CURRICULUM VITAE

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: Sean Quinn.
Address: 14 Collingbourne Drive, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4SW.
Contact Details: Mobile: (07986) 949233.   email: info@eec247.com
Date of Birth: 28th February 1960
Nationality: Irish (Republic)
Marital Status: Married with two teenage children.


EDUCATION
2008: City & Guilds 2377 - Level 3 Certificate for PAT testing.
2008: City & Guilds 2382 - Level 3 Update from 16th to 17th Edition Wiring Regulations.
2008: City & Guilds 2391 - Level 3 in Inspection, Testing & Certification of Electrical Installations.
2007: City & Guilds 2381 - Level 3 in 16th Edition Wiring Regulations.
2007: City & Guilds 2360 Part 2 - Level 3 in Electrical Installation.
2000: OSE Delta and Motorola Power PC chip (Ericsson - in house training).
1994: Real Time Structured Analysis & Structured Design Course (De La Rue - in house training).
1984: Awarded City & Guilds Full Technological Certificate.
Qualifying subjects - Telecommunication Principles & Computer Principles.
1983: City & Guilds Telecommunications Technician Part 3
(Course 271-5). 2 Credits.
1981: Teradyne J387A Memory Test System software course (Mostek in house training).
1980: City & Guilds Telecommunications Technician Part 2
(Course 271-3). 2 Distinctions, 1 Credit.
1980: City & Guilds Telecommunications Technician Part 1
(Course 270-2). Distinction in 4 subjects.
1980: Technician Engineering Diploma - Telecommunications and Electronics.
1978: Leaving Certificate.
Two "B" grades & one "C".
1975: Intermediate Certificate.
Three "A" grades, one "B" & three "C"s
1974: Group Certificate.
One grade "A", three "B"s & four "C"s


WORK EXPERIENCE

Electrical & Electronics Contracting Ltd
Company: Electrical & Electronics Contracting Ltd.
Address: 14 Collingbourne Drive, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4SW.
Type of Business: Domestic, Commercial & Light Industrial Electrical Engineering.
Period: July 2008 to Present.
Position Held: Company Director.
NICEIC Qualified Supervisor - Domestic Installer & Approved Contractor.
Electronics Hardware & Software Engineer.
Duties: Design, Install, Test & Certify Domestic, Commercial & Light Industrial Electrical Installations.
Design & Build bespoke Electronics (including Software where necessary) for various projects.


NDS
Company: News Data Corporation (NDS).
Address: Four Stoneycroft Rise, Chandlers Ford, Southampton, SO53 3YU.
Type of Business: Digital Satellite TV Set top boxes.
Period: March 2007 to July 2008
Position Held: Freelance Systems Engineer.
Duties: Redesign middleware to use embedded POSIX / LINUX OS rather than the existing native OS.
Project: SIM.
Project Description: The Service Information Manager (SIM) is responsible for generating the EPG,
managing booked events and tracking changes in the schedule.
Nearly all other modules in the set top box interact with the SIM in one way or another.
Involvement: Design & implement changes to the SIM interface for embedded LINUX operation.
Implement some of the database parts of the SIM using SQL rather than the native database engine.


SAMSUNG
Company: Samsung Electronics (UK) Limited.
Address: Communications House, South Street, Staines, Middlesex TW18 4QE.
Type of Business: 3G Mobile Telephone Products.
Period: September 2006 to March 2007.
Position Held: Freelance SIM / SAT Engineer.
Duties: Implement "wrapper" software layer between phone middleware & drivers for USAT functionality.
Project: HSDPA Mobile Phone.
Project Description: HSDPA hardware platform, using existing phone application layer & middleware software.
Involvement: Design, Implement and test USAT "wrapper" software layer.
Run technical training sessions on SIM, SAT, USIM & USAT for Samsung Staff.
Generate test SIMs using BasicCard Smart Cards and other embedded cards.
Online & telephone technical support for a few months beyond the end my contract.


SEPURA
Company: SEPURA Ltd.
Address: Radio House, St Andrew's Road, Cambridge, CB4 1GR.
Type of Business: TETRA Radio products.
Period: January 2006 to September 2006.
Position Held: Freelance Systems Engineer.
Duties: Implement a SIM based "End to End Encryption" system for a TERTA Radio.
Project: BOS SIM Encryption.
Project Description: An "End to End Encryption" system for TERTA Radios from a specification provided by the end customer.
Involvement: As part of a small team, implement the "End to End Encryption" system for TERTA Radios
from a specification provided by the end customer.

The specification was derived from the ETSI GSM/3GPP SIM and SAT specifications with some specific additions for encryption and decryption.
A PC version of the solution, interfacing to a Smart Card reader was used during development and delivered to the end customer at regular intervals to show progress. Test SIMs were created using BasicCard Smart Cards for use in the Radios (and PC simulation) throughout the development.

I was responsible for the SIM part of the project with the remaining team members
implementing other required modules in the Radio software.


NDS
Company: News Data Corporation (NDS).
Address: Four Stoneycroft Rise, Chandlers Ford, Southampton, SO53 3YU.
Type of Business: Digital Satellite TV Set top boxes.
Period: September 2004 to December 2005.
Position Held: Freelance Systems Engineer.
Duties: Redesign middleware to use new POSIX drivers rather than existing native code drivers.
Project: Middleware for Core 4.
Project Description: Existing set top boxes use native drivers for the platform hardware with a "wrapper" to allow interface to the NDS middleware.
This project allowed common middleware to be used across platforms with POSIX compliant drivers for the hardware,
eliminating the need for the "wrapper" layer.
Involvement: Design and implement translation software for legacy applications to use new POSIX / embedded Linux drivers.
Design and implement HD OSD additions to legacy code.
I was responsible for some of the original OSD software design (1999 & 2002).


QPROX
Company: Quantum Research Limited.
Note: This company no longer exists, but the technology is available from ATMEL under their "Touch Solutions" licence.
Address: Ensign Way, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4RF.
Type of Business: Design & manufacture of capacitive proximity sensor devices & circuits.
Period: October 2003 to August 2004.
Position Held: Freelance Hardware & Software Engineer.
Duties: Electronic Hardware & Software Design & Development.
Project: QT240.
Project Description: A 4 channel touch sensitive integrated circuit.
Involvement: Design & build prototype QT240 devices.
Design & build test fixtures using 8051, AVR and Microchip PIC devices.
Project documentation including technical manual, user manual, design guide and sample working projects for customers.
Technical support to staff & customers.


Microcell
Company: Microcell.
Note: Acquired by Flextronix in 2003.
Address: Turku, Finland.
Type of Business: GSM Mobile telephone products.
Period: July 2003 to September 2003.
Position Held: Freelance Systems Engineer.
Duties: Porting Ericsson "Carbon" SIM and SAT Software to a Siemens product.
Project: Squirrel.
Project Description: A Siemens GSM mobile telephone product using the Sony Ericsson "Carbon" platform.
Involvement: Porting of Sony Ericsson "Carbon" GSM platform SIM SAT software to a Siemens product.
I was responsible for some of the original Sony Ericsson SIM SAT software design used on the "Carbon" platform.


APM
Company: Atlantic Power Master.
Address: Ballydavid, Kerry, Ireland.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of small scale wind turbines.
Period: April 2002 to September 2002.
Position Held: Electronic Hardware & Software Engineer.
Duties: Design, build and commission the EMU.
Project: EMU.
Project Description: The EMU (Energy Management Unit) is a self contained invertor with battery backup & charging.
Involvement: Design, build, test and debug hardware and software for a small (1KW) wind turbine controller.
The work included designing the electronics, laying out the PCB, designing, coding and testing the software
and building two working prototypes.
The system was designed around an Infineon SAB80C515 micro controller (an enhanced 8051) and Atmel AVR devices.


NDS
Company: News Data Corporation (NDS).
Address: Four Stoneycroft Rise, Chandlers Ford, Southampton, SO53 3YU.
Type of Business: Digital Satellite TV Set top boxes.
Period: April 2002 to September 2002.
Position Held: Freelance Software Engineer
Duties: Add PVR functionality to existing product range.
Project: The "PVR" solution.
Project Description: Add PVR functionality to existing set top box.
This was later marketed as "Sky+".
Involvement: Add PVR functionality to my previously developed (march 1999) STB software, written in C.
The work included implementing a graphic designer's concept for a new GUI, taking into account the limitations of the STB.
Generate and use UML style sequence diagrams to develop handling for two CA channels.
Integrate the new software with the existing code base and STB specific drivers on site with teams from NDS,
the STB manufacturer and chipset supplier.


Ericsson
Company: Ericsson Mobile Platforms (EMP).
Address: Various sites in Basingstoke (no longer occupied by Sony/Ericsson).
Type of Business: Mobile Telephone handsets.
Period: September 2000 to March 2002.
Position Held: Freelance Software Engineer.
Duties: SIM and SAT Software development.
Projects: SIM / SAT Development.
"Platform" projects.
Project Description: SIM (Subscriber Identification Module).
SAT (SIM Application Toolkit).
"Platform" projects - effectively Hardware & Software kits for third party manufacturers to use.
Involvement: Design, Code, debug and integrate software modules for a range of 3G, GPRS and GSM mobile telephones
(including the T68i), mostly working on USIM, SIM and SAT developments.
After the Sony/Ericsson partnership, the task changed to implementing software for the platform projects,
intended to be used as reference designs for third party manufacturers using the Ericsson chipsets.

I implemented dual USIM/SIM slot handling to allow a unit to run a second application (e.g. EMV) as well as the normal SIM/USIM application.


Ericsson
Company: Ericsson Eurolab Deutschland.
Now ST-Ericsson at a different site in Nurenburg.
Address: Nurenburg, Germany.
Type of Business: Mobile Telephone base stations.
Period: April 1999 to August 2000.
Position Held: Senior Design Engineer (Freelance).
Duties: 3G mobile telephone base station software development.
Project: 3G mobile telephone base station.
Project Description: Ericsson's first commercial 3G mobile telephone base station.
Involvement: Design, Code, debug and integrate software modules for the companies range of 3G (WCDMA and UMTS) mobile telephone base stations.
The design and code work was done in Germany, with the integration and testing carried out at various locations in Germany,
Italy and Sweden.


NDS
Company: News Data Corporation (NDS).
Address: Chilworth Science Park, Southampton.
Type of Business: Digital Satellite TV Set top boxes.
Period: November 1997 to March 1999.
Position Held: Freelance Software Engineer
Duties: Cross platform Software development for DVB products.
Involvement: Design, Code and Debug Software modules for a range of Integrated Receiver Decoders for Digital Video Broadcast (mostly for Digital Satellite TV).
I was responsible for the Pay Per View (PPV) and Near Video on Demand (NVOD) handling.
The code was portable across many different Hardware Platforms - including 68K, MIPS, TP2 and TP3.


LSI
Company: LSI Logic (Europe) PLC.
Address: Greenwood House, London Road, Bracknell, RG12 2UB.
Type of Business: Integrated circuits for Digital Satellite TV Set top boxes.
Period: February 1997 to November 1997.
Position Held: Freelance Software Engineer
Duties: Software development for a DVB demonstration system.
Project: DVB demonstration system.
Project Description: Prototype & very early production run DVB demonstration system.
Involvement: Design, Code, Debug and test S/W modules for a DVB demonstration system, based on a MIPS R4000 CPU and custom H/W on a DVB specific IC.
Modules that I was directly involved in include - Modem Interface, Smart Card (ISO7816) interface and Descrambler.


De La Rue
Company: De La Rue Systems ( Currency Counting Division ).
Address: Langstone Gate, Solent Road, Havant, Hants, P09 1TP.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Currency Counting Machines for Banking and Security Services.
Period: December 1996 to February 1997.
Position Held: Senior Development Engineer (Freelance).
Duties: Develop Cash Management System (CMS) for the 2600 Banknote counter.
Project: Cash Management System (CMS) for the 2600 Banknote counter.
Project Description: PC control/management of multiple 2600 bank note counters.
Involvement: Implement Hardware & Software additions to an 80C31 based protocol converter (I²C to RS232) for an on-line banking application (Cash Management System).
I designed the original Hardware, helped develop the original communications protocol, Designed, Coded and debugged the original Software 2 years earlier.


Various small projects
Company: Working in parallel on various small projects for multiple clients.
Address: N/A.
Type of Business: N/A.
Period: August 1996 to November 1996
Position Held: Electronic Hardware & Software Development Engineer.
Duties: Electronic Hardware & Software Development.
Projects: 16th Edition Multi Function Tester.
Various "novelty" electronic items.
Project Description: 16th Edition Multi Function Tester:
A multi function tester for Electricians to test Continuity, Insulation Resistance, RCD and Loop Impedance
in one instrument rather than a number of instruments as was the situation at the time.
Involvement: "Proof of Concept" 80C535 based Electrical test instrument (16th Edition Wiring Regulations Multi Function Tester).

PWM controller D.C. Motor for a small robotics application (Z86E04 based).

Various "novelty" electronic items for promotional & marketing use.


PEEK
Company: PEEK Traffic LTD.
Address: Kingsworthy, Winchester.
Type of Business: Motorway traffic management systems.
Period: January 1996 to July 1996.
Position Held: Freelance Software Engineer.
Duties: Software Development for a traffic incident monitoring system.
Project: Midas.
Project Description: A network of outstations connected to induction loops buried in motorway lanes used to monitor traffic flow
and send an alarm, based on a set of traffic flow algorithms.
Involvement: Design & implement software/firmware (in C and Assembler) for an Intel 80186EB based Motorway Traffic Incident Detection Outstation.


MARS
Company: Mars Electronics International.
Address: Eskdale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Reading, RG11 5AQ.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Electronic Coin & Cashless Validation Systems for Vending & Gaming Machines.
Period: July 1995 to December 1995
Position Held: Freelance Development Engineer.
Duties: Hardware & Software Development for an ISO 7816 Smart Card system for vending machines.
Project: Smartcard.
Project Description: ISO 7816 Smart Card system for vending machines.
Involvement: Development of an ISO 7816 Smart Card system.


De La Rue
Company: De La Rue Systems ( Currency Counting Division ).
Address: Langstone Gate, Solent Road, Havant, Hants, P09 1TP.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Currency Counting Machines for Banking and Security Services.
Period: February 1994 to June 1995.
Position Held: Senior Development Engineer (Freelance).
Duties: Develop Banknote Counterfeit Detection Technology.
Project: 2600 Bank Note Counter.
Project Description: The 2600 bank note counter extends the range of options for companies existing products
including counterfeit bank note detection.
Involvement: Design & develop banknote counterfeit detection technology in a small team with other Engineers & Scientists
using Multi processor ( NEC 78C10, 8031 & PIC16C54 ) to control a complex electro-mechanical machine.


Thorn EMI
Company: Thorn EMI Electronics (Transit Systems).
Address: Wells, Sommerset.
Type of Business: Ticketing machines and entry barriers for railway stations.
Period: September 1993 to February 1994.
Position Held: Freelance Electronics Engineer.
Duties: Electronic Hardware & Software Design & Development.
Project: Ticket office machine (Booking office machine).
Project Description: Ticket office machine for a major Korean Metro (Rail) System.
Involvement: Generate Hardware and Software specifications for the Ticket Office Machine.
Design and implement MMI Software for the Ticket Office Machine.


De La Rue
Company: De La Rue Systems ( Currency Counting Division ).
Address: Langstone Gate, Solent Road, Havant, Hants, P09 1TP.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Currency Counting Machines for Banking and Security Services.
Period: October 1992 to July 1993.
Position Held: Freelance Development Engineer.
Duties: Tactical Software Development & Support.
Project: 2500 SD and 3D Bank Note Counters.
Project Description: The 2500 series of bank note counters are stand alone machines for counting the number of banknotes in a batch.
The Enhancements required were to enable the machines to count the value of a bundle of banknotes.
Involvement:
  • Write software in 'C' and Assembler to enhance the performance of the machines and
    add extra functions such as Value Counting, Value Dispensing and Printer Support.
  • Handle Customer requests for Modifications.
  • Write 'Turbo C' Programs on a PC to Interface with Bank Note Counters for Customer and Service Engineer Use.
  • Documentation and Version Control.


MARS
Company: Mars Electronics International.
Address: Eskdale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Reading, RG11 5AQ.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Electronic Coin & Cashless Validation Systems for Vending & Gaming Machines.
Period: July 1992 to October 1992.
Position Held: Freelance Development Engineer.
Duties: Comission software for the Flexible Changer Project.
Project: BDV Flexible Changer.
Project Description: The BDV Flexible Changer is a Coin Acceptor & Validator designed for the German Vending Machine market.
It is basically a standard Changer with the Motor/Actuator interface replaced by an ASYNC BDV interface.
The BDV Changer interfaces to a vending machine controller (VMC), Credit Card Reader and Audit Module.
Involvement:
  • Comission Software Modules for Project.
  • Write 'Turbo C' Programs on a PC to Simulate/Emulate the VMC, Card Reader and Audit Module.
  • Write 'C' and Assembler Programs for 8051 microcontroller (KEIL C51 and A51).
  • Documentation and Version Control.


MARS
Company: Mars Electronics International.
Address: Eskdale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Reading, RG11 5AQ.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Electronic Coin & Cashless Validation Systems for Vending & Gaming Machines.
Period: June 1991 to January 1992 & March 1992 to June 1992.
Position Held: Freelance Development Engineer.
Duties: Design & Develop a new Integrated Cash Management system for the Vending Machine market consisting of:
  1. Coin Recognition and Validation.
  2. Coin Routing to Change Tubes or Cashbox.
  3. Change Giving.
Project: Spartan.
Project Description: The Spartan Product range is a fully integrated Cash Management system for vending machines.
It's low cost precludes expansion so all facilities must be incorporated on it's one printed circuit board.
The PCB features include - P.S.U. , Microcontroller, Analogue Coin Recognition, ADC and DAC circuits,
All Digital circuits are integrated in an ASIC including Micorcontroller interface, Digital Measurement,
keyboard scan and de-bounce, I²C and Microwire Interfaces.
Involvement:
  • Design & Build test circuits with ALTERA EPLDs to prove new Coin Recognition Technology using an IBM P.C. as platform.
  • Write 'Turbo C' Programs with above Hardware to Develop Coin Recognition algorithms.
  • Write 'C' Programs for 8051 microcontroller to interface with Development Hardware (KEIL C51 and A51).
  • Implement part of design in 84 Pin 2200 Gate 1.5um Fujitsu CMOS ASIC.
  • Translate ASIC design (DASIX EDIF) to InCA ASIC Simulator/Emulator (XILINX).
  • Prove System design using InCA ASIC Simulator/Emulator and Ashling 8051 Emulator.
  • Write ASIC Test Specification.
  • Documentation of various parts of project.
  • Use of CAD/CAE tools to design / simulate parts of project ( DAISY CAE System ).


MARS
Company: Mars Electronics International.
Address: Eskdale Road, Winnersh Triangle, Reading, RG11 5AQ.
Type of Business: Design & Manufacture of Electronic Coin & Cashless Validation Systems for Vending & Gaming Machines.
Period: September 1989 to April 1991.
Position Held: Freelance Development Engineer.
Duties: Design & develop an anti fraud device for a range of current and future products.
Fix a range of hardware problems on various products.
Projects: Titan 4th Sensor.
Multicard.
Polyvend.
Coin handling system.
Project Description: The Titan 4th sensor is an anti fraud device based on coin impact technology to detect a particular type of coin fraud and eliminate this fraud technique ( World-wide applications ).

The Multicard System consists of a plastic card with a magnetic strip for recording vending credits and an intelligent electronic reader for deducting credits and vending product.

The Polyvend product is a microprocessor based control PCB for vending machine control sold by MARS to vending machine manufacturers.

The Coin handling system is a system for coin validation, change giving and product vending ( eg BR ticket machines ).
Involvement:
  • Develop 4th sensor Anti-Fraud technology for Titan using DSP Software on an IBM PC as development platform. Hardware used included Motorola DSP5600 Chip. Software used included Hypersignal and ICEPAK.
  • Write Software in 'C' on IBM PC to analyse data generated by commercial packages defined above. Design, Test and implement custom DSP algorithms.
  • Design, test and implement Feature Extraction and DSP Program using Microsoft Quick 'C' for Windows.
  • Develop 4th sensor Anti-Fraud technology for vending machine coin validation system from initial trials to full production on two different product lines (MS115 & ME1100).
  • Write Software in 'C' on IBM PC to capture data from sensor via A/D Card and characterise sensor performance.
  • Use Laser interferometry to prove theories on mechanical aspects of sensor operation.
  • Performance enhancement on coin handling system.
  • Investigate mis operation on polyvend product and provide suitable solution. (ESD).
  • Investigate Data Corruption problem on Multicard ( Credit Card ) reader and provide reliable short term solution.
  • Re design Multicard ( Credit Card ) reader for long term reliability - PSU, DC Drive Motor and Read/Write head circuits.
  • Generate technical specification for Loader module to accept currency and add credit to the multicard. Generate interface specification for a range of Note ( paper currency ) readers.


Information Technology PLC.
Company: Information Technology PLC.
Address: Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead.
Type of Business: Design & manufacture of fault tolerant UNIX based computer systems.
Period: June 1989 to August 1989.
Position Held: Freelance Hardware & Software Engineer.
Duties: Design and commission modules for the PM89 project.
Project: PM89.
Project Description: The PM89 is a UNIX based fault tolerant computer system.
(Project terminated unexpectedly - company went bust!)
Involvement:
  • Commission environmental monitoring and control modules.
  • Design P.C. based diagnostic Hardware & Software for System Diagnostics.


GPT
Company: G.E.C. / Plessey Telecommunications Limited.
Address: Silver St., Reading & moved to Foundation Park, Maidenhead.
Type of Business: Design & manufacture of Video Conferencing products.
Period: September 1988 to May 1989.
Position Held: Freelance Electronics Engineer.
Duties: Commission TE788 project.
Project: TE788 - 7 Port Multipoint Conference Unit.
Project Description: The TE788 is used for multiplexed video conferencing over B.T. MEGASTREAM (HDB3) and AT & T - T1 (AMI & B8ZS) lines using CCITT G732,H110,H120 and H130 formats.
Involvement:
  • Develop control Hardware using PALs, EPLDs and TTL devices for Multiplexed Video Conferencing Project.
  • Write "C" programs to test system hardware.
  • Commission project & live test.
  • Write User, Technical and Test Procedure Manuals.
  • Comment and document existing software & firmware source listings.
  • Train Test Department and installation engineers on the equipment.


Kennedy
Company: Kennedy International Limited.
Address: Ashville Way, Wokingham, Nr. Reading.
Type of Business: U.K. Distributor for Kennedy Peripherals & Shugart 3.5", 5.25" & 8" floppy disk drives.
Period: March 1988 to September 1988.
Position Held: Freelance Electronics Engineer.
Duties: Disk Drive Specialist and General Engineering.
Project: Shugart 800 series 8" FDD support.
Project Description: The Shugart 800 series of 8" FDDs are the standard media used on some European ATE systems.
Involvement:
  • Technical support to customers with application and related problems.
  • On site visits to customers with technical issues.
  • Formulation and implementation of test specifications.
  • Specification and evaluation of specialised DISK TEST HARDWARE.


Perex
Company: Perex Limited.
Address: Arkwright Road, Reading.
Type of Business: Design and manufacture of 0.25" tape storage systems.
Period: January 1987 to February 1988.
Position Held: Freelance Electronics Engineer.
Duties: Re-design & implement changes to older products.
Projects: 48V PSU for B.T. specific units.
System 6800 & 6805.
Project Descriptions: 48V / 50VA PSU module used in tape drives for System X Telephone Exchanges.
System 6800 & 6805 are mid to late 1970's design tape backup systems.
Involvement: PSU
  • Examine failed Switched Mode PSUs and investigate cause of failure.
  • Report failure modes and possible improvements to design.
  • Leaise with PSU manufacturers regarding reliability.
  • Design and build specialised test equipment for PSU performance evaluation.
  • Generate and implement test specifications PSUs.
System 6800 & 6805
  • Design daughter board to replace un-available RAM with standard 2K x 8 JEDEC devices.
  • Write detailed modification instructions to replace un-available bipolar ROM devices with standard EPROM.


Candela
Company: Candela Systems Limited.
Address: Horseshoe Park, Pangbourne, Nr. Reading.
Type of Business: Design and manufacture of Integrated C.A.D. and A.T.E. Systems for the P.C.B. Manufacturing Industry.
Period: May 1986 to November 1986.
Position Held: Design Engineer (Employee).
Duties: Design, Develop, Build and Debug modules for The "Small Visual" Electronic P.C.B. scanning system.
Project: "Small Visual" Electronic P.C.B. scanning system.
Project Description: The Candela "Small Visual" system is an Electronic P.C.B. inspection system designed for the P.C.B. Manufacturing Industry. The object is to scan an etched P.C.B. and compare the results with expected data from a selection of sources (scanned artworks, "Gerber" format tapes etc.). Any errors in the etched P.C.B. are detected and reported to the operator.
Involvement:
  • Design, Build, Test and Debug intelligent interface between host computer and pneumatic actuators.
  • Build, Test and Debug prototype interface cabinet between host computer and system accessories.
  • Integrate "Digiplan" micro step motor controls on part of the existing system to increase overall system resolution.
  • General re-design and development on existing parts of the system to improve performance.
  • Project documentation.


Graftel
Company: Graftel Limited.
Address: Unit 1, Enterprise Centre, Pearse Street, Dublin, Ireland.
Type of Business: Design and manufacture of Computer/Video Interface products.
Period: March 1983 to April 1986
Position Held: Development Engineer (October 1984 to April 1986).
Senior Production Engineer (March 1983 to October 1984).
Duties: Development Engineer:
Engineering development of products, from design to production.
Post design development on existing products.
Engineering support to Production.

Senior Production Engineer:
Test and repair of Microprocessor based systems to component level.
Modification of systems for special customer requirements.
Building and Engineering evaluation of pre-production prototypes.
Building of Test systems for Production use.
Technical support to Customers.
Projects: VP210
VP220P
VP140
VP100,VP120,VP130
VP110,VP121,VP131
Project Descriptions: VP210:
The VP210 is a versatile interface unit designed to accept Video Data (R,G,B and Sync.) from any High Resolution Monitor/Workstation (Max 1280 X 1024 Pixels X 4096 Colours) and produce a hardcopy of the Screen image on a range of colour printers using 64 output colour shades. The system can be divided into two main parts:
  • Motherboard containing Z80 CPU, 2.25M Byte Ram, 2 X RS232 ports, and a Centronics printer output port.
  • Video interface board containing Analogue interface for the incoming signals and Digital circuits for data acquisition and interface to the Motherboard.
VP220P:
The VP220P is a multiplexed printer spooler with three Centronics parallel inputs, one RS232 input, one Centronics parallel output and one RS232 output.

VP140:
The VP140 is a modified EPSON LX-80 Printer designed to accept Video Data from Viewdata Terminals and produce a monochrome hardcopy of the Screen image.

VP141:
The VP141 is a modified EPSON LX-80 Printer designed to accept an RS232 input from Viewdata Terminals and produce a monochrome hardcopy of the Screen image.

VP100,VP120,VP130:
The VP100/VP120/VP130 are modified versions of the EPSON MX-80/RX-80/FX-80 series of printers with Graftel Viewdata (Video) interfaces installed.

VP110,VP121,VP131:
The VP110/VP121/VP131 are modified versions of the EPSON MX-80/RX-80/FX-80 series of printers with Graftel Viewdata (RS232) interfaces installed.

Involvement: VP210:
  • Design P.S.U. (Linear).
  • Design modules for the system.
  • Build/Test/Debug Prototype boards (Wire-Wrap).
  • Generate C.A.D. documentation.
  • Project documentation.
  • Field test prototype units (on Customer Sites).
  • Enhance design for "Second Generation" boards.
  • Re-design parts of system to comply with U.L., C.S.A. and V.D.E. specifications.
VP220P:
  • Generate design specification for Centronics input board.
  • Design Centronics input board.
  • Build/Test/Debug Prototype board.
  • Generate C.A.D. documentation.
  • Generate circuit description and test specification for Centronics input board.
VP140:
  • Update Graftel's original design (VP100) to include extra features and compress design (using fewer components).
  • Generate C.A.D. documentation.
  • Build/Test/Debug Prototype board.
  • Generate circuit description and test specifications for board and system test.
VP141:
  • Update Graftel's original design (VP110) to include extra features and change board dimensions to fit inside the LX-80.
  • Generate documentation for C.A.D. House to produce artworks.
  • Generate new Character Set PROM (Bit patterns for extra characters used in Viewdata mode).
  • Build/Test/Debug Prototype board.
  • Generate circuit description and test specifications for board and system test.
VP100,VP120,VP130:
  • Build/Test/Debug boards.
  • Modify boards for special customer requirements.
  • Customer technical support (on-site Debug etc.).
  • Extended testing and evaluation of boards and systems during Product Development Cycle.
  • Z80 test software development.
  • FLUKE 9010A System - software support.
VP110,VP121,VP131:
  • Build/Test/Debug boards.
  • Modify boards for special customer requirements.
  • Customer technical support (on-site Debug etc.).
  • Extended testing and evaluation of boards and systems during Product Development Cycle.
  • Z80 test software development.
  • FLUKE 9010A System - software support.


Mostek
Company: Mostek Ireland B.V.
Address: Blanchardstown, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Type of Business: Production of digital semiconductor devices.
Period: April 1981 to February 1983.
Position Held: Product Engineering Technician with Hardware support duties in E.D.P.
Duties: Technical support to production, Engineering analysis of memory and microprocessor products. Building prototypes and test fixtures. Networking of host computer to memory test systems.
Projects: Supervisory System.
MK3880.
MK4116,MK4516,MK4564.
Project Descriptions: Supervisory System:
The Mostek Supervisory System is a network of Teradyne J387,J387A and J385 memory test systems connected via 20mA loop interfaces to a DIGITAL PDP-11/70 Computer. The Supervisory System is used for downloading test programs from the PDP-11/70 to the J-Series testers. The link is also used to gather yield and failure-mode data from each test station.

MK3880:
The Mostek MK3880 is a Zilog Z80 CPU IC, manufactured under licence from Zilog.

MK4116,MK4516,MK4564:
The MK4116 and MK4516 are 16K X 1 Bit Dynamic RAM devices. The MK4564 is a 64K X 1 Bit Dynamic RAM device.
Involvement: Supervisory System:
  • Install Supervisory hardware and software in new J-Series testers.
  • Connect new J-Series testers to network.
  • Expand existing system to allow maximum number of nodes possible in system.
  • Maintenance on existing parts of network.
MK3880:
  • Yield and failure analysis.
  • LSI Tester software maintenance.
  • Build test fixtures for LSI test system.
MK4116,MK4516,MK4564:
  • Yield and failure analysis.
  • J-Series Tester software maintenance.
  • Build test fixtures for J-Series test system.


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