Method and system for generating a random number

Abstract

For generating a seed, such as for a random number, a plurality of data storage location identifiers, such as sectors, can be combined. A random number can be calculated using the seed. The selection of the data storage location identifiers can be time varied based on commands received from a host. The seed that is generated can have enhanced unpredictability and complexity for secure data cryptography.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating a random number in a data storage device, comprising:
 generating a seed from a respective data storage location identifier for each of a plurality of data storage locations of the data storage device, wherein the seed is generated from a combination of the plurality of respective data storage location identifiers of the plurality of data storage locations before the random number is generated from the seed; and   calculating the random number based on the seed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the respective data storage location identifier is a respective sector for each of a plurality of sectors of the data storage device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising each of the respective data storage location identifiers is selected, at a respective time, from accessed data storage locations. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising a time period between reading a previous data storage location identifier and a subsequent data storage location identifier is determined based on the previous data storage location identifier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the time period between reading the previous data storage location identifier and a subsequent data storage location identifier varies based on a value of the previous data storage location identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing data encryption based on the random number generator. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sequentially appending each of the respective data storage location identifiers to generate the seed. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a processor adapted to:
 generate a seed from a combination of data storage location identifiers for a plurality of data storage locations of a data storage device; and 
 generate a random number based on the seed. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a data storage unit and the processor is adapted to store the data storage location identifiers in the data storage unit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising each of the respective data storage location identifiers is selected, at varying times, from accessed data storage locations. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an interface coupled to the processor, the interface adapted to receive data access commands from a host system; and   the processor is adapted to select the data storage location identifiers for generating the seed from data storage location identifiers corresponding to the commands received from the host.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the data storage device is a disk drive. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising the disk drive is a hard disk drive. 
     
     
         14 . A data storage device comprising:
 a data storage memory having data storage locations addressable with data storage location identifiers;   a processor unit coupled to the data storage memory and configured to generate a seed from a combination of a plurality of data storage location identifiers corresponding to data storage locations of the data storage device; and   a random number generator configured to generate a random number based on the seed.   
     
     
         15 . The data storage device of  claim 14  further comprising:
 an interface coupled to the processor unit, the interface adapted to receive data access commands from a host; and 
 the processor unit is configured to select the plurality of data storage location identifiers for generating the seed from data storage location identifiers corresponding to the commands received from the host. 
 
     
     
         16 . The data storage device of  claim 15 , further comprising each of the plurality of data storage location identifiers for generating the seed is selected, at varying times, from data storage location identifiers received from the host. 
     
     
         17 . The data storage device of  claim 14 , further comprising the processor is configured to determine a time period between reading a previous data storage location identifier and a subsequent data storage location identifier based on the previous data storage location identifier. 
     
     
         18 . The data storage device of  claim 17 , further comprising the processor is configured to vary the time period between reading the previous data storage location identifier and a subsequent data storage location identifier based on a value of the previous data storage location identifier. 
     
     
         19 . The data storage device of  claim 12 , further comprising the data storage device is a disk drive. 
     
     
         20 . The data storage device of  claim 19 , further comprising the disk drive is a hard disk drive and the data storage memory is a magnetic disk.