David C. Oliver

Determining and delivering solutions to the challenges of producing diagnostic software for processors and supporting hardware during a period of rapidly decreasing cycle times and increasing product complexity.

• Implementing diagnostics for HyperTransport™ inter-processor communications fabric.
• Architecting and designing a reusable diagnostic development framework and library using C++ and STL in a Linux environment.
  The framework allows the same diagnostics to adapt as processor architectures evolve and to be used in the various stages of the processor lifecycle from bring-up, through validation, automated manufacturing tests, and regression testing.
• Leading the international team developing and implementing the diagnostic framework so as to deploy customized diagnostic suites for multiple processors simultaneously.

Researched, analyzed and solved security related issues in digital telephony systems:

• Implemented and integrated echo cancellation and TDM multiplexing software using TI DSP C++ and assembly for telephony encryption system.
• Designed and implemented a “thin” SIP stack in C++ on an embedded Power PC Linux platform to provide security, protection, CDR and NAT functionality as the first phase of adding VoIP functionality to existing telephony product line.
• Architected full SIP Security Proxy and prototyped critical aspects including support for signaling encryption by adding TLS authentication and encryption to the SIP stack.

Analyzed, documented and tuned printer software in preparation for corporate relocation to Israel:

• Optimized Linux rasterization using vector instructions to enable non-stop 300 dpi printing on 6-foot ink jet printer.

Provided technical and personnel leadership in executive, technical and development rôles:

• Managed corporate intellectual property and guided evolution of technological development processes.
• Recruited engineers to handle the rapidly expanding custom modem market and reorganized development process to handle the six week order-to-prototype modem development cycles.
• Introduced strict configuration management and version control and empowered test group enabling development and release of multiple (typically over ten) hardware/software products simultaneously.

Led software and hardware development teams in a range of communications products:

• Development of a series of custom modems for laptops, including the world's first full-duplex speakerphone in a laptop modem for the IBM "Butterfly".
• Rearchitecture of Multiplexer product line, which reduced defect incidence rate ten-fold by rationalizing system design, and locating and reengineering low reliability areas.
• Development of Voice-over-Modem/Voice-over-IP product line.

Primary engineer on multiple products:

• Real time micro-kernel OSes for the Zilog Z80 in assembly and the 32-bit Z380 in C.
  Also selected commercial RTOS for embedded Power PC modem bank.
• Digital and analog analysis, design, debugging, and tuning.
• Communications software in assembly, C, and C++ running under micro-kernel, RTOS and Windows device drivers.
• G.729A voice compression in Windows device driver on 200MHz PC.
• Ethernet packet switch implemented on MC68000 using C++.
• 8-port voice/modem multiplexer card.

Found unique solutions to technical challenges:

• Invented and implemented low latency/high efficiency voice-over-modem protocols.
• Designed and implemented high performance V.42bis compression system in Z80 assembly.
• Tuned software for Power PC-based voice/modem server bank achieving a 30-fold performance improvement achieving performance requirements.
• Invented and implemented software-only voice-multiplexing methods for standard modems.

Recruited and managed a team which developed a high performance chart recorder:

• Designed and implemented analog front end and digital FPGA ASICs.
• Architected firmware and managed software implementation.
• Invented plotting and timing generator systems.

Developed computer, data storage and communication systems for CT body scanners:

• Invented real-time lossless image compression and DMA systems; implemented in Xylinx FPGAs.
• Wrote compiler for Hitachi smart SCSI controller and implemented automatic multi-disk device driver within controller.
• Designed and implemented device drivers and TCP/IP stack in C for MC68040 under embedded Unix kernel.

Founded CST, originally to design and manufacture IEEE-488 instrument interfaces, memory expansion, processor upgrades, and floppy and SCSI hard drives for the Acorn and Sinclair QL computer markets. Expanded business, developing the Thor computer, a multitasking personal computer with a graphical user interface and built-in support for all European languages and alphabets, including Russian/Cyrillic and Greek:

• Designed and implemented hardware including low cost PLD based SCSI controller, communications, networking, video and memory systems.
• Developed and deployed fully multi-tasking windowing Operating System, and device drivers in MC68008 assembly.

Established sales of the Thor in six continents, especially in Denmark, where the Thor was used by the Danish Government and Chamber of Commerce, Ritzau, Denmark’s primary news wire service, and into the former Soviet Union. Spent a year in Denmark establishing Thor International, a joint venture marketing world wide. 

Architect and lead hardware and software designer of desktop computers:

• Designed hardware for MC68000/Z80 dual mode (Unix/CP/M) processor card.
• Produced stand-alone "C" environment for bootstrapping Unix and for Real Time applications.
• Developed rom-based CP/M compatible operating system in Z80 assembly.

Development resulted in the first personal computers approved by British Telecom for direct connection to the public phone network.

Developed software for communications interface systems, including Real Time kernel and graphical editor in PL/M for the 8086 and 8080.