Overview
• Has had complete system design responsibility for many projects.
• Expert in Hardware/Software system design, integration, and testing
• Has brought up new boards, written device drivers and isolated difficult errors.
• Has extensive experience with Power control, USB, Audio, Video, and Servo hardware.
• Skilled with Oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other lab equipment.
• Skilled in reverse engineering of devices and protocols.
• Skilled in rapid prototyping, system debug and problem analysis.
• Has worked with end users to create systems based on needs.
Key Skills
• Senior Expert coding in "C" for real-time embedded systems.
• Senior Expert in embedded system design and system level troubleshooting.
• Senior Expert in hardware/software interaction and debugging.
• Expert Analog design skills; sensors, servos, audio and video.
• Expert fabricator with complete off-site development lab facilities.
Interface Skills
• Microcontrollers; Hardware and firmware for AVR, PIC, Z8, Z80, Z180, Rabbit 2000
• Analog design; op-amps, a/d, d/a, power supplies, sensor conditioning, and accelerometers.
• Power Management; Smart batteries, chargers, solar chargers, SOC metering.
• USB; kernel drivers, diags, protocol analysis
• Ethernet; drivers, diags, line protocol
• Video; drivers, stereo vision object location
• RS232, 422; drivers, diags, protocol
• Smbus, Smart battery interfacing, power management systems
• IIC; drivers, diags, protocol
Work History:
Aug 1999 – current: Consultant, owner of Quantalink LLC
Many of these projects are still covered by NDA agreements, so details may be limited.
2010: Product investigation for ongoing litigation,
This project involves a very restrictive NDA and involves reverse engineering of a analytical
device to find errors in the design.
2009-2010: Design of an audio sensing alarm for large building intercom systems.
This project has resulted in a new product for the client, with a 90% reduction of BOM costs
from the previous solution.
2009: Research into low power, network controlled lighting for retail stores.
Provided power analysis and development of new lighting control methods.
2009: Development of a new form of solar panel for a client in Canada.
Hardware and firmware for on-panel high voltage power conversion for improved solar panel
interconnection.
2008: Design and development of a toy robot.
Mechanical, electronic, and firmware development for a robot arm that can fold into itself and
move board game pieces (for remote playing of GO).
2008: Design and development of a automatic camera.
hardware and software design, with board layout for a very small smart camera.
2008: reverse engineering for competitive analysis.
Covered by NDA.
2007: Hardware and firmware lead designer for created the LENA recording device for Infoture at Pemstar. This is an ultra-low power audio device using the BelaSigna 200 and SD flash memory.
As of 2011 this device is still on the market.
2006: worked on control firmware for a Xray system at VARIAN
Contracted with Conexant
• 2005: Debugged DDR ram layout problems
• 2005: Did firmware bring up testing on a new SOIC.
• 2005: Worked with ASIC engineers to isolate errors in RTL.'
2004: Patent research for Silicon Valley Expert Witness Group
Contracted with Pemstar on the Land Warrior System.
• 2004: Lead for the Power Interface Controller.
• 2004: Debugged SMbus battery problems
• 2004: Debugged power controller hardware, made design improvements
• 2003: Hardware engineering and debug of main computer IO board
• 2003: Wrote firmware for Atmel AVR Mega16
2003: Co-inventor for Patent # 7154526 filed by Fuji Xerox Palo Alto Laboratory
“TELEPRESENCE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIDEO TELECONFERENCING:
2002: Applied for Patent 60/446,586 filed by J. E. Taggart
“ADDRESSABLE MULTI_COLOR LIGHTING DEVICE”
2001: Developed an object inspection computer prototype for the NASA shuttle processing
facility.
Worked for Sun Microsystems on the firmware and diags for the SunRay product line:
• 2001: Helped troubleshoot stubborn manufacturing problems.
• 2000: Developed Ethernet and USB diagnostic test programs.
• 2000: Created test fixture for extended burn-in audio testing.
• 2000: Did extensive testing of USB device interaction and fault analyses
• 2000: Created a "patch gadget:" to enable testing of a new ASIC (saved $500k)
Other Projects covered by NDA agreements, have included proprietary prototype development for
several startups, a myoelectric pre-amp, and custom control systems for a private “theme park”.
Feb 1999 – Aug 1999: Senior Product Engineer, Avio Digital Inc. (www.aviodigital.com)
Avio tried (and failed) to designed a new type of home networking. My tasks included working on
reference designs, doing FCC type 15 measurements, working with EMI testing labs, and reverse
engineered competitive products.
Feb 1998 – Feb 1999: Interface Wizard, Kodak Imagination Works (KIW)
KIW was a short-lived advanced research group for Eastman Kodak Entertainment Imaging.
Prototypes were created to test new forms of user interfaces. A patent was filed for an invention I
did using dual color TV cameras to track objects for a new kind of arcade game platform. Custom
Video multiplexes were built and ‘C’ code written to do object tracking at full video frame rates.
Interface devices were created to control lights and motors using PIC micros.
July 1997 – Jan 1998: Senior Software Engineer, Be Inc.
Be Inc. made BeOS, a multi-processor, multi-threaded, multi-media operating system. Tasks
include writing device drivers (CAM-SIM SCSI format), testing and debugging kernel functions,
and creating debugging tools. (Be Inc. is gone…)
Jan 1997 – July 1997: Senior Tech Support, Microtec VRTX RTOS
Responsible for interfacing with customers and recreating problems with the VRTX Real Time
Operating System. Used HP 16500 logic analyzer to verify behavior of program test cases. Did
testing and verification of new releases of compilers, debugging tools, and RTOS packages. (Left
when Microtec was acquired by Mentor Graphics.)
Nov 1994 - Dec 1996: Independent Consultant
A computer consulting office called Tech Knowledge is operated in Sedona. This office provided
custom programming and system design for a wide variety of clients. Tasks included designing
and testing a controller for a RAID based MPEG 2 Video server.
Aug 1993 - Oct 1994: Consultant , Spencer & Spencer Systems
Provided technical leadership for a team converting 15 year old mainframe PL/1 to GNU 'C'.
Wrote a drawing generator in Gnu 'C' on a DG/UX 88k system with ESQL access to an Ingres
database on a HP - Apollo X station. Wrote a 'C' program to interface a production testing device
to a PC. The program provided Statistical Process Control charting from test runs. Rebuilt a 20
year old mainframe FORTRAN IV program to run on a Data General AViiON 88000 system and
added a DXF file feed to Autocad Ver 11.
June 1992- July 1993 Senior Programmer, Print Research Tech.
Programming the main software of a press control in Metaware HighC 29K and 29K Asmb. Wrote
the low level drivers for the AMD Mace Ethernet controller and ported the PhoenixPage postscript
source to the PRT multiple- processor 29000 RISC system. Used Nucleus RTOS. Worked on the
real time code for bringing up the new multi-processor system board. Did some system work for
the in-house network (10baseT Ethernet, NFS) on Sun workstations
Oct. 1990 - July 1992 T. E. B. Engineering.
Owner of T. E. B. Engineering, Providing custom software to the cable and broadcast industries.
Installed automation systems at many sites across the Midwest. These systems include an
election tracking database package at WMC Memphis, a controller for movie playback with 50
VCRs in Warner Cable Houston, a system controller for WCSC, Charleston SC. and a retro fit
system for Spectradyne, San Francisco. Tasks included on site troubleshooting and debug of new
installations.
Mar 1984 - Oct 1990 Asst. to VP Engineering for Scripps Howard Broadcasting
Designed, wrote, and installed four complete newsroom computer systems, two commercial spot
playback systems, two net delay systems, and several other systems. These systems included
on-site installation, troubleshooting and hardware/software debugging.
May 1980 - Mar. 1984 R&D manager for KAVCO, Dayton Oh.
Responsible for the creation and production of a complete family of automation products.
Managed the R&D office with six employees in Terre Haute. Wrote a number of embedded Z80
programs. Wrote a complete database system for automation support. Designed the hardware for
interfacing to tape decks and switchers. Provided on-site support at trade shows and new system
installations.
July 1978 - May 1980 Chief Eng. of E.S.I. Terre Haute IN.
Wrote an embedded 8080 program (4k in 1702 EPROM’s) for a security system. Was responsible
for repair of many different types of electronic systems, including NC punches, Sheeter mills, 50
HP DC motor servos, Video production and security systems.
June 1974 - July 1978 Electronic Tech for B&A Electronics Terre Haute IN
Designed and built audio/video editing systems and repaired aircraft avionics.
1972 - 1975 Indiana State University EE and CS courses
While taking courses at ISU, I started a company called Processor Development Corp with John Lawrence. If he had not died, it would have been PDC (instead of Apple) that produced the first home computer.
