Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Circuit Cellar is the Contest Administrator for the Texas Instruments DesignStellaris 2010 Contest (“Contest”). If you can’t find the answer to your question below, please contact us at compadm@circuitcellar.com.

Eligibility
Registration & Registration Number
Eligible Contest Devices
Kit Samples
Entry Materials (abstract, documentation, code)
File Formats
Submission Methods/Deadline
Winning (how to win, what happens when you win, etc.)
Intellectual Property Rights

Eligibility

I am not a U.S. resident. May I enter the Contest?
Yes. The Contest is open anyone who is 18 years or older as of January 20, 2010, regardless of your place of residence. However, foreign entrants are cautioned to review the laws in the country or province in which they reside to determine if they are prohibited from participating.

I work for a major distributor that sells Texas Instruments, Wittenstein and/or Keil Software components. Am I eligible to enter the Contest?
No, you are not eligible to enter. Major distributors of Texas Instruments, Wittenstein and/or Keil Software products are considered affiliates. Direct employees of Circuit Cellar and Texas Instruments, Wittenstein and/or Keil Software, their affiliates, and their advertising, promotion, and production agencies, as well as members of their immediate families, are ineligible.

May I submit multiple entries?
Yes. You may submit as many entries as you want. Each project must have its own Registration Number. Complete a Registration Form to get a Registration Number for each project you intend to submit.

May I submit a project that I submitted to a previous Circuit Cellar design contest?
Technically, yes. However, you must comply with the official rules of this Contest. If you submit a project that you submitted previously, we strongly advise you to modify your original project by improving it and/or adding new features. Don't simply change the core processor. When the Contest concludes, we will select a number of entries to post at www.circuitcellar.com/designstellaris2010. The uniqueness of a project will be a key factor in this decision. We may be less inclined to select a project that is exactly the same as a project that has been posted for a previous contest.
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Registration & Registration Number

Do I have to register for the Contest?
Yes. Complete a Registration Form to register for the Contest. After you register, you will receive your Registration Number, which you must use to label your entry.

Is there a registration deadline?
Technically, no. Registration is required. However, we don’t want to penalize anyone rushing at the last minute. If you forget to register in advance of the Contest deadline, you may still submit an entry. You will be required to complete a Registration Form shortly thereafter.

When I register for the Contest, will I be automatically entered to receive a kit?
No. If you want to request a kit sample, you must fill out the Sample Kit Request Form. Each participant will receive one EKK-LM3S9B96 board and a six-month, full-capabilities Keil license.

What is a Registration Number?
A Registration Number is a six-character alphanumeric code (for example, TI9999) that you will receive after registering your project for the Contest. This Registration Number should be used to label your entry files and documents.

May I include my name in my entry materials?
No. Do NOT put your name on any materials that will be judged. Your name should not appear on your abstract, complete documentation, schematic, photograph, block diagram, other diagrams, or code files. Use your Registration Number to label these files.

May I include my name in e-mails I send to compadm@circuitcellar.com?
Yes. Staff members at Circuit Cellar are the only people who will see your e-mails. The judges will not see your e-mails. The judges will only see your entry materials. Please DO include your name in all correspondence with Circuit Cellar. Also, please include your Registration Number in the subject line of all correspondence with us.

If I’m working with co-designers, do each of us need to register?
No. One person should register for the group. After registering, you will receive one Registration Number to label your entry.

If I’m entering more than one project in the Contest, do I need more than one Registration Number?
Yes. Each entry must have a separate Registration Number. Fill out a Registration Form for each project you intend to submit.

By entering this contest or requesting an EKK-LM3S9B96 Kit, will my contact information be sold to third parties?
No. Your contact information will be used by Texas Instruments, Wittenstein and/or Keil Software and Circuit Cellar personnel only for judging purposes. All Privacy Act conditions apply.
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Eligible Contest Devices

What devices must I use with my project?
Using Texas Instruments EKK-LM3S9B96, contestants are challenged to design a unique application that must use the LM3S9B96, and the embedded SafeRTOS in ROM. Additional points will be awarded for the use of StellarisWare IEC60730 library and for applications which improve safety or reliability. Pending availability each participant will receive one EKK-LM3S9B96 board and a six-month, full-capability Keil license for the length of the design contest. 

Can I use commercial code?
Yes, in some cases. The majority of your source code should not come from a commercial source though. If you use commercial code, you must specify the product you used, the manufacturer/supplier, and which parts of your code are commercial. You cannot use commercial code if the manufacturer/supplier prohibits the posting of the code that you include with your entry. You cannot use commercial code if you are not allowed to use the commercial run-time libraries and shareware in your entry.
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Kit Samples

How do I request an EKK-LM3S9B96 Kit sample?
The Sample Kit request period has ended. There was a finite set of kits, and the supply is now gone.
If you requested a kit, you still might receive one, depending on when your request was received. If you requested a kit after the supply was allocated, you will not receive a kit.

For technical questions regarding the EKK-LM3S9B96, the LM3S9B96’s embedded SafeRTOS in ROM, StellarisWare IEC60730, and Keil license, please go to: www.luminarymicro.com/forums and http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/lm3s9b96.html

When I register for the Contest, will I automatically receive an Evaluation Kit sample?
No. If you want to request a kit sample, you must fill out the Sample Kit Request Form. Each participant is eligible to receive one EKK-LM3S9B96 board and a six-month, full-capabilities Keil license. 

Is the Evaluation Kit free? Do I have to pay shipping and handling costs?
The kit is free to eligible Contest participants on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last. Shipping and handling are free.

By entering the Contest or requesting a Sample Kits, will my contact information be sold to third parties?
No. Your contact information will be used by Texas Instruments, Wittenstein and/or Keil Software and Circuit Cellar personnel only for judging purposes and contact for publication and submittal of actual project purposes, otherwise, all Privacy Act conditions apply.
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Entry Materials

What must I include in my Entry?
Your entry must include certain materials:

Label all files with your Registration Number. For detailed explanations about the required entry materials, click HERE.

 

How do I submit my Entry?
Do NOT e-mail your entry. To submit your entry, you must upload your project files to the Circuit Cellar Dropbox.

If you cannot utilize the FTP drop box, you may send project files on a CD-ROM, DVD, or USB memory stick to the following address, taking care to label all items with your Project Registration Number:

DesignStellaris2010 Contest
Circuit Cellar
PO Box 180
Vernon, CT 06066

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File Formats

What file formats are acceptable?

No PDF

What should I feature in the photograph? What file formats are acceptable?
Your photograph should show your complete project. See file formats in the answer above.

If you embed your photograph in a text file, you must also include a separate file. High-resolution (around 300 dpi) images that are approximately 4 × 4 inches are preferred. Please do not resize or manipulate the photograph in any other way.

What fonts are acceptable?
Use something standard like:

For more information about formatting, click here.

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Submission Methods/Deadline

When should I send in my entry?
The deadline is 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010.
Entries received or postmarked after 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010 are ineligible. It makes sense to submit your entry early. If you submit your entry at least a few business days prior to the deadline, you’ll give us time to check for corrupt files and missing elements. If your zip won’t open, for example, we would have time to e-mail you so you could send a replacement by the deadline.

To whom should I send my entry?
Do NOT e-mail your entry. To submit your entry, you must upload your project files to the Circuit Cellar Dropbox.

If you cannot utilize the FTP drop box, you may send project files on a CD-ROM, DVD, or USB memory stick to the following address, taking care to label all items with your Project Registration Number:

DesignStellaris2010 Contest
Circuit Cellar
PO Box 180
Vernon, CT 06066

What should I do if my entry files are large?
The upload page (Circuit Cellar Dropbox) can accept files up to 2 GB. You may use this page as many times as needed to send additional files. But please be certain to clearly identify your Registration Number in the subject line that is available when you make your upload. For example:

1 of 3, TI9999 entry abstract
2 of 3, TI9999 entry documentation
3 of 3, TI9999 entry code

Should my entry be digital or hard copy?
We prefer digital files. If you cannot send digital files, we will accept hard copies. When sending a hard copy entry, you must include four copies of the entire entry. Mailed entries must be postmarked no later than 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010.

Can I mail my digital entry instead of uploading it?
Yes. We prefer to receive digital files through the upload page, but you may send a CD-ROM, DVD, or USB stick. Mailed entries must be postmarked no later than 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010. See the Enter Project page for more information.

Will I receive confirmation when my entry is received?
Yes. You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your entry within two business days. E-mails are usually sent sooner, but processing may take up to two days. E-mail confirmations typically will be sent during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST). Tip: If you want to ensure that you receive confirmation prior to the Contest deadline, submit your entry early. As you can imagine, we’ll be busy at the end of the contest. Turnaround time for confirmation will be faster if you submit your entry at least a few business days before the deadline.

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Winning

What types of projects win design contests?
The goal of the Contest is to showcase the functionality of the LM3S9B96 and embedded SafeRTOS in ROM. Additional points will be awarded for the use of StellarisWare IEC60730 library and for applications which improve safety or reliability. Both hardware- and software-based applications are acceptable. The entries will be judged equally on technical merit, originality, usefulness, cost-effectiveness, and design optimization. It would be smart to highlight these achievements in your documentation. Call attention to your project’s special features.

How do I put together an entry that will impress the judges?
 #1: Follow the rules. #2: Provide thorough documentation of your project. #3: Organize your entry so it’s easy for the judges to find everything. For detailed instructions on how to prepare your entry, click HERE.

When will winners be notified?
Winners will be notified via e-mail or postal mail on or about August 8, 2010. The list of winners will be posted at www.circuitcellar.com/designstellaris2010.

If I win and have to send in my finished project, will it be returned?
Yes. If you are chosen as a winner, you may be required to ship your project to us for evaluation. Your project will be returned to you.

What is required of a Winner?
All winners will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and release of liability prior to being declared a winner. All winners are required to comply with all reasonable requests for tax identification and will be required to provide a Social Security number (U.S. residents only) before receiving any prize. All properly claimed prizes will be awarded. Only the prizes specified in the numbers indicated will be awarded. Total cash value of Contest prizes is $10,000.

Are there other opportunities besides the Contest prizes?
Sure! We traditionally post noteworthy entries alongside the winning entries. This is a great opportunity for you to get noticed in the field and be recognized for your design skills.

Additionally, we’re always looking for new articles for Circuit Cellar magazine. If you design a great application, we may contact you about writing an article.

 

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Intellectual Property Rights

Will the Contest Sponsor or Administrator own the intellectual property rights to my contest entry?
No. The design remains the intellectual property of the Participant, subject to your agreement to license grants for prize-winning entries and exceptional entries as set forth in the rules. Such license grants pertain to the contest sponsor and administrator's non-exclusive publishing rights to the contest entry material of winners and exceptional entries without limitation. We encourage all Participants to seek patents for any unique or proprietary aspects of their design prior to submission. Ultimately, you're always still in control of your intellectual property. Even after your project is posted, if some manufacturer approaches you about putting your design into volume production, you still own all the IP rights and they can only negotiate with you. Believe us when we tell you that Texas Instruments would like nothing better than to know that a dozen project entries became volume commercial products using its devices. The free enterprise system is the best way to achieve that goal.

If I submit a project that becomes a winner or is designated as exceptional, does it have to be posted?
Yes and No. There are contest rules that tell you how things will be happening, but it doesn't end there. We have a separate and specific eligibility and publishing agreement that must be signed by each winner or Distinctive Excellence designee which is a final chance to decide if the benefits of the contest publicity or the prize money are still greater than doing something else with the project. Our contests are all about mating an exceptional device with exceptional design talents. We want you to feel that you can design a commercial-grade product and submit it to this contest without losing control of it later if you choose otherwise. If you win or receive a Distinctive Excellence notification, you still get to decide that the contest publicity is going to do more to promote your abilities or product design than other methods. With the exception of the publishable project abstract described in the rules, your full project entry materials are treated as proprietary materials by the Contest Administrator and the judges. Except for the Circuit Cellar staff and the judging team, no one, including the Sponsor, sees your full entry unless you have signed the Eligibility and Publishing Agreement after the contest judging.

What happens to my project if it's not selected as a winner or for additional posting opportunities through Circuit Cellar?
In a case where Circuit Cellar and Texas Instruments don't offer a Distinctive Excellence or winner's posting agreement to a Participant, or don't receive a signed agreement from the Participant who was sent an agreement, Circuit Cellar deletes the full project entry materials from the contest archives. However, as stated in the rules, Circuit Cellar and Texas Instruments retain the right to still publicly show the Project's abstract. This is why it is highly recommended that Participants create their own abstracts. By creating, clearly specifying, and submitting your own abstract, you also maintain control over how much overall project detail you want circulated without first knowing that your project is among the contest winners or a Circuit Cellar Distinctive Excellence (DE) candidate.

Who sees my contest entry and do they sign non-disclosure agreements?
Everyone handling your full contest entry is bound by a non-disclosure agreement. The design contest is fully administered by Circuit Cellar staff. This means that when you submit a contest entry, your project files will be assembled by in-house editors and packaged for final presentation to the 3rd party contest judges. The judges are independent professionals. They are not employees or representatives of the contest sponsor and they all sign non-disclosure agreements. Your full contest entry, excluding your abstract as described above, which may be shared with the Sponsor, is not transmitted to anyone other than internal Circuit Cellar editorial staff and the 3rd party judges until your project is designated to be an official prize winner or distinctive excellence award winner and you sign a separate agreement giving Circuit Cellar and the contest Sponsor non-exclusive publishing rights as described in the rules. Even after signing this agreement you still own the Intellectual Property. Any complete projects not designated as winners or DE awards are deleted from our archives after the contest.

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