Consulting
activities focus on design verification and problems at the
system, circuit, and device level as well as EMC and immunity
(including ESD) problems. By applying specialized knowledge
and measurement technology that Doug Smith has developed over
the years, often, he solves design or field problems in hours
or a few days which had not yielded results from weeks, months,
or even years of effort using conventional engineering methods
of investigation.
Systems and designs Doug performs include:
Semiconductor processing equipment
Semiconductor device design and verification
Lightwave transmission equipment
Wireless equipment including:
Cellular phones and base station equipment
Cordless phones
Information Technology Equipment
Telephone switching systems
Shielded and Unshielded data transmission systems
Medical equipment
Air traffic control equipment
Industrial control equipment
Network file servers
Doug will apply high frequency measurement techniques on-site
to problems both to find the problem and to give the client
the tools needed to understand and avoid problems in the future.
Problems he has solved include: signal integrity, electromagnetic
emissions, immunity to ESD and electrical fast transients,
and immunity to sources of noise for which there are no current
standards. If your system is experiencing unexplained glitches,
data loss, or malfunctions, Doug Smith can be an invaluable
resource to your organization. Providing design techniques
and verification measurement methods for proactive avoidance
of noise, immunity, or EMC problems are also part of Doug’s
services for clients.
If you have a design problem either in the
lab or the field, call me, or send email to dougsmith@esdrmv.com.
Professional Vitae
Education:
B. E. E. E. (Electrical Engineering) 1969 Vanderbilt University
M. S. E. E. (Electrical Engineering) 1970 California Institute
of Technology
Honors:
1959 Amateur Radio Operator - K4OAP (General class at age
12)
1962 FCC Second Class Commercial Radiotelephone License
1963 FCC First Class Commercial Radiotelephone License
1969 Eta Kappa Nu, Engineering Honor Society
1969 Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society
1983 Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, AT&T Bell
Labs
1989 AT&T Bell Labs, Inventor's Hall of Fame
1990 Senior Member of IEEE
1998 IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society Board of Directors
Hobbies and Activities:
Amateur Radio Operator, K4OAP
Bicyclist
Runner
SCUBA Diver
Employment History:
April 2000-present:
Specializing in high frequency measurements, circuit/system
design and verification, switching power supply noise and
specifications, EMC, and immunity to transient noise; laboratory
demonstration based courses on device, circuit, and system
design, as well as high frequency measurement techniques.
1996-April 2000: Manager EMC Development and Test, Auspex
Systems, a maker of high performance network servers in Santa
Clara, CA
Responsible for insuring that Auspex products met international
standards for EMC, both emissions and immunity, and safety.
In addition, the group that I headed worked to insure the
robustness of Auspex designs.
During time at Auspex, no product introduction was ever delayed
by an EMC or safety agency issue. In some cases, Doug helped
suppliers design their products, especially switching power
supplies.
Standards committee participation at Auspex includes:
ANSI C63 EMC
Subcommittee 1, EMC Measurements
Subcommittee 3, International
ESD subcommittee
ESD Association Working Group 14, ESD Simulators
T1E1.7, Telephone Central Office Protection
IEC TC77B WG9 TC77B is concerned with high frequency immunity
of electronic equipment. WG9 is rewriting the current standard
IEC 1000-4-2 on electrostatic discharge testing.
1970-1996: Member/Distinguished Member of Technical Staff
of AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel and Middletown, NJ
Doug’s work with Bell Labs encompassed linear circuit
design, telephone transmission theory, digital design, digital
and analog ASIC design, pulsed electromagnetic interference
including electrostatic discharge (ESD), and electromagnetic
compatibility (EMC). More specifically, he designed the time
division bus structure and many of the interfaces to the telephone
network in the Definity Communications System (TM), a number
of linear and digital integrated circuits, and analog transmission
plans and circuitry for a number of other AT&T products.
Doug has been granted over fifteen patents.
Directed EMC and ESD studies over the years that resulted
in novel, low cost solutions. Projects ranged from ESD interference
affecting manufacturing robots to problems resulting from
radiated interference generated by loose pocket change.
Designs included improvements to unshielded twisted pair,
UTP, interfaces for local area network equipment. These designs
have helped UTP achieve performance equivalent to shielded
systems in many cases.
Participation in standards work for AT&T including (all
current participation except as noted):
TIA: TR41.9 committee on FCC Part 68 rules (previous
participation)
TIA: TR41.7 environmental committee (specifically, ESD
requirements for terminal quipment)
T1E1: Requirements for Telephone Central Office equipment
and operator positions
ESD 14.0: This body is currently generating a qualification
test for ESD simulators to improve the repeatability of
IEC 1000-4-2 (previously known as IEC 801-2) ESD testing
of equipment. Participated in round-robin testing in New
Jersey, California, Canada and England on existing simulators
using high bandwidth measurement techniques. I am Secretary
of this body.
ANSI (C63): This body is currently converting the ANSI
ESD testing guide to a full standard.
IEC TC77B WG3: This working group of the IEC is concerned
with high frequency immunity including ESD and electrical
fast transient (EFT) interference. I recently proposed a
measurement method for evaluating coupling clamp performance
for the IEC 1000-4-4 EFT test and performed round-robin
testing on existing clamp designs in New Jersey and California.
Taught and consulted for many organizations throughout AT&T
essentially as an internal consultant. Doug’s High Frequency
Measurement Techniques Seminar was one of the most popular
in-hours education courses offered at Bell Labs.
Before 1970:
1969-Summer Member of Technical Staff
Bell Labs Holmdel, NJ
During the summer before my graduate work, Doug designed circuitry
and performed testing for the MJ/MK Mobile Radiotelephone
System. One of his circuits helped to insure that a mobile
radio would lock onto its local idle tone instead of the tone
from a nearby city.
1969-Fall/Sp Transmitter Engineer (AM)
Radio Station WMAK Nashville, TN
Doug’s responsibilities included the operation of station's
remote transmitter site and some maintenance.
1968-Summer Electronic Technician
Bendix Avionics Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Working in the instrument pool, Doug was involved in the repair
and calibration of test equipment. Doug’s specialty
was repairing equipment that was considered beyond local capabilities
to fix.
1967-Fall Transmitter Engineer (AM)
Radio Station WWGM Nashville, TN
Doug was responsible for operation of the remote transmitter.
1967-Summer Electronic Technician
Bendix Avionics Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Working in the instrument pool, Doug was involved in the repair
and calibration of test equipment and the building of custom
test sets.
1966-Summer Electronic Technician
Civil Defense HQ, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Doug’s responsibilities included maintaining radio communication
gear, including building some custom equipment. Doug was also
responsible for maintaining electronic equipment at fallout
shelter locations around the county.
1965-Summer Electronic Technician
Civil Defense HQ, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Doug’s responsibilities included maintaining radio communication
gear, including building some custom equipment. I was also
responsible for maintaining electronic equipment at fallout
shelter locations around the county.
1962-Summer Electronic Technician
Solar Research Inc. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Doug designed and helped to set up production for a solid
state galvanic response "lie detector".
1960-Summer Electronic technician trainee
MicroDyne Corp. Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Technical Development:
Published book:
High Frequency Measurements and Noise In Electronic Circuits,
1992, published by Van Nostrand Reinhold, ISBN #0-442-00636-5,
231 pages
Published papers:
"Investigate System-Level ESD Problems," Test
& Measurement World Magazine, November 1999, cover story.
"Unusual Forms of ESD and Their Effects," 1999
EOS/ESD Symposium Proceedings, pp.329-333.
"Signal and Noise Measurement Techniques Using Magnetic
Field Probes," 1999 IEEE EMC Symposium Proceedings,
pp. 559-563.
"Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Damage to Giant
Magnetoresistive (GMR) Recording Heads", 1998 EOS/ESD
Symposium (jointly authored with A. Wallash).
"Metrology and Methodology of System Level ESD Testing",
1998 EOS/ESD Symposium (jointly authored with D. Lin, D.
Pommerenke, J. Barth, L. G. Henry, H. Hyatt, M. Hopkins,
and G. Senko).
"Damage to Magnetic Recording Heads Due to Electromagnetic
Interference", 1998 IEEE EMC Symposium (jointly authored
with A. Wallash).
"Current Probes, More Useful Than You Think",
1998 IEEE EMC Symposium.
"A Method of Assessing Disk Drive EMI Performance
for Large Arrays of Disks", 1998 IEEE EMC Symposium
(jointly authored with G. Dutrow and G. Seebruch).
"A Method for Troubleshooting Noise Internal to
an IC", 1997 IEEE EMC Symposium.
"Measurements of ESD HBM Events, Simulator Radiation
and Other Characteristics Toward Creating a More Repeatable
Simulation or; Simulators Should Simulate", 1996 EOS/ESD
Symposium (jointly authored with J. Barth, D. Dale, K. Hall,
D. McCarthy, H. Hyatt, and J. Nuebel).
"An Investigation into the Performance of the IEC
1000-4-4 Capacitive Clamp", 1996 EOS/ESD Symposium.
"A New Method for Measuring the Shielding Effectiveness
of Interconnections in Shielding Technologies: Application
to Cellular Phone Gaskets for the Housing", 1996 IEEE
International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility
(jointly authored with Richard Haynes and Philip J. Muniz).
"Measure Noise in Switching Supplies", Test
& Measurement World, April 1996, pp. 11-12.
"Coaxial Magnetic Probes and Applications",
ITEM 1996, pp. 128-129 (jointly authored with Richard Haynes).
"Balanced Probe Extends High-Frequency Measurements",
IEEE Circuits & Devices, Vol. 10, No. 6, November 1994,
pp. 19-23.
"EMC Performance Comparison of Shielded and Unshielded
Data Transmission Systems", EMC '94 Roma, International
Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility, University of
Rome "La Sapienza".
"CISPR Conducted Emissions Measurements on Telecommunications
Leads: An Improved Test Proposal", 1994 IEEE International
Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility.
"An Improved Method of Characterizing Shielding
Materials", 1994 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic
Compatibility (jointly authored with Chauncey Herring and
Richard Haynes both of the AT&T Engineering Research
Center at Princeton, NJ).
"Troubleshooting Using a Differential Coax Probe",
IEEE Santa Clara Valley EMC '94.
"A New Type of Furniture ESD and Its Implications",
1993 EOS/ESD Symposium.
"Techniques and Methodologies for Making System
Level ESD Response Measurements for Troubleshooting or Design
Verification", 1992 EOS/ESD Symposium.
"A Comparison of the Susceptibility Performance
of Shielded and Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable for Data Transmission",
1992 International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility
(jointly authored with Bob Pritchard of AT&T Network
Cable Systems).
"Applying High Frequency Techniques to Measuring
ESD Phenomena and its Effects", 1989 EOS/ESD Symposium.
"Computer Simulation of ESD and Lightning Events",
1986 EOS/ESD Symposium.
"Transmission Improvements on Local Loops by Using
Active Terminations", 1978 International Symposium
on Subscriber Loops and Services.
Seminars:
Over the last ten years, Doug has independently developed
seminars on high frequency measurement techniques, EMC design
an troubleshooting techniques, and system level ESD design.
These seminars have been taught at many companies in the US
and overseas. In 1997, Doug delivered a guest lecture at a
Norwegian University on high frequency measurement techniques.
1987- present
Doug has conducted dozens of workshops, tutorials, and technical
demonstrations at both the IEEE EMC Symposium and the EOS/ESD
Symposium.
During this period of time Doug served on the Steering Committee
in many capacities including: General Chairman, Vice-General
Chairman, Technical Program Chairman, Secretary, and Registration
Chairman. In addition, Doug presented many tutorial programs
on ESD immunity of electronic equipment, served as a technical
session moderator many times and moderated many workshop discussion
sessions.
1990-1 KeyTek Pulsed EMI Seminar
Doug lectured for KeyTek Instrument Corporation using their
material on pulsed EMI. These were two day lectures covering
the IEC 801 series of pulsed EMI standards as well as design
techniques and were given in various locations in the US.
Early experience:
1968-69, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN: Chief Engineer
for WRVU, the campus radio station.
1962-65, various locations in Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Several
times in this period I taught radio theory and Morse code
classes for people studying to become amateur radio operators.
Technical
Tidbit - August 2007
Mobile Phone Induced EMI
This month's Technical Tidbit discusses EMI induced by mobile
phones into nearby electronic circuits. Significant voltages
can be induced into circuit features of a small electronic
product that is in contact with a mobile phone, such as in
a pocket or purse.
Abstract: Cases of
circuit failures caused by mobile, or cell, phones are starting
to be reported. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) from mobile
phones has been shown to produce hard and soft failures in
circuits. Data is presented to show the possible amplitude
of EMI induced into a common printed wiring board layout feature.
The induced signal is of sufficient amplitude to corrupt signals
and in some cases cause hard failures.
Book: High
Frequency Measurements and Noise in Electronic Circuits
ISBN 0-442-00636-5
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 92-4845
Published 1993, Kluwer Academic Publishers
This book is currently available from the publisher.
For single book orders from the publisher, send email
by clicking
here to send an email to Alex Greene, a senior editor
at the publisher.
