Vance E. Neff
Vance's Consulting Co.
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Delivery through Personal Performance and Leadership
PROFILE
An accomplished Software Engineer specializing in the design of Embedded microprocessor systems and Web applications with extensive experience in the full life cycle of the software design
process including requirements definition, prototyping, proof of concept, design,
interface implementation and documentation, testing, and maintenance.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Performance Optimization Process Improvement Change Management IT Strategy Mentoring
Installation Training Hardware Software Peripherals Configuration Management
Infrastructure Development Client Collaboration Client Relationship Management
Project Management Team Leadership Team Development Vendor Management
High level languages (current) |
Programs (current) |
Microprocessors (8 & 16 bit) and assembly languages (current) |
Operating systems and IDEs (current) |
I/O interfaces (current) |
| Liberty Basic |
Debuggers |
ST10 & C166 series |
Microsoft Windows XP |
RS232 |
| FORTRAN |
Assemblers |
Motorola/Freescale |
Microsoft Windows 2000 |
RS485 |
| C |
Cross-assemblers |
6800 - 6812 |
Microsoft Windows DOS |
CANbus |
| Java (netbeans) |
Compilers |
Freescale MC86HC912 |
|
SPI |
| HTML/CSS |
Microsoft Excel |
6502 |
NI LabWindows |
TCP/IP |
| Perl/CGI |
Microsoft Word |
PIC 16Cxx |
Keil uV3 & uV4 |
UDP/IP |
| PHP |
NoteTab |
8051 and clones |
Archelon AQ430 tools |
RF |
| Delphi |
Brief |
TI MSP430 |
Netbeans |
IR |
| ForTran |
MySQL |
|
CodeBlocks |
parallel |
|
SQLite |
(not so current) |
|
|
| (not so current) |
MS Help Workshop |
68000 |
(not so current) |
|
| ALGOL |
MinGW |
8080 |
Microsoft Windows 95 |
|
| COBOL |
|
Z80 |
Microsoft Windows 3.1 |
|
| RPG |
(not so current) |
8086 |
DR CP/M |
|
|
Javelin |
Rabbit 2000 |
IBM OS2 |
|
Adaptable electronic key and lock system
Patent # EP0501715 issued on September 2, 1992 -
Claim: For an abstract and a detailed description of the claim
US Patent # 5198643 issued on March 30, 1993 -
Claim: For an abstract and a detailed description of the claim
US Patent # 5477041 issued on December 19, 1995 -
Claim: For an abstract and a detailed description of the claim
Inventors: Vance E. Neff and
Nancy C. Miron,
Assignee: Computerized Security System, Incorporated
Other patents assigned to Valeron (GTE) Corporation
| Vance's Consulting Co. | Sept. 1994 to Present |
| 1335 Fernwood Dr., Lapeer, MI 48446 | |
| Embedded Software Engineer | |
This company was created so that Saflok could contract with a company rather than an individual.
Expert specializing in embedded microprocessor system
design, analysis and debugging, including portable user
interface devices that are part of a variety of networks with a
multitude of I/O interfaces for several clients. These devices have their own proprietary
operating systems, many of which I developed and implemented.
Here are some of my clients during this period. Note: some contracts overlap.
-
Prestolite Performance
(contract -> Feb. 2011 - Sep. 2012)
-
Controller Technologies Corp./Prestolite Performance
(contract -> Oct. 2010 - Jan. 2011)
Participate in a team developing a new Engine Controller Module targeting racing
applications complete with startup, 2step & 3step staging tuning and datalogging.
-
Develop a PC based user interface for the ECM using NIs LabWindows.
-
Debug various interrupt issues in the ECM (ST10).
-
Computerized Security Systems (Saflok)
(open ended contract -> Dec. 1994 - Sep. 2012)
Add value to Saflok®'s lock system by adding new capabilities and options:
-
Add new media options to the lock, such as RF prox. cards and Finger print recognition.
-
Link the locks into a property wide network such as:
- The Senercom® energy management system room IR interface.
- Two of InnCom®'s energy management systems' room IR interfaces.
- Saflok®'s proprietary Messenger® RF interface.
-
Develop software and participate in the hardware design for new devices keeping the lock management systems competitive:
- New encoders (Rabbit 2000, MC86HC912) to handle the newer media and interfaces such as TCP/IP and USB.
- 2 Major versions of hand held terminals (Dallas DS5000, DS80C400) with their own proprietary multitasking operating systems and serial and parallel interfaces to supplement and replace the PC terminals. The latter version also included USB mass storage and TCP/IP interfaces.
- A Messenger® node system (TI MSP430F16x) which listens for RF equipped locks, notifies the server via TCP/IP which locks were found and then stores, collects and routes messages to and from those locks.
-
Vance's Consulting Co.
(spare time -> May 2010 - Sep. 2010 & Nov. 2012 - Present)
Continue to maintain past projects.
Create highly user interactive Web sites.
- Created a web site that involved a new server/language called Run
Basic© created by the makers of Liberty Basic© and utilizes the
database program SQLite. This project was designed primarily to
be a professional (personal) shopper helper; though, it can be used
by anyone who shops and wants to save money. This Web application is currently being rewritten in PHP.
- Another web site, which has been sold and is being updated, acted
as a CNC jobs broker and utilizes Perl/CGI and MySQL database
system and interfaces with PayPal.
-
CheckMate Corp.
(contract -> Jun. 1999 - Dec. 1999)
-
Atalla Corp. (now part of HP)
(contract -> Jun. 1995 - Mar. 1998)
Generate and maintain software for Point of Sale customer interface
units (PIN Pads) including multilingual support of debit, credit, and various
benefits selection and processing as well as customer survey capability.
| Structured Interface, Inc. | (full time) 1984 - 1994 |
| 1358 Rankin St., Troy, MI 48083 | |
| Software development - Vice-president | |
- Maintained company's internal network and collection of PCs.
- Coordinated, participated with, and followed up with other
programmers to accomplish product development:
-
D&I&M (Designed & Implemented & Maintained) industrial battery monitor and chargers.
-
D&I&M a programmable dental amalgam mixer (PIC).
-
D&I&M a cryonics tank monitor and level controller (PIC).
-
Designed and implemented a programmable parental control device for phone usage control (PIC).
- Generated software/hardware solutions to Saflok®'s (Computerized Security Systems®) needs:
-
D&I&M a multi-computer based Hotel
lock management system based on the CP/M operating system with a proprietary multitasking system written in 8080
assembly code for their existing locks known as their 4000 system®.
-
D&I&M a proprietary 485 network
using an imbedded processor (MC6801) in each node with transferable master
control, ill & new node sensing and reliable message delivery for
their property lock management systems.
-
Was a major participant in designing the functional backbone of their
new (and still current) electronic lock (see patents).
-
D&I&M a "small" property lock
management system which could manage up to 8000 locks and handle up to
120 encoding stations based on the MS DOS operating system with a much more sophisticated proprietary multitasking system written in 8068
assembly code for their newly developed locks known as their 5000 system®.
-
D&I&M magnetic stripe and smart and memory card encoders (MC68HC11) as network nodes.
-
D&I&M property management system network node interfaces.
-
D&I&M network repeater and extender nodes.
| GTE Valeron Corporation - Digital Techniques | (full time) 1977 - 1984 |
| Supervisor of the computer department | |
-
Started as an electronic technician building R&D engineering prototypes.
-
Designed a contact gauge with a 1 inch range, 10 micron accuracy & 5 micron repeatability.
-
Designed various metal cutting power monitors used to control the machining process.
-
Managed the R&D department's DEC PDP 11/34 computer system.
-
Designed, scheduled and led various software projects, including medical simulators.
-
Designed and implemented a programmable building power controller complete with a CRC display.
-
Designed and implemented a multi-station (cell) CNC controller using proprietary electronic control hardware.
-
Specified and implemented the replacement of R&D's computer system with a DEC VAX 11/780, greatly increasing productivity.
-
Designed a multi-processor "Basic" language/operating system with advanced math functions and CPU load balancing algorithms.
Lawrence Institute of Technology
Major: Electrical Engineering
Union College
Major: Electrical Engineering, within 1.3 trimesters of bachelor.
Worked as a teacher for a year for a Program for under advantaged students:
Structured and conducted a class to
bring the attending students up to the level of Calculus I. This included
coverage of algebra, trigonometry, geometry and quite a bit of outside
tutoring.
Berkshire Community College
Major: Engineering, Minor: Computer science, 2
associate degrees
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