Multiple-Valued Random Digit Extraction

We describe a parameterized random value extraction function for producing symbol strings based upon a user-specified radix value. The presentation of the extractor function is accompanied with a theoretical discussion that describes how the radix value, and hence the symbol set cardinality, affects the entropy of an extracted symbol string. Experimental results are provided where extracted strings with respect to different radix values are analyzed for randomness quality. The empirical data is obtained by applying our parameterized extractor function to a weakly random source that provides a set of inter-packet delay spacings observed from a network interface card in a general-purpose computer. Our results show how the quality of the extracted random strings varies for differing radix values. These results provide guidelines for choosing an appropriate radix value in an extractor function.