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LCDM Engineering is committed to the advancement of HDL ASIC/FPGA design through training and custom design services.

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EXPERIENCE

Summary:
VHDLUNIXMTIASIC Design and Verification
VerilogCNCVerilog(30+ ASICS)
System VerilogC++VCSFPGA Design - Xilinx
Teacher/TrainerAssemblySignalScan(5+ Designs)
EMACS

8/06 - Present : Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, Arizona

  • In-house consultant providing training and support for debugging SystemVerilog code and SystemVerilog Assertions.
  • Training courses include SystemVerilog for Synthesis, SystemVerilog Verification and SystemVerilog Assersions.
  • Headed the selection team for SystemVerilog verification methodology, deciding between OVM and VMM. Received training for both OVM and VMM. Provided support to design and verification teams during implementation of the selected methodology.
  • Develop methodology and guidelines for implementing UPF for designs.
  • Member of IEEE Verilog and SystemVerilog Committees.

4/99-8/06 : LCDM Engineering, Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Independent consulting, contracting, and teaching ASIC design methodology and hardware
  • As an Independent Consultant, Mr. Mills has taught over one hundred Verilog and SystemVerilog training courses and also some VHDL training courses.
  • In addition to training, Mr. Mills has taken on contract jobs for a number of companies including Intel, Evans & Sutherland, Sonic Wall, L3 Communications, and Utah Scientific.

11/94-4/99 : Unisys Corp/Loral/Lockheed Martin/L3 Communications, Salt Lake City, Utah

  • (Same company, many names via acquisitions and mergers.)
  • Instigator and lead of division ASIC Technology Working Group, which maintains current ASIC/FPGA processes and coordinates EDA tools and training used for these processes
  • Assisted in resolving backend issues for a numbers of ASICs, including updating vanishing vendor ASICs and supporting tool flow for new ASICs
  • Lead Engineer for processing a million-gate ASIC
  • Developed and presented a internal 40-hour VHDL training course
  • Established the method for ASIC development using current technology such as VHDL, Synopsys, DFT and scan approaches for the division

4/96-8/96 : US Robotics, Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Sub-contract (15-20 hours/week). Developed ASIC process for division using VHDL, Synopsys, and DFT/scan methodology
  • Participated in a team designing a next-generation modem ASIC

6/88-11/94 : Honeywell, CTO Division, Phoenix, Arizona

  • Assisted Motorola in Synopsys 3.0B synthesis for their Iridium project
  • Boeing 777 Project - 60,000-gate CMOS gate array (Bus Interface Unit), running at 40 MHz
  • Updated Honeywell ASIC design process and trained new ASIC designers on the ASIC process and tools including VHDL, Verilog, Design for Test/Scan Methodology and Synopsys synthesis
  • Board design - 2 separate bus interfaces for Honeywell, Satellite Systems Division
  • 10,000-gate CMOS gate array, mixed signal, 10V, programmable sync generator for Mini-FLIR

1/86-5/88 : Sperry/Unisys Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah

  • 2500-gate ECL gate array, running at 274 MHz, high speed multiplexer, used for specialized data link communications
  • 2500-gate ECL gate array, running at 137 MHz, high speed demultiplexer, used for data link communications
  • 6000-gate CMOS gate array, running at 12.5 MHZ, programmable multiplexer, used for data link communications

PUBLICATION

BOOKS

Verilog and SystemVerilog Gotchas: 101 Common Coding Errors and How to Avoid Them by Stuart Sutherland and Don Mills (Hardcover, June 2009)

PAPERS

"If Chained Implications in Properties Weren't So Hard, They'd be Easy (Tricky SVA Properties Made Easy)" presented at the 2009 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings (voted 3rd Best Paper)

"Gotcha Again--More Subtleties in the Verilog and SystemVerilog Standards That Every Engineer Should Know" presented at the 2007 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings (voted 2nd Best Paper and Honorable Mention Technical Committee Award)

"Standard Gotchas--Subtleties in the Verilog and SystemVerilog Standards that Every Engineer Should Know" presented at the 2006 Boston Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings (voted Best Paper Technical Committee Award)

"SystemVerilog Assertions Are For Design Engineers Too!" presented at the 2006 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings (voted 2nd Best Paper)

"Being Assertive With Your X (SystemVerilog Assertions for Dummies)" presented at the 2004 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings

"Synchronous Resets & Asynchronous Resets Design Techniques--Part Deux" presented at the 2003 Boston Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings

"HDVL += (HDL & HVL) SystemVerilog 3.1 - The Hardware Description AND Verification Language" presented at the 2003 San Jose and Europe Synopsys Users Group Conferences, published in the individual conference proceedings

"Synchronous Resets? Asynchronous Resets? I Am So Confused!" presented at the 2002 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings

"Getting the Most Out of the New Verilog-2000 Standard" presented at the 2001 San Jose and Europe Synopsys Users Group Conferences, published in the individual conference proceedings

"Habits of Deficient ASIC Design" presented at the 2000 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings

"RTL Coding Styles that Yield Simulation and Synthesis Mismatches" presented at the 1999 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings

"Synthesis of a Million-Gate ASIC" presented at the 1997 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference, published in the conference proceedings

OTHER

  • Member of IEEE Verilog and SystemVerilog Committees, 2003-pres.
  • Member of Technical Committee, 2003-pres. Europe, San Jose, and Boston Synopsys Users Group Conferences

  • Technical Chairman, 2003 Europe Synopsys Users Group Conference
  • Technical Chairman, 2002 Europe Synopsys Users Group Conference
  • Technical Chairman, 2001 Europe Synopsys Users Group Conference
  • Technical Chairman, 2000 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference
  • Technical Chairman, 1999 Boston Synopsys Users Group Conference
  • Technical Chairman, 1999 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference
  • Technical Chairman, 1998 San Jose Synopsys Users Group Conference

  • Certified Instructor for Sunburst Design, Inc. (Beginning and Advanced Verilog, SystemVerilog)
  • Certified Instructor for Sutherland HDL, Inc. (Verilog and SystemVerilog)

EDUCATION

  • Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
  • 1985 B.S.E.E.

REFERENCES

References available upon request.

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