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Wescon North Americais on track!

Coming to San Francisco August 12-14

See the Preview Program inside!

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IEEE-SFBAC2003

ECI DirectorsJames Lamb

James Hungerford

Bernie Siegal

SFBAC ManagerMarilyn Turner

IEEE-SFBAC540 University Avenue

Suite 150Palo Alto, CA 94301Tel: 650 327-6622Fax: 650 321-9692

E: ma.turner@ieee.org

ChairmanMahbub R. Khan, PhD

Finance ChairKirti S. Shah, PE

Editorial Board ChairRay Holstead, PE

OEB DirectorDouglas B. Snow, PE

SF DirectorJames B. Lekas

SCV DirectorJonathan B. David

IEEE Grid is the monthly newsmagazine of the San Francisco BayArea Council of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engi-neers, Inc. As a medium for both news and opinion, the editorialobjectives of IEEE Grid are to inform readers in a timely and objec-tive manner of newsworthy IEEE activities taking place in and aroundthe Bay Area; to publish the official calendar of events; to report onIEEE activities on a national and international scope; and to serveas a forum for comment on areas of concern to the engineeringcommunity by publishing contributed articles, invited editorialsand letters to the editor. IEEE Grid is published as an Online Edition residing at www.ieee-sfbac.org and in this handly printable pdf edition, sent by emaileach month to more than 21,000 Bay Area members.

Editor: Doug DavoltIEEE GRID278 W. 42nd AvenueSan Mateo CA 94403Tel: 650 571-0119\Fax: 650 571-5585E: d.davolt@ieee.orgwww.ieee-sfbac.org

July 2003 • Volume 50 • Number 7

IEEEGRID.pdf

Countdown to

Wescon

NOTE: IEEE GRID.pdf is a monthlypublication and is issued a few daysbefore the first of the month. It isnot updated after that. Please referto the Online edition and interactivecalendar for the latest information.

A message from ECI, custodians of Wescon

Wescon - Evolvingto Meet Your

Changing NeedsContinuing to meet the needs of today’s electronicsprofessionals is our number one goal. We’re creating a newWescon — an industry-driven event better focused onhelping electronics professionals find products and servicesfaster and cheaper . . . an event where participants meet in aface-to-face environment to gather information about newproducts, learn from top-notch instructors, and exchangeideas with peers. Wescon’s unparalleled product demonstrations, vendorexhibits, and high quality conference sessions offer answersand solutions for the entire design and development team. This year the entire technical conference has beendeveloped by the IEEE, tailored to the latest emergingtechnologies across all disciplines.

It’s all coming to Moscone Center in

San Francisco August 12-14.

To keep up on the latest developments, go to

www.wescon.com.

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Laviano Elected to ECI Board—will help expand Wescon Nanotechnology activitiesDr. Anthony Laviano, program manager for Advanced Programs atRaytheon, has been elected to the Board of Directors of ElectronicConventions, Inc. (ECI), filling the vacancy created by the death of BruceAngwin. ECI is the organization through which the Los Angeles and BayArea Councils of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)operate Wescon and other trade shows. Dr. Laviano has been serving as the Nanotechnology Exhibits chairmanfor Wescon 2003, as a prelude to the introduction of NANOWorld atWescon 2004, for which he will also serve as Managing Director. Dr.Laviano has spent the last five years in developing dual usenanotechnology applications, with responsibilities for Raytheon AdvancedPrograms both in the U.S. and the U.K. He has also taken an active role inthe IEEE, as a member of the Power Electronics Society and StandardsAssociation, as Power Electronics Chair, and on the Los Angeles Council.He was co-leader for the Power Sources Manufacturers Association inthe development of two Power Electronics Standards, 1553, which hasbeen approved, and 1573, now in the balloting phase. He is also chair ofthe PSMA Industry-Government Committee. Under Dr. Laviano’s leadership, NanoWorld will be an integrated segmentof Wescon, and will be the first event ever with exhibits and conference

sessions focused on applications and use of this pioneering technology.Nano scale means small, Dr. Laviano remarks, but there is nothing smallabout ECI’s plans for expanding its visibility in North America. James Hungerford, Chairman of ECI and Wescon General Manager,hailed the willingness of Dr. Laviano and other IEEE stalwarts to comeforward on behalf of the industry. IEEE has played a particularly activerole this year in designing and revitalizing the conference programs atWescon, which keep it in the forefront of continuing education forengineers and scientists. The ECI Board is committed to maintainingWescon’s long-standing position as the #1 event for the North Americanelectronics OEM. “The creativity and energy of Tony Laviano are certain to help us fulfillthose goals,” Hungerford said, “and his willingness to take on the dualresponsibilities as a Board member and as Managing Director for ourleading-edge expansion area are indicators of the confidence his companyand his sector of the industry place in our ability to do so.” This year’s nanotechnology exhibits at Wescon will supplement the co-located IEEE-NANO 2003 conference at San Francisco’s Moscone CenterAugust 12 to 14. For more information about Wescon or NANOWorld,visit www.wescon.com, or email m.jimenez@wescon.com.

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WESCONNEEDS YOUR HELP!

As many of you know, the San Francisco Bay Area Council is aco-owner of Wescon. IEEE’s world-renown technical societies andextensive membership network are vital to Wescon’s success.

WE NEED YOU!Your participation is vital in order to make Wescon 2003 the most

successful Wescon ever. We are currently looking forINSIDERS that would like to help with our

Attendance Promotion and Technical Society announcements.If you’re interested in joining the Wescon team, contact:

Marcella Jimenez at310-524-4100 ext. 244 or emailm.jimenez@ecmshows.com

Wescon North AmericaAugust 12-14, 2003

Moscone Convention CenterSan Francisco

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Engineering Positions RFco is an exciting new fabless semi-conductor company developing RF ICs for wireless markets based on break-through proprietary patented RF tech-nology. These chips utilize the first totally new architecture for wireless RF in 85 years. The company recently raised a Series A round of funding that is unprecedented in recent times. RFco is located in Los Gatos, CA.

Reasons to join RFco: Technical challenge - RFco is productizing a breakthrough RF front-end architecture that has and will have significant technical challenges. Team - RFco is assembling an “A Team” of engineers and is looking to add more engineers of the same caliber.

Leadership - The executives of RFco all possess extensive experience and proven track records in the industry. Funding - RFco has recently raised a substantial Series A funding round from premier venture funds. Incentives - The company is pre-IPO which means significant stock options are available for early employees.

RF IC Design Leader (Architect/Designer)

This leadership position is responsible for the design, analysis, and simulation at the block and circuit level for an RF IC transceiver. You will drive the tech-nical implementation of the chip includ-ing block level partitioning and perform-ance specifications. You will be a focal point in working with the IC circuit designers in the detailed implementa-tion phase and a primary participant in working with system engineers. You will also perform hands-on design of critical circuits.

Requirements: MSEE/PhD with 10 yrs experience in the RF IC industry and a successful product track record. Strong knowl-edge of modern wireless communica-tion circuit theory in a CMOS/BiCMOS RF IC environment preferred. In depth experience with transceiver circuit architectures on silicon, frequency gen-eration and clocking schemes, including phase locked loops and Tx & Rx cir-cuits. Knowledge of low noise design. Expert understanding of design simula-tion and verification tools from system to silicon level: Cadence, ADS, Matlab. Ability to lead a small group of interdis-ciplinary IC designers in the following areas: RF, analog, mixed signal and digital.

RF IC Designer In this important position you will be responsible for the detailed design of an RF high frequency/low noise front end, including CMOS/BiCMOS amplifi-ers, mixer and switch circuits, filters, AGC amplifiers, etc. You will work closely with layout designers to properly integrate your designs.

Requirements: MSEE/PhD and 5 years of RF IC design experience. Exceptional knowl-edge of layout and design capture of

RF ICs using tools such as Cadence and HP ADS. Strong test and evaluation know-ledge of RF ICs using a broad range of RF and mixed signal test equipment. Know-ledge of RF circuit design and impedance matching, sampling, filter design, and RF IC layout techniques.

Mixed Signal IC Designer This key role is responsible for the RF IC mixed signal (analog with some digital) circuit design utilizing various signal processing techniques. You will develop detailed designs of various stages including AGC, low noise amplifiers, and others. You will work closely with layout to properly integrate your designs.

Requirements: MSEE with 3-5 years CMOS/BiCMOS IC design experience. Knowledge of layout and design capture of RF ICs using tools from Cadence and HP ADS. Strong know-ledge of modern wireless communication circuits theory and implementation in RF CMOS/BiCMOS. Experience in transceiver circuit architectures in silicon including fre-quency generation, phase locked loops, and transmitter and receiver circuits. Knowledge of low noise design is an advantage.

Mixed Signal IC Clock Generation Designer

Develop and implement high performance CMOS/BiCMOS frequency and clock gener-ation schemes and synthesis with low jitter and phase noise and high resolution in the frequency range of 1GHz to 25 KHz. Requirements: MSEE with 5+ years experience in IC de-sign. Expertise to include digital IC design in a mixed signal environment (with RF) using hardware description languages (VHDL or Verilog), DSP techniques, syn-thesis. Knowledge of wireless communica-tions clock generation and distribution techniques and schemes is highly desirable. Expert knowledge of digital phase lock loops, digital communication systems, con-

cepts, and theories is highly desirable.

RFIC Test Engineer This position will support design engineering teams in designing on chip testability and will design and build test fixtures and develop test procedures for initial silicon. In the production stage, you will be responsible for developing automatic RF test systems for high volume production and for verifying test system performance and developing documentation packages and troubleshooting guides for test system support and maintenance. Additional duties include support for training and maintenance and the coordination of activities between the Design, Reliability, Product Engineer-ing, and Production Test departments.

Requirements: BSEE or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. At least five years of related experience (high-volume RF component test is preferred) and proficiency in all aspects of RF device test. Must also be able to design complex hardware interfaces to RF test equipment. Experience in the following areas is important: cellular modulation formats, VB and/or C++ programming languages, device han-dlers (pick and place or gravity fed) and RF CMOS/BiCMOS .

Applicants, send your

resume to:

RFco Engineering Positions Erik Hanson, RFco Recruiter

ehanson@rfco.net

Phone: 408 866-8086 x236 Fax: 408 866-8083

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Exhibitors

Wescon North America 2003

These companies are displaying their products on the exhibit floor.

ABC Taiwan ElectronicsCorporationAce Forum, Inc.Adhesives Research,Inc.Adtek AssociatesAEI ComponentsAgilent – Design VerificationAgilent – Signal AnalysisAgilent – Component TestAl Goodwell Industries Ltd.Allen AvionicsAlpha Electronics Corp. ofAmericaAmveco Magnetics, Inc.

Anritsu*Applied Nanotech, Inc. / Sub. ofSI Diamond Tech.Arco Infocomm/ACE Media Co.,Ltd.ASG Division of Jergens, Inc.Astro-Med, Inc.Axa-AdvisorsAxis CorporationB.W. Darrah Inc./WeisserBay Area LabelsBay AssociatesBelt Technologies Inc.Bizlink Technology LLCBomar Interconnect Products Inc.Business Facility MagazineCable ConnectionCaton Connector Corp.Central Semiconductor CorpCentury Circuits and ElectronicsCC&EChang Sung Corp.

China External Trade DevelopmentCouncil/CETRACincinnati Sub Zero ProductsCir-Q-TekCKE / HV ComponentsCofan USACOMCHIP TechnologyConductive TechnologiesCONITEC Datasystems, Inc.Cooler Master Co., LtdCornell Dubilier ElectronicsCRC PressCvilux Corp.Daburn Electronics & Cable

CorporationDel-tron PrecisionDigital Power CorporationDouglas CorporationDoveBid Test & MeasurementDSM & T Company, Inc.EBG, Inc.ebm IndustriesEcliptek Corp.EDAB/Economic DevelopmentAlliance for BusinessEducated Design & Development,(ED&D)Electro Assemblies Corp.Electronic Concepts, Inc.Electronics Source Book /PrimediaElectro RentEmulation Technology, Inc.Ericsson Power ModulesEuroptronic (Singapore) Pte Ltd.Everbouquet Int’l Co., Ltd.Falcon Solutions

Faxitron X-RayFischer ConnectorsFlash Star Industrial Co LtdFlir SystemsFloyd Bell, Inc.Fluke CorporationFosta-Tek Optics, Inc.Fujipoly America CorporationFuses UnlimitedG & T TechnologyGatan, Inc.Gemini, Inc.General Electronic MaterialTechnolgies

General Silicones Co., USA, Inc.Girvan Institute of TechnologyGlobal QAGlobtek Assoc., Inc.H.W. Eckhardt CorporationHamamatsu CorporationHammond Manufacturing Co.,Inc.Hearst Business CommunicationsHensley Technologies, Inc.High Tech Marketing ServiceHong Kong Trade DevelopmentCouncilHouston Economic DevelopmentIdaho Department Of CommerceIEEEIllinois Lock CompanyInformation Handling ServicesInframat Corp.Inland Empire EconomicPartnershipInsul-Fab of TexasIntercon Systems, Inc.

International RectifierIntricastIRC Advanced Film ResistorsIronwoodKepco, IncKingbright CorporationKirkhill -TA CompanyKS ToolingLeader Tech, Inc.Liquid Crystal SolutionsLodestone PacificLPKF Laser & Electronics, Inc.LTW Technology Co LtdLustre-Cal Nameplate

Magnecraft & Struthers-DunnMAJR Products Corp.Marinco Specialty Wiring DevicesMarway Power SystemsMelrose Nameplate & Label Co.Merkle-Korff IndustriesMetapo Inc.MetricTest, Inc.micro precision calibration, inc.Midas MicroelectronicsCorporationMinitab Inc.Missile Defense Agency/SBIR/CSMIMolecular Imprints, Inc.MOUSER ELECTRONICSMulti-Contact USANational Wire & CableNelson Nameplate CompanyNicomaticNikonsoftNKK Switches Of America, Inc.Norsam Technologies, Inc.

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ExhibitorsThese companies are displaying their products on the exhibit floor.

Northwest EMCNovacapNPoint Technologies, Inc.O.H. Technology Co., Ltd.Okaya Electric America, Inc.Olympus IndustrialOnline Technology Exchange IncOptical Polymers InternationalPacific Transformer Corp.Pacific Western Systems Inc.Panduit Corp. / ITW PanconPanel Components CorporationParallax PowerPEM Fastening Systems

Phoenix ContactPhotonics Spectra / LaurinPublishing Co., Inc.Pi Manufacturing CorpPlitron Manufacturing Inc.Power Mate TechnologyPower-Sonic Corp.PowertronixPrinceton Case WestPrototron Circuits, Inc.Q-TechQVSRB Technology, Inc.Reed Business InformationRenco Electronics, Inc.RenTelcoRF Connectors Div of RFIndustriesRohde & Schwarz*SabritecSadev Decolletage/Groupe MofraSamtec, Inc.schomandl-Vertriebs GMBH

Schurter Inc.Scope Manufacturers (M) SdnBhdSeatek, Inc.Segway LLCShenzhen Electronics IndustriesAssociationShenzhen GSG Electronics, Co.Ltd.Shenzhen SuccessPhotoelectronics Co. Ltd.Shenzhen Sunlord Electronics Co.Ltd.

Shenzhen Sunnyway BatteryTech, Co. Ltd.Shoulder Electronics LimitedSKS Die Casting & Machining,Inc.Sony Precision TechnologyAmerica, Inc.Sparkle Power Inc.Speedy-Tech Electronics (S) PteLtdStanford Research SystemsStraube Associates, Inc.SUNLED CorporationSwiss Jewel Co. & HermanD.Steel Co.Syfer Technology LTDTech Spray, Inc.Tektronix, Inc.Teledyne Interconnect DevicesThe Pentagon CompanyThinking Electronic Industrial Co.,Ltd.Tigers Electronics, Co. Ltd.

Tocos AmericaTopflight CorporationTransEra Electronics, Inc.Tucker ElectronicsU.S. TechUltravoltUnited Resin Corp.Unitrack Industries, Inc.Veetronix, Inc.Webcom CommunicationsWinchester Electronics/NorthropGrummanWorld Circuits Technologies, Inc.wurth elektronik usa

Wyoming Business CouncilYou-Eal CorporationZephyrtronics

*products shown through arepresentative or distributor

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WEDNESDAY JULY 9IEEE MembersSubject: Short Course:Time Management Made EasySpeaker: Peter TurlaTime: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.Place: TIBCO Software, 3307 Hillview Drive, Palo AltoFee: $255 IEEE Member, $285 Non-MemberRegister: (408) 866-6516Web: www.cpmt.org/scv/

.pdfAUGUST 2003

IEEE GRID

It’s Wescon 2003

Live in San Francisco!

Next month in the Grid . . .

The Countdown to Wescon 2003 isover because Wescon will open atMoscone Center in San Franciso onAugust 12 — Three jam-packed daysof technical programs, tutorials, spe-cial events and product exhibits. Wescon is a “can’t-miss” event.Plan to join your collegues and bethere!

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WEDNESDAY JULY 16SCV Instrumentation & Measurement

WEDNESDAY JULY 16SCV Instrumentation & Measurements SocietySubject: IEEE-1588 Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control SystemsSpeaker: John Eidson (Agilent Technologies)Time: Register at 6:30 p.m., presentation at 7:00Place: Board Room, Cogswell College, 1175 Bordeaux Drive, SunnyvaleRSVP: Brian.Lee@IEEE.ORG or 408-778-2000 ext. 4976Web: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r6/scv/ims/index.html

IEEE-1588 Standard fora Precision Clock

Synchronization Protocolfor NetworkedMeasurement

and Control Systems

The IEEE 1588 standard defines a protocol enabling the precisesynchronization of clocks in the components of a networked,distributed measurement and control system. The standard isapplicable to local area networks supporting multicastcommunications such as Ethernet and several specializedcontrol networks.

The standard specifically addresses the need of the test,measurement, motion control, and industrial automationcommunities for clock synchronization. It is optimized for spatially localized systems of perhaps a fewsub-nets, it achieves sub-microsecond synchronizationaccuracy, it uses minimal network bandwidth and nodecomputing and memory resources, it is administration free, andmost importantly it is implementable on low-end and low-costdevices. John Eidson will address this topic at the July 16 meeting ofthe Santa Clara Valley Instrumentation & MeasurementsSociety. His talk outlines the major features of the standard,how it can be applied to the fields of test, measurement, motioncontrol, and industrial automation, and the results of earlyprototype implementations. John Eidson received his BS and MS degrees from MichiganState University in ’58 and ‘60 and the PhD from Stanford in’64, all in electrical engineering. He worked at Varian Associatesuntil leaving in 1972 to join Hewlett-Packard Laboratories andmore recently Agilent Technologies Laboratories. He hasworked in the areas of device physics, analytic instrumentation,electron-beam lithography, and distributed electronic test andmeasurement systems. He was the editor for IEEE 1451.1 andthe chair for IEEE1588. He has authored 17 published papersand holds 18 US Patents.

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THURSDAY JULY 24OEB Communications Society

THURSDAY JULY 24OEB Communications and Computer SocietiesSubject: Broadband Wireless Access via IEEE 802.16 – The Next FrontierSpeaker: Dr. Roger Marks (NIST, Chairman of IEEE 802.16)Time: Pizza at 6:30 p.m., presentation at 7:00Place: Bishop Ranch 1, 6101 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, (just off I-680)Directions: http://www.comsoc.org/oeb/Directions.htmRSVP: (by 7/23) VicStepanians@ieee.org or 925 968-0979 (for pizza order)Web: http://www.comsoc.org/oeb/

Broadband WirelessBroadband WirelessBroadband WirelessBroadband WirelessBroadband WirelessAccess via IEEE 802.16 –Access via IEEE 802.16 –Access via IEEE 802.16 –Access via IEEE 802.16 –Access via IEEE 802.16 –

The Next FrontierThe Next FrontierThe Next FrontierThe Next FrontierThe Next FrontierWhile the world’s data transmission capacities are growing at anenormous rate, relatively few users have broadband access tothem. Wired solutions, including fiber, cable modems, and digitalsubscriber lines, have limitations that prevent ubiquitousdeployment. Broadband wireless access (BWA) is an alternativethat offers quick build-out at a low cost. A key issue for the success of these systems is globalstandardization. Within the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN StandardsCommittee, the 802.16 Working Group on Broadband WirelessAccess, with hundreds of participants worldwide, has completedthe Wireless MAN air interface standard for fixed wireless

metropolitan area networks operating from 2-66 GHz. With thiswork completed, 802.16 has been chartered to extend its standardto address mobile terminals as well. Roger Marks will address this topic at the July 24 jointmeetingof the Oakland/East Bat Coomunicattions and Computer Societies.His talk provides an overview of the 802.16 technology, which isbased on a QoS-oriented point-to-multipoint medium accesscontrol (MAC) layer with an optional mesh topology and bothsingle-carrier and OFDM physical layers. Roger B. Marks is with the National Institute of Standards andTechnology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado. In 1998, he initiated theeffort that led to the formation of the IEEE 802.16 Working Groupon Broadband Wireless Access, chairing it since inception andserving as technical editor of IEEE Standards 802.16 and 802.16.2.He also serves actively on the IEEE 802 Executive Committee. Marks received his AB in physics in 1980 from PrincetonUniversity and his PhD in applied physics in 1988 from YaleUniversity. Author of more than 80 publications, his awards includethe 2003 Individual Governmental Vision Award from the WirelessCommunications Association and a 1995 IEEE Technical FieldAward. He developed the IEEE Radio and Wireless Conference andchaired it from 1996 through 1999. A Fellow of the IEEE, he hasserved as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer since 1999. We will continue our feature at the meeting of providing somenetworking time for those that want to stand and make a briefannouncement. If you’re looking for a new position, have a positionto fill, want to let us know that your new start-up is ready forbusiness or have a similar announcement, bring your resumes,job descriptions or company brochures and be prepared to makea match. Please keep your statements brief, so we’ll have time foreveryone. There will be time after the meeting for one-on-onediscussions.

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NEWS from . . . .

Jim V. Leonard, PE2003 IEEE-USA President

Unemployment Rate forElectrical Engineers

Skyrockets toRecord Level

The unemployment rate for electrical engineers roseto an unprecedented 7.0 percent in the first quarter of2003, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Therate stood at 3.9 percent in the previous quarter, andis a full percentage point above the quarterly figure forall workers. The previous high quarterly EE jobless rate was 4.8percent (second quarter, 2002). It’s difficult to comparethe figures, however, because the Bureau of LaborStatistics (BLS) has revamped its occupationalclassifications and reporting conventions to producemore detailed and accurate reports. “Despite the change in the bureau’s accounting andreporting methods, these unemployment figures arealarming,” IEEE-USA President-Elect John Steadmansaid. “We knew anecdotally that things were bad formany in engineering and computer fields, and thesestatistics confirm our concerns for engineeringemployment.” The BLS report showed an unemployment rate forcomputer software engineers at 7.5 percent, and at 6.5percent for computer hardware engineers, two of the

Continued next page

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bureau’s new occupational categories. Computer scientists,including systems analysts, showed a slight improvement injoblessness, dropping from 5.1 percent at the end of 2002 to4.9 percent. Computer programmers recorded a first-quarterrate of 6.7 percent. When the number of unemployed EEs is added to each ofthe above computer categories, 172,000 high-techprofessionals are out of work. Computer software engineersled the way with 62,000. To help mitigate unemployment for U.S. high-techprofessionals, IEEE-USA is calling on Congress to return theH-1B visa quota to its historical level of 65,000. The current

cap is 195,000. IEEE-USA is also concerned about potentialabuses in the L-1 intracompany visa transfer program.Business Week magazine reported in March that 329,000people were working in the United States on L-1 visas in 2001,many in high-tech sectors. “While we realize the sluggish U.S. economy is responsiblefor much of the unemployment,” Steadman said, “we can’tdiscount the role played by the continuing influx of foreignworkers on temporary work visas, and the dramatic increasein offshore outsourcing. Congress needs to create incentivesthat help to spur the growth and retention of high-value, high-tech jobs here in the United States.”

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RFco is recruiting anengineering team!

See their ad on page 10 of theIEEE GRID.pdf

— and visit www.rfco.net