Method, device and computer program product for random number generation in a meter

A utility service meter comprising a random number generator, said utility service meter comprised of:

• at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC), wherein said ADC receives a first and a second analog signal representative of values of voltage and current of a power feed at a location of a utility service meter, respectively, and converts said first and second analog signals to respective first and second digital signals;
• a switch with a control, wherein said switch is configured to connect or disconnect a utility service with a load;
• a memory;
• one or more processors, wherein said one or more processors execute computer-executable code stored on said memory, said computer-executable code causes said one or more processors to,
• receive a request for a random number;
• and
• determine the random number using a non-negative integer maximum value for said random number, wherein said determining comprises,
• setting the random number equal to zero if the integer maximum value is zero;
• setting the random number equal to one if the integer maximum value is one;
• and
• setting the random number equal to the remainder of a sum of adding together the first and second digital signals divided by the integer maximum value if the integer maximum value is greater than one,
• wherein scheduling a connection or disconnection of the utility service using the switch is at least in part controlled by the random number.

A computer program product comprised of computer-executable code sections stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said computer-executable code sections comprising:

• a first section for receiving a request for a random number;
• a second section for receiving a first and a second digital signal, wherein said first and second digital signals are representative of values for voltage and current of a power feed at a location of a utility service meter, respectively;
• a third section for determining the random number using a non-negative integer maximum value for said random number, wherein said determining comprises,
• setting the random number equal to zero if the integer maximum value is zero;
• setting the random number equal to one if the integer maximum value is one;
• and
• setting the random number equal to the remainder of a sum of adding together the first and second digital signals divided by the integer maximum value if the integer maximum value is greater than one;
• and
• a fourth section for scheduling a connection or disconnection of the utility service using the random number.