Bob Pease
Encyclopedia
Robert Allen Pease was an analog
integrated circuit
design expert and technical author. He designed several very successful "best-seller" integrated circuits, many of them in continuous production for multiple decades. These include the LM331 voltage to frequency converter, and the LM337 adjustable voltage regulator
.
. He attended Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts, and subsequently obtained a Bachelors of Science
in Electrical Engineering
(BSEE) degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1961.
He started work in the early 1960s at George A. Philbrick Researches (GAP-R). GAP-R pioneered the first reasonable-cost, mass-produced operational amplifier
("op-amp"): the K2-W. At GAP-R, Pease developed many high-performance op-amps, built with discrete solid-state
components.
In 1976, Pease moved to National Semiconductor Corporation (NSC) as a designer and applications engineer, where he began designing analog monolithic integrated circuits, as well as design reference circuits using these devices. He had advanced to staff scientist by the time of his departure in 2009. During his tenure at NSC, he began writing a popular continuing monthly column called "Pease Porridge" in Electronic Design Magazine
about his experiences in the world of electronic design and application.
Pease was the author of eight books, including Troubleshooting Analog Circuits, and held 21 patents.
His other interests included hiking and biking in remote places, and working on his old Volkswagen Beetle
, which he often mentioned in his columns. Pease's writing was "strongly opinionated, but he could communicate with a wry sense of humor that endeared him to readers whether they agreed with him or not".
, on June 18, 2011. He was leaving a gathering in memory of Jim Williams
, who was another well-known analog circuit designer, a technical author, and a renowned staff engineer working at Linear Technology
. Pease was 70 years old, and was survived by his wife, two sons, and three grand-children. The sudden passing of Pease triggered a small flood of remembrances and tributes from fellow technical writers, practicing engineers, and electronics hardware hacking
enthusiasts.
Analogue electronics
Analogue electronics are electronic systems with a continuously variable signal, in contrast to digital electronics where signals usually take only two different levels. The term "analogue" describes the proportional relationship between a signal and a voltage or current that represents the signal...
integrated circuit
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
design expert and technical author. He designed several very successful "best-seller" integrated circuits, many of them in continuous production for multiple decades. These include the LM331 voltage to frequency converter, and the LM337 adjustable voltage regulator
Voltage regulator
A voltage regulator is an electrical regulator designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage level. A voltage regulator may be a simple "feed-forward" design or may include negative feedback control loops. It may use an electromechanical mechanism, or electronic components...
.
Life and career
Pease was born on August 22, 1940 in Rockville, ConnecticutRockville, Connecticut
Rockville is a census-designated place and a village of the town of Vernon in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2000 census...
. He attended Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts, and subsequently obtained a Bachelors of Science
Bachelors Of Science
Bachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...
in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
(BSEE) degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1961.
He started work in the early 1960s at George A. Philbrick Researches (GAP-R). GAP-R pioneered the first reasonable-cost, mass-produced operational amplifier
Operational amplifier
An operational amplifier is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output...
("op-amp"): the K2-W. At GAP-R, Pease developed many high-performance op-amps, built with discrete solid-state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
components.
In 1976, Pease moved to National Semiconductor Corporation (NSC) as a designer and applications engineer, where he began designing analog monolithic integrated circuits, as well as design reference circuits using these devices. He had advanced to staff scientist by the time of his departure in 2009. During his tenure at NSC, he began writing a popular continuing monthly column called "Pease Porridge" in Electronic Design Magazine
Electronic Design Magazine
First published 55 years ago, Electronic Design is the largest published print magazine for the electronic design industry published in the USA by Penton Media....
about his experiences in the world of electronic design and application.
Pease was the author of eight books, including Troubleshooting Analog Circuits, and held 21 patents.
His other interests included hiking and biking in remote places, and working on his old Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
, which he often mentioned in his columns. Pease's writing was "strongly opinionated, but he could communicate with a wry sense of humor that endeared him to readers whether they agreed with him or not".
Death
Pease was killed in the crash of his 1969 Volkswagen BeetleVolkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
, on June 18, 2011. He was leaving a gathering in memory of Jim Williams
Jim Williams (analog designer)
James M. "Jim" Williams was an analog circuit designer and technical author who worked for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Philbrick, National Semiconductor and Linear Technology Corporation...
, who was another well-known analog circuit designer, a technical author, and a renowned staff engineer working at Linear Technology
Linear Technology
Linear Technology Corporation designs, manufactures and markets a broad line of standard high performance analog integrated circuits. Applications for the company's products include telecommunications, cellular telephones, networking products, notebook and desktop computers, video/multimedia,...
. Pease was 70 years old, and was survived by his wife, two sons, and three grand-children. The sudden passing of Pease triggered a small flood of remembrances and tributes from fellow technical writers, practicing engineers, and electronics hardware hacking
Hackerspace
A hackerspace or hackspace is a location where people with common interests, often in computers, technology, science, or digital or electronic art can meet, socialise and/or collaborate...
enthusiasts.
Publications (partial)
- Troubleshooting Analog Circuits (EDN Series for Design Engineers) (1991) Newnes ISBN 978-0750694995 — An industry standard bench-top reference book for troubleshooting (and designing) analog circuits
- How to Drive Into Accidents ... and How Not To (1998) Pease Pub ISBN 978-0965564816 — An idiosyncratic, entertaining, and insightful book on safe driving techniques, written for novices and experienced drivers alike
- Analog Circuits: World Class Designs (2008) Robert A. Pease, ed., Newnes. ISBN 978-0-7506-8627-3
- Circuit Design: Know It All (2008) Pease and others, Newnes. ISBN 978-1-85617-527-2
See also
- Jim WilliamsJim Williams (analog designer)James M. "Jim" Williams was an analog circuit designer and technical author who worked for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Philbrick, National Semiconductor and Linear Technology Corporation...
— analog circuit designer, technical author, colleague of Bob Pease - Bob WidlarBob WidlarRobert John Widlar was an American electronic engineer and a pioneer of linear integrated circuit design. Widlar invented the basic building blocks of linear ICs like the Widlar current source, the Widlar bandgap voltage reference and the Widlar output stage...
— pioneering analog integrated circuit designer, technical author, colleague at National Semiconductor Corporation, early consultant to Linear TechnologyLinear TechnologyLinear Technology Corporation designs, manufactures and markets a broad line of standard high performance analog integrated circuits. Applications for the company's products include telecommunications, cellular telephones, networking products, notebook and desktop computers, video/multimedia,...
Corporation
External links
- Electronic Design Magazine website
- National Semiconductor website
- Interview with Bob Pease at EEWeb
- How to Drive Into Accidents ... and How Not To chapters at Pease's transtronix.com (archive).