By Pete Basel
Electrical Engineering
Digital and Analog Hardware Design
Design Reviews
Systems Engineering
Communications, Audio, Video, DSP,
Microprocessors
Computer Systems and Software
Prototype Debug and Test
Outside Associates for:
Larger Software Projects
Major PC Layout and Mechanical Design
Prototype and Production Fab
We Understand the Economics (low NRE)
for Smaller Low Volume Assignments
We are the Best of the Best
Contact Basel Consultants by e-mail
Selected Experience
Robotic Pick and Place System
Debugged client's new old stock supply of Staubli RX-60 industrial robotic arms. Designed, coded, and implemented system to automate the pick and place process, moving parts from trays to tape and reel. This was implemented with an RX-60 arm and end-effector using a pneumatic suction cup as one tool and a pneumatic gripper on the other side to move trays. All electrical, mechanical, and pneumatic design, construction, and test were performed by the author. Link to Video of this System in Operation. Link to Staubli RX-60 arms for sale.
Machine Vision System
System design and test of a machine vision system for detecting electrical components having bent leads as an add on feature to a manual high speed taper. Performed lens selection and distortion analysis, lighting selection and modification, all mechanical and electrical design. System design for tolerance of lighting variations and improved reliability of detection. This system is used in conjunction with the above pick and place system.Video Encoder Core Design
System and detailed design of a video encoder offered as a drop in integrated circuit core product. This design accepts CCIR601 digital data in and outputs analog video compatible with industry standard monitors. Performed perceptual studies to determine the required length for digital filters. Designed an emulation platform and A/B video switch in support of these studies. Coded the design in VHDL, simulated in Synopsys VSS, and synthesized it for several submicron technologies with Synopsys. Design and SPICE analysis of analog reconstruction filters ranging from 3rd to 7th order, some with delay equalization. This design was noted for producing extremely high quality video as shown in the following Tektronix VM700A plots: Link to Polar Plot , Link to Time Domain Plot
Microprocessor Consultation for Quad Ethernet Interface Chip
Supported development of a 200,000 gate quad Ethernet controller design for a major communications company. This chip was fabricated in submicron technology and was successful in first silicon.Cache Controller ASIC Design
Detailed design of an ASIC controller for a two-way set associative copy back cache memory. This ASIC provides the second level cache for a fault tolerant RISC CPU (R3000) card. A top down design methodology was used which included: VHDL (IKOS VOYAGER), gate level synthesis (SILCSYN), acceleration (IKOS), and emulation (Quickturn). First pass success in both emulation and silicon.VHDL High Level Synthesis Tools
Investigated high level synthesis tools capable of accepting behavioral VHDL as input.High Speed Interface Card Design
Requirements analysis, architectural, and detailed design of precision time maintenance and high speed interface card. The final architecture included three custom (standard cell) VLSICs and a microcontroller.RISC Multiprocessor DSP System
Refined the DSP sub-system architecture for a prototype spread spectrum communications system. 15 parallel processors were used in the final design providing a peak throughput of 300 MFLOPS. Responsible for processor throughput analysis, host computer control interface protocol, and hand coded DSP microcode, met timing by one clock, the code was tight.370 Compatible CPU Design
Reviewed new design plan and was instrumental in increasing CPU performance upgrade target from 2X speed to 3X. Recommended the use of instruction prefetch, main memory cache, and a two-stage pipeline. Completely responsible for design and simulation of complex pipeline control logic using a unique configuration of field programmable logic. This configuration avoided the need for a costly custom gate array, which was believed to be needed but was not provided for in the design budget. Received Pride and Excellence in Performance Award for this work.Floating Point Unit
Detailed architecture and design of an FPU to increase customers CPU performance 10X for math intensive applications. Analyzed various methods for implementation.Super Computer Prototype
Manager of this experimental super computer project. Designed the Unibus Interface, Nucleus Processor Interface, Main Memory, Main Memory Controller, Master Disk Controller and the Data Routing Array Cards. Performed final system integration and microcode definition/generation. Coded test software and the acceptance test program. Concluded by supervising the installation and acceptance test. This parallel processing super computer included the following sections: Host/Control Computers - DIGITAL VAX11/780, 4 - PDP11/34s Custom High Speed Processor - 4 parallel, microcoded, very long instruction word, pipelined processors with hardware arithmetic (floating point) and data base hardware. Data Routing Array - Data path switch with 18 64 bit data paths. Central Working Storage - 4 banks of high speed pipelined static memory. Mass Storage - 2 Master disk controllers and 10 slave triported controllers for parallel control of 20 Winchester disk drives.Real Time 3D Graphics Processor
Performed detailed architecture and hardware design, prototype test, integration, microcode definition and generation for 3D graphics transformation algorithm. Designed and implemented application program software interface, low level software driver and test software. This system included a dedicated pipelined scene memory and a microcoded custom floating point processor. The system was controlled by an RMX based MULTIBUS control computer. This system is used for flight simulation by various air force bases.Graphics System Consultant
Developed a lower cost parallel processor approach for 3D and area graphics generation. The suggested approach utilized floating point DSP and RISC microprocessor components to quadruple performance, simplify programming, and reduce costs.High Speed Digital Design Consultant
Analyzed and corrected major digital design flaws involving transmission line effects, timing, and noise margin problems in real time area graphics and video subsystems, which caused manufacturing delays potentially leading to contract default. Systems were efficiently delivered by incorporating these design improvements. Redesigned analog video section.I/O Subsystem Upgrade
Developed I/O subsystem upgrade, using a 68020 microprocessor and dual port RAM to quadruple I/O performance. The new architecture provided reduced cost, improved performance, SCSI and LAN interfaces.I/O Subsystem Analysis
Analysis of timing and protocol problems identified cards not complying with the MULTIBUS specification. Worked with OEM and Customer engineers to correct these problems, which resulted in improved production rate by streamlining the previously slow and problematic final test.
Patents
US Patent #6,341,166 Correction of Audio Source Material
US Patent #6,473,801 Network Arbitration
US Patent #6,260,175 Integrated Circuit Clock Distribution
Education
M. Eng. E.E. Cornell University
B.S.E.E. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Personal
Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society
Pride and Excellence in Performance Award (CANAAN Computer)
Power Squadron Course for boating
Trained in water safety and CPR
U.S. Citizen
Contact Basel Consultants by e-mail