Date:         Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:37:28 -0700
Reply-To:     honemastert <honemastert@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         honemastert <honemastert@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fryeday Content.. some GM trivia and news on the VOLT (NVC)
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** On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:28:00 -0700 Scott Daniel - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> writes:**

Scott,

> thanks for the Battery CZAR thing.
> is that your work ? or just something you've forwarding .

There's also the guys at Tesla.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Motors

Re: My work?

Nope, I'm am an IEEE member but my work is with what's called
"EDA" (Electronic Design Automation) Software.  Company
is called Synopsys. http://www.synopsys.com

About a 20 year old firm.  We were the first to write a 'compiler'
that translated a program description of a digital logic circuit
(Written in a language called 'Verilog") into essentially a netlist
(schematic)

Prior to that, it was done painstakingly by hand.

In a few years, the output of a digital logic designer exploded
from say 1500 to 10 thousand gates to hundreds of thousands
and now routinely over millions of logic elements due to use of
a software program called 'Design Compiler'  This new technology
was called 'logic synthesis'.  Today, DC has about 85% market
share in this space.

I work on a specific product (Applications Engineer) called
VCS (Verilog Compiled Simulator) which IC designers use to
prove out their designs prior to even running synthesis.

You think of writing a computer program, then compiling it
and testing it.  Same process applies, except you're looking
at digital timing waveforms, logic elements, state machines
etc:  Think traffic light controller, alarm clock, etc: at the
most fundamental level but then multiply that a thousand or
million fold.

USB, 802.11x (WiFi Wireless routers) GPS signals,
Cell phones (really just glorified radios)
Hard Disk controllers, Bluetooth, Digital Cameras, Video,
HDTV etc:

These things are all digital by nature, although the wireless
technologies are using an analog signal to "carry" the digitally
coded information.

The processing power to decode HDTV signals didnt even exist
10 years ago, in a reasonable form factor, or at a reasonable price.

Now we're working on HDTV for cell phones.

GPS for the masses.. wasnt really there at an affordable price
until a few years ago.

So that USB memory stick you use, to that bluetooth wireless
headset, to that cell phone, to that GPS receiver, to that mp3
player, to that PC or Mac, to that HDTV set, to that gaming
system.  Pretty much all those products have probably used
Synopsys software in one way or another on their way from concept,
to design, to shipping product.

Batteries in general are more the electro/chemist's domain,
but the control, delivery of the power, and the charging are
all done under microprocessor, or microcontroller control, which
are indirectly affected.

I like Spectrum magazine, they have really interesting, and technicallly
well researched articles.  Not too overwhelming, but also not so
lame as to be non-interesting to us Enginerd types.

> mainly thanks for the Denise Gray Battery CZAR thing.
> I like reading what's going on in the US car industry......the more inside
> side of the story.

no problem.. glad you liked it!

Women in general, in engineering are few and far between..
it's an intensely male dominated arena.  My wife is a former EE (Motorola)
as well.  She gets more satisfaction out of staying home and hanging with
the kids, somedays I secretly want to trade with her, but on other days..
when I'm 'geeking' out on some new project, no way !  :-)

 -tim


90 Syncro Westy
Gilbert, AZ
http://www.timschneider.org