$60K Rules and Regulations
Rules and Regulations for the CMP Analog Design Challenge sponsored by Texas Instruments.

The Challenge:
We are seeking a real-world design that exhibits the most extensive and inventive use of TI analog, digital and mixed-signal components. The design may be a system or a sub-system. Designs are not limited to any category of application. Some possible applications areas are: high speed data communications, audio, video, multimedia, wireless systems, portable and low voltage systems, disk drive systems and data acquisition. Just select from TI's broad range of data converters, power management devices, precision analog products or interface devices to implement your design idea. That idea can be a new way of doing an existing application or it can be a totally new application.

How to get started:
TI is offering a "Free" design kit to help you get started. The design kit consists of a special collection of materials that will help you select TI analog and mixed-signal components for your design. This is a great opportunity to get a comprehensive view of the product line that made TI the world leader in Analog and Mixed Signal.

How the contest will be judged:
Independent judges from the CMP editorial staff and Academia will have responsibility for selecting the winning designs. Winners will be chosen based on originality, feasibility, manufacturability and how extensively and well the implementation uses TI products. No employees of Texas Instruments or its agents will be permitted to see, review or judge any of the entries. All decisions of the judges are final. Winners will be notified on or before April 19, 1999.

What it takes to win:
Entries will be judged based on originality, innovation and use of Texas Instruments (TI) components. Components used do not have to be manufactured by Texas Instruments, but additional credit will be given by judges for the TI content. All entries must be designed with existing commercially available components. No hypothetical or mystery parts are allowed. All submissions must contain sufficient detail to allow the construction and testing of the entry. It must be more than a high-level block diagram. Each entry must include a brief description/synopsis of the application circuit. This description must not contain any intellectual property and CMP/TI shall have the right to publish this description.

Prizes:
We will award total prizes of $60,000 (US): $5,000 to a winner in each designated region of the world: The Americas, Europe, Asia and Japan and a grand prize of $40,000 to the best entry overall as determined by the judges.

What to enter:
Your entry should explain how it is an innovative use of analog design techniques to solve a problem.
  • Your design should be simple, original and elegant.
  • It should be detailed in block diagram and circuit design forms only-no software code.
  • It should be shown to be manufacturable, and that the proposed concept can be reduced to practice.
  • It should show originality in thought and execution.
  • It should provide a clear understanding of partitioning between hardware and software components.
  • It should be presented as a top-down development with each level detailed as to its relationship to the next design level.
What your entry must contain:
  • A general 300 word (maximum) description of your design.
  • A short 50 word description of your design that is suitable for publishing if you win. This description should not contain any information that you or your company considers proprietary. CMP and TI have the right to publish this information if you win.
  • A list of the ICs in the design.
  • A detailed description containing enough information to build the circuit including features, benefits and unique characteristics.
  • A schematic, block diagram or sketch.
  • Completed entry form with your signature and the date.
All entries must be complete and legible; incomplete entries will be disqualified. To enter more than one design, use photocopies of the entry form provided and use a separate envelope for each entry. The entry must be on an official entry form or copy of one. The standard submission form will help simplify the judging process. Read the entry form carefully. Your signature constitutes acceptance of all conditions therein. CMP and the contest judges are the only parties who will see the actual entry you submit. You retain all rights to your design, but the sponsors retain the right to publish a brief description of the winning entry for publicity purposes, without reservation or recompense.

Who is eligible to enter:
Any individual or group of individuals may enter, except employees of CMP Media Inc., Texas Instruments its agents or distributors and its subsidiaries, and their immediate families and those with whom they are domiciled. In addition, anyone living in a country or state where the contest is prohibited is not eligible to participate.

Sponsorship:
The Design Contest is being conducted by CMP and exclusively sponsored by Texas Instruments.
Your entry does not become property of CMP or the sponsor.

Deadlines:
The deadline for requesting a design kit is January 15, 1999. The submitted design entry must be postmarked by midnight March 1, 1999. The winners will be announced by April 19, 1999.

Legal notice: No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law, odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Each prize will be awarded. No substitution for prizes other than as offered. Taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners. Prizes are not transferable. The winners will be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility, liability release and grant permission to use their name and likeness for advertising promotion within 21 days of notification or an alternative winner will be selected. No responsibility is assumed for lost late or misdirected entries. Awarding of a prize does not constitute an endorsement by CMP or TI of the design or approach. For a copy of prize-winners' names, available after April 19, 1999, send a stamped, self-addressed envelop to: "The CMP Analog Challenge", CMP Media Inc., 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, Attention Genevieve Joerger.