Statistical testing of a Chaos based CMOS true-random number generator

As faster Random Number Generators become available, the possibility to improve the accuracy of randomness tests through the analysis of a larger number of generated bits increases. In this paper we first introduce a high-performance true-random number generator designed by authors, which use a set of discrete-time piecewise-linear chaotic maps as its entropy source. Then, we present by means of suitably improved randomness tests, the validation of this generator and the comparison with other high-end solutions. We consider the NIST test suite SP 800-22 and we show that, as suggested by NIST itself, to increase the so-called power of the test, a more in-depth analysis should be performed using the outcomes of the suite over many generated sequences. With this approach we build a framework for RNG high quality testing, with which we are able to show that the designed prototype has a comparable quality with respect to the other high-quality commercial solutions, with a working speed that is one order of magnitude faster. © 2010 World Scientific Publishing Company.