·
The AVC Group,
Carlsbad, California (merger of Niles/Elan/Xantech/Sunfire, Dec 2010)
Sr. Eng. Systems Architect
(next-gen
multi-zone home audio concepts)
Jan 2011–July 2011
·
Niles Audio
Corporation,
Miami, Florida
Chief Architect, Systems (ICS
system; new Intellicontrol home theater control system; new ZR
platform: ZR4, ZR6. Supervised: 2)
Jan 2008–Dec 2010
-
Inventor &
co-developer of
a cost-effective low-distortion wideband IR repeater, published patent application
US
2010/0258729 A1, suitable for the new high-density codes (Philips RC-MM, UEI XMP, etc.),
sustaining Niles’ $5M per year IR sales.
A new IR sensor based on this technology, the MS220,
was named a Finalist for the 2010 CEA
Mark of Excellence
Award, Installation Product of the Year, cited as
the first sensor in the industry to utilize high
fidelity wideband amplification to ensure compatibility
with virtually all current and emerging IR code formats,
including the new Philips RC-MM code structure.
[Niles Audio Press Release] [Patent application]
-
System
architect and lead hardware engineer for IM-Net
streaming audio media accessory for the ICS
multi-zone home audio system: iTunes (via Twonky
Server); network UPnP/DLNA music; Pandora; Rhapsody; XM
Sirius; vTuner Internet radio.
-
System
architect and hardware lead for the ZigBee
RF/IR-capable iRemote TS touch screen remote
control, which was named a Finalist for the 2010 CEA
Mark of Excellence
Award, Best Human Interface Product, cited as
featuring two-way wireless, a full-color touchscreen LCD
display and 14 hard keys, that provides a single,
intuitive interface for control of every aspect of a
home entertainment system.
-
System
architect and lead hardware engineer for the
IC-2 ZigBee RF remote control and HT-MSU home
theater control system.
-
Developed
a system
architecture for a popular family of mid-range
whole-house distributed audio systems, ZR-4 and the
award-winning ZR-6. ZR-6 was named a 2008 Electronic
House Product of the Year Award recipient.
Principal Engineer
(re-engineered ICS whole-home audio system)
Mar 2005–Dec 2007
-
Pivotal
role in bringing Niles Audio’s award-winning ICS multi-zone
home audio system to market, increasing revenues by
$25M
in 2007, Niles’ best year ever (I was hired to solve
myriad hardware & system design problems in this product
that was over-budget and only partially functional).
-
Developed
a ZigBee RF gateway device to enhance the ICS
multizone audio system, the RFG. CAT5-powered,
daisy-chainable, and able to operate in various
modes: endpoint for wireless touch panel keypads; router
for extending the reach of the ZigBee mesh network;
coordinator for creating a ZigBee network.
·
Alpha
Digital Technologies,
Ashland, Oregon (ADT acquired TLA Nov 2001)
Chief Engineer (next-gen
digital home theater products. Supervised: 1) Nov 2001–Jan 2005
-
Architect, developer (firmware and hardware), & project manager for
award-winning DVD Master 8000Pro DVD-A player with
built-in 5.1-channel analog bass management for DVD-A. RS-232
control. (See the Technology Innovations section
for more information). The DVD
Master 8000Pro received the SGHT 2003 Editors' Choice Award:
Platinum Award DVD Player.
-
Architect & lead engineer
(firmware and hardware)
for 3rd-gen TheaterMaster (TheaterMaster 8800 and
8800 Pro), Jan 2002; Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic
II, DTS ES 6.1 discrete, DTS Neo:6. Eight-channel analog
pass-through for DVD-A and SACD (L, C, R, LS, RS, ES,
sub1, sub2) via rear panel RCA jacks. Upgraded video
switching: 2 x component video, 3 x S-video, and 3 x
composite video. Front panel buttons for power/standby,
volume up/down, next/previous input. AutoSetup mic., absolute speaker phase test, GUI.
Pro model used 8 XLR audio output jacks.
See Audio Nov ’98; Stereophile Guide
to Home Theater Dec ’98.
-
Architect
& lead engineer
for TheaterMaster 8000 Pro, TheaterMaster 8000,
TheaterMaster 6000 models. Minor functional improvements
including front panel buttons for power/standby, volume
up/down, next/previous input, and the provision of a
high-quality Tara Labs DB25 breakout cable for the
analog pass-through.
-
Architect
of a new series of PowerMaster audio power amplifiers
based on the
EAD PowerMaster 500, 100, and 2000 home theater multi-channel power amplifiers.
Based on multi-parallel, bridged power devices to
increase speed and decrease distortion, as clean at 3 W
per channel as at 300 W. AccuLinear technology for
ultra-low TID. Various model configurations: 2 x 300 W,
3 x 300 W, 4 x 300 W, 5 x 300 W, 6 x 300 W, 7 x 300 W, 8
x 300 W, 5 x 200 W, 6 x 200 W, 7 x 200 W, all at 8 ohms.
Computer-controlled 2-speed ultra-low noise
tangential cooling fan.
·
Thunder
Lake Audio Corp.,
Fairfield, Iowa (TLA purchased EAD assets, Sept 2000)
CTO (refocused company into
next-gen home theater. Supervised: 3)
Sept 2000–Oct 2001
-
Architect
& lead firmware developer, product manager & project manager
for design upgrade
of 2nd-gen TheaterMaster to 6.2/7.1-channel operation
(Signature8, Ovation8, Encore8 models), including new UI &
custom DSP modes Reference Cinema (6.2) and Cinema 7.1 speaker
configurations. Dolby Digital EX/DTS ES compatible Extra
Surround channel. Eight-channel analog pass-through via
DB25 breakout cable for DVD-A and SACD. HDCD, DSP: 2 x
Zoran 38500 + 1 x Motorola 56009; CinEQ 2° filter, Hafler Matrix, Mono
Expander,
4°
bass, stereo subwoofers, AutoSetup mic. (speaker levels, time
alignment, absolute speaker phase test, SPL meter), GUI.
Introduced at CEDIA 2001 to preventing competitive erosion of
$2M annual
TheaterMaster sales.
·
Enlightened
Audio Designs,
Fairfield, Iowa.
Co-founder, Director of Eng. ('91), and Vice President of Eng. ('96)
(re-invented home theater. Supervised: 5)
Sept 1991–Sept 2000
-
Architect & lead engineer,
product & project manager
for 2nd-gen TheaterMaster (Signature, Ovation, and
Encore models), Jan 1998; Dolby Digital/DTS audio.
All 5.1 modes, HDCD, triple DSP, CinEQ 2° filter, Hafler Matrix, Mono
Expander,
4°
bass, stereo subwoofers, AutoSetup mic. (speaker levels, time
alignment, absolute speaker phase test, SPL meter), A GUI
was implemented via a custom character driver I designed
for the 2 x 20 character LCD display. Introduced at CES,
January 1998, to preventing competitive erosion of
$2.5M annual
TheaterMaster sales. See Audio Nov ’98,
pp. 52-64; Stereophile Guide
to Home Theater Dec ’98, pp. 64-71.
-
Architect
& lead engineer for SwitchMaster, a companion
video switcher for TheaterMaster. Powered by the
TheaterMaster, this 150 MHz 6 x S-video and 6 x
composite video input switcher was slaved via RS-232 to
the microprocessor in the TheaterMaster. It incorporated
a high-quality 3D comb filter to convert composite video
to S-video.
-
Architect
& lead engineer, product & project manager
for TheaterMaster (world’s first consumer Dolby Digital/DTS
audio processor), demostrated at CES January 1995, and shipping
in February 1995, 6 months ahead of its
rivals (a functional AC-3-ready prototype that performed digital
Pro Logic decoding, was actually previewed six months
earlier, at Summer CES, June 1994). All 5.1 modes, HDCD,
CinEQ 2° filter, Hafler Matrix, Mono expander, 2°
bass, AutoSetup mic., intelligent dual (44.1 kHz and 48 kHHz) quartz PLL clocking methodology for
ultra-low TID and jitter (10 psrms),
audiophile quality 20-bit ADC and DACs with balanced
outputs on LF and RF, integrated programmable X10
control and switched AC power outlet. Lifetime revenue of
$5M on 800
units. See Home Theater Technology
Feb ’95, pp. 10, 80-81, 89;
Video May ’95;
USA Today Jul 18, ’95, section 6D; Audio Mar ‘96,
pp. 42-50, 66.
-
Architect & developer of the widely acclaimed
PowerMaster home theater multi-channel power amplifiers.
Based on multi-parallel, bridged power devices to
increase speed and decrease distortion, as clean at 3 W
per channel as at 300 W. AccuLinear technology for
ultra-low TID. Three models, PM2000, PM1000, and PM500.
PM2000 capability: 5 x 400 W @ 8 ohms; 2 x
1,000 W @ 2 ohms.
See German Stereo Nov ’99; French
Prestige Audio Vidéo Jan ’00.
-
Developer of
the SmartCable, a very compact, in-line, AC-3 RF
demodulator, popular for laserdisc playback in the early days of
the Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound format.
-
Developer
of many digital audio products. Standouts include the award-winning
DSP-9000 III, and DSP-7000 III audiophile
DACs, which utilized the critically acclaimed Hagelin-Roxburgh
AccuLinear technology, and dual (44.1 kHz and 48 kHz) quartz PLL clocking methodology for
ultra-low TID and jitter (10 psrms).
·
MIU,
Fairfield, IA
Instructor of Electronic Engineering
(undergraduate EE curriculum) Aug 1987–Aug 1995
Undergraduate EE courses taught:
EE440 Microcomputer Design
(1987-1991)
EE442 Digital System Design (1992-1994) EE430 Communications Systems
(1987-1995) EE435 Signals and Systems
(1987-1994) EE325 Electromagnetic Devices
(a.k.a. the "motors" course) (1988-1994)
EE351 Electromagnetic Field Theory II (1995)
EE330 Analog Integrated Circuits
(1987-1995) EE335 Digital Integrated Circuits
(1987-1991) ME250 Computer-aided Graphics
(1988-1989)
ME285 Mechanics and CAD (1995) EE370 Computer Applications in
Engineering (1995)
Undergraduate thesis projects supervised
(EE395 proposal, EE498 project):
Large-format-plotter controller Electron beam lithography controller Beam-blanker for a scanning electron
microscope Frequency synthesized audiometer Digital image storage device DC motor tester Motor controller for photolithography
resist spinner
Class
projects supervised (EE440, EE442):
Light-finding robot
Bar-code scanner
Real-time clock and screen display
·
Independent
computer consultant, Dunedin, N.Z.
(part-time) Jan
1981–Jul 1987
·
University of Otago,
Dunedin, N.Z.
Biomedical Engineer (EEG, Z-cardiography, HF
ventilators. Supervised: 2) Jun 1979–Oct 1985
-
Successfully
ported BioMedical Computer EEG analysis firmware,
originally written in the UCSD Anesthesiology
Department, to a new 3rd-generation BMC3 platform. Many
improvements made to the firmware: EEG DSA analysis
extended from 16 Hz to 32 Hz; linearization of the
thermal strip chart recorder DSA grey scale; several new
user interface functions made possible by the BMC3's
improved front panel hardware. Awarded a travel fellowship
to visit many biomedical research institutions in the
USA, including the original BMC design team, which
greatly helped the BMC project in NZ. Co-developer of a
successful intra-thoracic impedance cardiography
instrument prototype and analysis protocol. Developed an
experimental microprocessor-controlled rotary valve
high-frequency ventilator. Developed an FM data recorder
which used audio compact cassettes to record EEG, which
greatly facilitated benchmark testing of new versions of
the BMC3 DSA EEG analysis firmware.
Scientific Officer (wind
energy, environmental & astronomy research),
Apr
1975–May 1979
-
Designed,
built, deployed and serviced wind speed monitoring data
loggers throughout the Otago region, in addition to a
larger deployment of mechanical and electromechanical
wind-run anemometers, as part of the Wind Energy
Resource Survey of New Zealand. Designed and built data
loggers and solar radiometers for an environmental
monitoring project that logged insolation, wind speed,
and rain fall in real-time. Participated in an
astronomical site survey based on autocorrelation
analysis of stellar photometric data collected from key
hilltop sites. Built data playback equipment for logger
data and wrote software to analyze same. Co-author of a
computer program that was developed under contract from
the NZ Meteorological service to assist with the
measurement of atmospheric turbidity based on
photometric measurements. I presented the program to the
Meteorological Society of New Zealand Annual Conference,
held in Wellington NZ, 1977. Participated in lunar
occultation measurements at the Signal Hill and Beverly-Begg
observatories, Dunedin, NZ.
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