mail: oviedogmo@gmail.com

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Received: 23 Feb 2010; Revised: 19 Nov 2010; Accepted: 1 Feb 2011 ]]>