Thomas R. Taranowski
64404 NE 179th Street
Gold Bar, WA 98251
Cell: 425-770-8195
Summary of Qualifications
Expertise in multi-node, multi-core embedded systems design, implementation, and debugging, where minimal latency and determinism are critical factors.
Expertise in developing and implementing a product vision.
Experienced in the full life cycle of software development, including product conception, requirements definition, prototyping, interface design, implementation, integration, testing, and maintenance.
Excellent skills in debugging, often called upon to consult on problems encountered by others.
Experienced in communicating effectively across team boundaries to solve system level design or
implementation issues.
Versatile - able to move between technologies - able to efficiently learn from existing documentation and experimentation.
Expertise in working with remote team members, and effective methods for communicating effectively when not face-to-face.
Experience
Alset Corporation (2007 - present)
I’m currently implementing a “Remote manager” solution for a distributed product, which essentially provides a remote web interface, accessible via dial-up or data network. In addition to the web interface, other key features are flash-based event log, parameter threshold monitoring and alarm relay control, local keypad and 2-line display interface, proprietary hardware monitoring and control. The platform is primarily a Netburner 5282, with proprietary modifications. I am the sole software developer for this project. Key interfaces used are I2C, flash file system, ppp dial-up, serial, gpio, A/D.
Honeywell Operating Systems – Deos team(January 2006 – present)
I’m currently acting as the network architect and planner for a geographically distributed team focused on enhancing the internal Honeywell OS (DEOS) offering. My current task is to bring the network capabilities of the OS into the future. I developed and communicated a vision for what the next generation communication layer should look like to get input and buy-in from the rest of the team. As an initial measure, I wrote performance and statistical collection services, implemented netstat, and other well-known stack services. I also completed a trade and feasibility study to replace the current aging network stack with a new offering to satisfy a complex suite of future requirements. The result of this study was that we adopted the lwIP network stack, and have integrated the stack into our operating system.
Network stack:
trade and feasibility study, selection of an open source stack for future baseline, netstat implementation, inetd enhancement, integrated lwIP into proprietary microkernel environment, considerable performance tuning, currently a member of the lwIP open source team
Honeywell Aircraft Environment Surveillance System (January 2003 – January 2006)
I was a core member of the Airbus A380 Aircraft Environment Surveillance System team that integrated the IOM, TCAS, EGPWS, and Radar components into a single system that interfaces with the airplane and users via an IOM module. I wrote the lightweight multi-core aware UDP/IP network stack, and was instrumental in making the communications layer work deterministically and efficiently across all 4 systems on the avionics network. I was also the primary contact for OS questions and RTOS concepts within the group. In addition to my primary role, I contributed a myriad of key functions on an as-needed basis.
Automated Build:
Conceived, initiated, and implemented an automated build using pre-existing scripts, "glue" python code and batch files, and Windows "Scheduled Tasks" functionality to setup a nightly build, with automatic status reports emailed via Microsoft Exchange and PythonWin.
System optimizations:
Conceived, designed, and implemented several optimizations to reduce CPU usage on a busy target. Optimizations included DMA controller driver and integration to copy data from PCI space to local memory, which resulted in a measured 10% savings off maximum CPU usage. Additional optimizations consisted of function level design optimizations driven by analysis of the assembly output by the compiler.
PPC/AMD Ethernet Driver AND UDP/IP stack:
I created the requirements, design, implementation, documentation, and support tools for the Ethernet driver, UDP/IP stack, and API used by all functional module teams, in addition to other unrelated teams throughout Honeywell. The Ethernet(802.3) driver supports the PPC8260 FCC/SCC and AMD972 Communications Controller, was designed with intent to certify to DAL B, as described in DO-178b. Significant successful efforts were made to make the Ethernet driver easily configurable for all users and requirements.
AFDX test responder:
Designed, implemented, tested, and completed according to Airbus requirements on time, despite being flagged as a high-risk schedule objective from the outset. The test responder is required to take commands as input from an "exciter" node, and respond with the correct response in order to facilitate testing of the airplane's AFDX network.
Visual C++ 6, MFC based Ethernet driver configuration tool:
Generated requirements for output, and implemented a tabbed dialog box application to generate a binary Ethernet configuration file.
I collaborated with one other individual to support integration of flash memory abstraction layer for a journaling flash file system with the file system developers from India.
I provided significant support across team boundaries for build environment and OS support. This involved aid with tasks such as OS configuration , make file debugging/generation, source code debugging, communication link issues, multi-tasking/inter-processor timing issues.
Miscellaneous utilities implemented in Python, including a tool to extract check-in information from PVCS for inclusion into the change tracking tool.
I wrote various ‘guiding emails’ explaining system design, and a white-paper on how to use a stack trace to debug an exception.
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AT&T Wireless/Netro (July 2000 - November 2002)
I was a member of the OAMP team for development of premier, toll quality voice and high speed data, fixed wireless high-energy system utilizing PowerPC 860 on multiple circuit packs (nodes) with both single and dual processor configurations.
Leadership - led efforts to debug, test, and implement air link metrics collection; new OAMP related feature concept, design, and implementation; go to expert on many code subsystems and compilation issues, delegate issues to members of other teams and follow up with them to ensure the job is done.
Design/Implementation - Fault recovery system components; performance metrics monitoring, collection
and analysis tasks; software download; customer unit installation tool; event registration; serial connection management; persistent and reliable propagation of configuration stored in flash memory, including storage of V5 switch configuration; multi-node, multi-task, multi-processor system.
Interface design/Collaboration - Proprietary message routing protocol; Interface design for movement of
air link voice and data metrics from DSP to host CPU to java GUI client; interface with remote unit installation tool using PalmOS serial interface to embedded system; serial connection protocol to interface with java GUI client; remote unit flash download interface with other embedded components; performed ClearCase merges for various releases.
Porting - Ported portions of the Fault Management system and other OAMP related features from the obsolete platform to the next generation platform. I created and edited make files for build changes.
Tools/OS used - In-Circuit emulator (ICE) and BDM source level debuggers, ClearCase, pSOS
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Motorola (Jan. 1999 - June 2000)
I worked with an experienced development team on Motorola's analog cellular base station. The team used SEI
level 3 processes and was ISO 9001 certified. I studied Motorola's proprietary CDMA and analog technologies via Motorola University courses.
Development/Maintenance - Performed bug fixes and added enhancements as needed on miscellaneous components of the cellular base station code base. I utilized an Ethernet sniffer to diagnose issues with the base station s LAN. Added features in 6809 assembly and C.
RF Planning/Debugging - Debugged and fixed client frequency planning issues.
Collaboration - Mentored three new employees on the system architecture and software, cellular systems,
and SEI level 3 processes.
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Illinois State University (Feb. 1996 - Dec. 1998)
I led a young and creative development team that provided a user-friendly Internet installation and PC configuration that was used to integrate various applications with campus labs.
Design/Implementation - GUI development using Visual C++ 5.4/6 and win32/MFC to create utilities to aid user in connecting to and collaborating on the Internet; a web based employee scheduling system. I implemented the installtion procedure using Installshield.
Interface design/Collaboration - Created dll to encapsulate all common code functionality on the development team related to Windows registry configuration, user preferences, etc.
Other Experience
-- Currently working on integrating OpenCV with an ieee1394 MiniDV cam to implement a motion-activated recording mechanism. Development is on an Ubuntu Edgy platform.
-- Implementated an automated bank account balance retrieval via Python’s very nifty urlib2 module. It’s run every night via cron, and optionally emails a bank account balance to one or more recipients one of which is a cell phone.
Technical Expertise
Languages: C, C++, Python, Make, PERL(dated), Java(dated), Assembly(603e, x86, 6809)
APIs: proprietary RTOS, Win32, MFC, sockets
Concepts: Multi-node system integration, Ethernet/networking, RTOS, version control tools, embedded software (lean/fast/direct hardware interface), subversion, Media Wiki, Eclipse, avionics/DO- 178b and partitioning, cross-team communication, make, linux, VisionICE, open source, XML, UML
Driver experience: Ethernet, DMA, AFDX, flash, FPGA, Keypad, Display, VGA
Education
12/98 B.S. Computer Science, Illinois State University
2002 Embedded systems certificate program at U. of Washington
2004 Finance for Non-Finance Majors
2004 Object-Oriented Methodologies