Charles P. Dixon

System Engineer - Performance Accomplishments

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• I was able to accomplish many tasks; some beyond my job title:

  • Testing the 21GTX GUI system for new releases.

  • One time another engineer asked me to look at a problem they were having testing a new feature.  I made a backup copy of the program and using trouble shooting techniques I was able to locate the exact error in a line of code that was causing the program to fail. I circled the error on a printout and the other engineer reported the error to the software development team leader.  Later, the team leader approached me, somewhat startled, asking me how I was able to locate this single line of code as I was a System Engineer, not a software developer, with less than one year out of engineering school. I explained my methods and he just nodded and smiled.

  • We had a prolong issue with one of our remote hardware devices not working correctly when programmed with a new database.  The device seemed to work properly with a factory default database.  I used a logic analyzer to verify the polling data on the communication port.  Using techniques that I learned in school, I was able to access memory locations using a debug port.  I studied the engineering document and found the memory locations used by the polling database.  Using peek and poke, I compared factory memory location values with other equipment that was working correctly. I determined that a particular memory bank was not getting the correct SQL database values when updated. The equipment was still holding the factory default values.  I held a meeting with our parent overseas company to explain the issue.  The firmware was updated at the factory and the device became usable.

  • We had an issue with lightning strikes damaging NEC equipment at TXU.  I designed a circuit that worked in conjunction with lightning arrestors to limit the voltage at our analog alarm input ports. This solved the problem and allowed us to complete the sale.

  • Major Customers: Airtouch Cellular, Lincoln Telephone, TXU Electric, Entergy Utility Company out of the New Orleans NOC. Worked in the customer NOCs and field sites.
     

Personal Accomplishment:

NEC is a multicultural company.  The Japanese co-workers called me Dixonsan.  I wasn't sure what this meant at the time, but I later discovered that adding 'san' to the end of your name was a sign of respect.  I felt honored to be one of the few persons working at NEC America that received this distinction.