Electronics Engineering Consultant: Electronic Circuit Design, Firmware and Software Development

Consultant #1541

Electronic Circuit Design:

General analog design using op-amps (operational amplifier), discrete devices, data conversion devices and power devices.
General digital design using microprocessors, discrete logic, CPLDs, FPGAs and memory devices.
PCB layout.
Low noise analog design and low power mixed-signal design.

Disciplined Firmware Development. Target processors include:

Software Development:

Tools:

Undisclosed Company, President, 1993 - Present

Independent consultant for numerous clients:

Developed the electronics for a new generation of atomic force microscope (AFM), complex systems that make extreme demands on analog circuit performance and signal processing.
Analog, digital and mixed-signal design motor controller/driver board was designed to replace the circuits in the original system that used obsolete chips. This board provided seven axes of motor drive and control.
A new analog control board was designed comprising over 2,700 components. This design achieved a 10dB reduction in noise level compared to the previous generation system.
Circuit design, CPLD design and supervised PCB layout of these boards.
Developed a low-noise I/V converter for a crystal-probe-based AFM scanner, including circuit design, PCB layout and performance evaluation of resulting design.
Designed a custom PCI-bus data acquisition card using a 100K-gate Xilinx FPGA, an 8-channel 16-bit 250kHz ADC and a 2-channel 16-bit 64kHz DAC.

Client, Huntington Beach, CA

Circuit design, PCB layout and firmware development of an industrial strength hot-tub controller based on a Microchip PIC microcontroller.

Client, Irvine, CA

Developed an asset-tracking device utilizing GPS positioning technology and GSM cell phone technology. Used Texas Instruments MSP430 microprocessor.
Designed a complex microprocessor-managed power supply for the in-vehicle application.
Performed all aspects of research, circuit design and PCB layout for this project while overseeing firmware development.

Client, Torrance, CA

Developed hardware and firmware for a web-based media-oriented industrial controller using the Rabbit Core RCM3370 module. Implemented MIDI file playback capability, MIDI over LAN, MIDI data stream merge/route capability and browser-based programming system.
Implemented custom 250 kb/sec daisy-chain serial bus for external expansion modules.
Developed 30-axis motion control system using MSP430 microcontroller. Implemented a full PID algorithm with integrator anti-wind up, settable max drive limits and dead-band compensation for hydraulic proportional valve control.
Algorithm executed 3 channels at 2kHz while processor multitasked communications with host controller.

Client, Glendale, CA

Developed two of the software modules comprising the InnTechnology In-Room Printer/Fax service. This utilized Dialogic's (now Intel's) telephony hardware and system software.
Circuit design, PCB layout and firmware development of two generations of a "Fax Control Board." First-generation device used a Motorola 68HC12 microprocessor.
Designed second generation fax control board utilized a Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontroller, a Xilinx CPLD and a serial flash memory.
FCC certification was obtained for both devices.

Client, Huntington Beach, CA

Developed a pulse-induction metal detector which improved on state-of-the-art by reducing power consumption to the point where it would operate for 9 months on a set of D cells.
Utilized a Microchip microcontroller. Small but sophisticated DSP filters were implemented to improve the ability to operate in an environment with a high degree of ambient magnetic noise.

Client, Irvine, CA

Circuit design, PCB layout and the low-level firmware development for a new generation key-release system.
Technologies involved included C code development on an MSP430 microcontroller; MSK Modem for analog radios; DTMF detection and transmission; Infrared communications using IrDA-type transmitters and receivers; file system implemented using serial flash memory; security and encryption through the use of Dallas Semiconductor's SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm) devices; LCD/keypad/beeper user interface; RS-232 communications.
Optical, electrical, firmware and acoustical design and development of a rugged and highly sensitive hand-held battery-powered infrared detector device.
Project included elements of optics, acoustics, motion control, low-noise circuit design, low-power techniques and signal processing in firmware.

Client, Torrance, CA

Designed packaging and did the electrical re-design of a battery-operated ECG (electrocardiogram) device using a Microchip PIC microcontroller.
Updated design adhered to FDA performance and safety standards.

Client, Costa Mesa, CA

Circuit design, PCB layout and firmware development of a "smart" thermostat that was patented in the U.S.
This design implemented a novel passive-power design powering itself parasitically from the HVAC secondary control circuits; used a Microchip PIC microcontroller and passive IR motion detectors.

Five Patents:

Electronics