Projects

(This site is obsolete - please go to our current site at www.northlat.com)

Some examples of North Latitude Technology projects...

Security Dialer Interface for Monitoring System

A client had a PC-based system that performed monitoring of environmental conditions. Their objective was to enhance the system to add the capability to communicate events to a security monitoring station. Here are some the elements of the solution that was implemented:

• identified conditions to report, and confirmed that Contact ID was a suitable format to transmit them
• selected cost-effective, off-the-shelf components that would interface with the PC to transmit Contact-ID
• designed a DLL interface as preferred by the developer of the main monitoring application
• identified and controlled a firmware defect in the off-the-shelf components (ah, the unexpected!)
• wrote and tested the communicator application, working in the client's specified language: Visual Basic
• prepared installation and use documentation for the application

Wireless Adapter

Another client had a RF transceiver with a specialized interface. They wanted a general-purpose interface for their security application. To accomplish this, we:

• researched competitive products
• wrote specifications for the interface, taking advantage of the transceiver's special functions
• worked with client to refine and release the specifications
• worked with an offshore development firm to get a development quote
• tracked progress on the actual developent
• provided technology support for the offshore development team

Design Outsourcing

A client had a set of specifications for a number of related products, and needed to identify a cost-effective offshore development group to design the products. The products incorporate an interesting mix of electronic hardware, firmware, RF electronics and PC applications. Work done to meet this challenge included:

• researched on the Internet to identify 40 candidate groups
• prepare and send an email questionnaire to make contact with the candidates
• conduct phone discussions with 10 finalist groups
• coordinate non-disclosure agreement execution with finalists
• establish and maintain a secure FTP site to publish the specifications
• transmit a request for proposal to the finalist groups, answer questions as needed
• evaluate and summarize responses from groups, recommend 3 for final selection
• travel to the selected firm to kick off the design work
• provide technical support to offshore group, supervise development and QA work during development

Firmware Review

In a project that was late, there was mounting concern that the delivered firmware would be poorly structured and documented. To prevent this, a series of firmware reviews were implemented. Working with Internet tools and shifting work hours somewhat, interactive design reviews were held with a development team in India. Thousands of lines of code were discussed, and several sections were identified to be rewritten. Overall documentation quality increased substantially, even before the review sessions were complete.

Other Projects

Ask Ted about some of these other interesting projects:

• develop Internet protocol for security event communications
• on-line application for multi-site access to billls of material
• architecture for an online system for updating embedded products
• protocol converter to Internet-enable an embedded device
• manage FCC testing of an offshore-designed product
• many others....