Official Rules | DesignStellaris 2010 Contest

Official Rules and Regulations

 

General Submission Rules

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Decisions of Circuit Cellar ("Contest Administrator") are final. By virtue of participation, the Participant:

Who May Enter

Any individual or group of individuals, age 18 and over as of the date of entry, may enter the Contest. Direct employees of the Sponsor, the Contest Administrator, or their affiliates, advertising, promotion, production agencies, members of their immediate families, or those with whom they are domiciled are not eligible. In addition, anyone living in a country, province, or state where the Contest is prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted under national, federal, provincial, state and local laws, rules, or regulations is ineligible. Participants who are residents of a country, state, or province that prohibits unregistered contests or requires the Contest Sponsor to post a bond are ineligible.

 

How to Enter

The term “Entry” refers to your Abstract, Complete Documentation, and Code collectively (e.g., all together in one ZIP file). Each Project entered in the Contest must be the original work and sole and exclusive property of the person or team who submits it or the Participant must have written legal permission from the property owner. In the case of Projects owned by other parties, the written legal permission must be included with the Entry. Entries should be submitted in digital format and must be written in English. Entries may be submitted in hard copy format by prior arrangement. For an Entry to be deemed acceptable, the entrant must first submit a completed registration form. All Entries must be received on or before 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010. Entries received or postmarked after 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010 are ineligible.

Each Project entered in the Contest must be the original work and sole and exclusive property of the person or team who submits it, or the Participant must have written legal permission from the property owner. In the case of Projects owned by other parties, the written legal permission must be included with the 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

After the Participant receives a Registration number, the following items should be submitted for an entry to be deemed acceptable:

    1. The abstract is a publishable synopsis of the Project (approx. 500 words) in Microsoft Word or ASCII text, including a block diagram of the design, a project photograph, software code sample, and a schematic in a single document (the block diagram, project photograph, and schematic must also be supplied as separate files in addition). Acceptable file formats for graphics files are JPG, GIF, TIF, BMP, and EPS. Note: If the Participant uses a Stellaris demonstration/development board, then the schematic only needs to show the connections to the board and any circuitry added by the Participant.
    2. Unless the Participant specifically designates a separate abstract file that is complete with the necessary description, schematic, diagram, photograph, and software code to constitute the required publishable abstract, the Participant grants Circuit Cellar the right to utilize schematics, diagrams, descriptions, software listings, and photographs incorporated within the full entry documentation as necessary to complete the abstract.
    1. The "complete documentation" must include: a detailed text description of the Project and its operation (no page limit); source code; at least one block diagram; and a complete schematic(s) (Note: If the Participant uses a Stellaris demonstration/development board, then the schematic only needs to show the connections to the board and any circuitry added by the Participant.); and any additional photographs, movies, diagrams, screen shots, tables, flowcharts, etc. Acceptable formats for documentation are Microsoft Word and ASCII text. Acceptable formats for graphics files such as photographs, block diagrams, screen shots, and schematics are JPG, GIF, TIF, BMP, and EPS. While the graphics files may be embedded in the project documentation, the images must also be provided as individual files.
    1. The Entry must include complete source code. The object/executable code must be able to be recreated by a third party. The code for the project must be developed using Keil's RealView Microcontroller Development Kit and the code must be packaged and presented as part of the complete Project folder.

Participants are challenged to design a unique application (“Project”) that must use the Texas Instruments (“Sponsor”) LM3S9B96 and make use of 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. When a Sample Kit Request is approved, a Participant will receive one EKK-LM3S9B96 board and a six-month, full-capability Keil license. Any application code must be created with the provided Keil software.

All Entries must be received on or before 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010. Entries received or postmarked after 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010 are ineligible.

The design remains the intellectual property of the Participant. All Participants who submit an Entry in the Contest agree to grant the Contest Administrator non-exclusive, assignable, full-publication rights of the Contest Project if they win. Software submitted with any Project Entry remains the property of the Participant; however, winning Participants agree to provide the Contest Administrator a non-exclusive, assignable, right to copy, reproduce, display, publish, and disseminate this software in any media, without any territorial limitation, as part of any winning-Project presentation and to assign all rights, title and interest in the software to the Sponsor. Prior publication or the prior Internet posting of essential components in an Entry are not grounds for disqualification. The publication rights described herein refer only to the actual materials submitted as the Contest Entry and not the entire Project. All winning Projects will be posted (electronic/Internet media) at the discretion of the Sponsor and the Contest Administrator. All Participants entering Projects in the Contest assign to the Sponsor and the Contest Administrator the right to publish (in print or electronic/Internet media) the submitted or extracted abstract (including the block diagram, photograph, schematic, and software code sample).

Participants may enter more than one Project but must submit each with a separate Registration Number. There should be no personal identification or corporate affiliation markings on ANY of the submitted materials. The Participant's name, address, or corporate affiliation should appear ONLY ON THE REGISTRATION FORM. Only the assigned Registration Number should be used as an ID for the Project materials. Participants who leave their names in headers, footers, table of contents pages, schematics, etc. may be disqualified.

All Entries must be received on or before 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010. Entries received or postmarked after 1:00 PM EST on June 23, 2010 are ineligible. The Contest Administrator and the Sponsor assume no responsibility for lost, late, or misdirected entries. Proof of transmission of an Entry to the Contest Administrator will not constitute proof of receipt of said Entry.

The design remains the intellectual property of the Participant. To avoid additional shipping and organizational difficulties, all copies of Entry documentation become the property of the Contest Administrator and will not be returned. All Participants who submit an Entry in the Contest agree to grant the Contest Administrator non-exclusive, assignable, full-publication rights of the Contest Project if they are among the contest winners. Software submitted with any Project Entry remains the property of the Participant; however, winning Participants agree to provide the Contest Administrator a non-exclusive, assignable, right to copy, reproduce, display, publish, and disseminate this software in any media, and without territorial limitation, as part of any winning-Project presentation. Prior publication or the prior Internet posting of essential ingredients in an Entry are not grounds for disqualification.

The publication rights described herein refer only to the materials submitted as the Contest Entry. All winning Projects will be posted (electronic/Internet media) at the discretion of the Sponsor and the Contest Administrator. All Participants entering Projects in the Contest assign to the Sponsor and the Contest Administrator the right to publish (in print or electronic/Internet media) the submitted or extracted abstract (including the block diagram, photograph, schematic, and software code sample).

 

Registration Form

To enter the contest, you must first have a Registration Number. The completed registration form may be submitted online, via fax, or mail to the address listed below. After the registration form is received, the Contest Administrator will respond via the same means or e-mail if an e-mail address is given with an assigned Registration Number. This number is used to identify the specific Project being submitted and should be attached to all Entry documentation and to any correspondence.

 

How to Win

All Contest entries will be judged by the Contest Administrator and a panel of judges selected by the Contest Administrator on the following: technical merit, originality, usefulness, cost-effectiveness, and design optimization. Additional points will be awarded for the use of StellarisWare IEC60730 library and for applications which improve safety or reliability. In the event of a tie, the tied Entry with the highest score in the technical merit category will be deemed the winner. In the event of a further tie, the tied Entry with the highest score in the usefulness category will be selected. Contest judges have been chosen based on their familiarity with engineering design, Stellaris EKK-LM3S9B96 (and SafeRTOS) component knowledge, and experience. Participants agree to abide by all decisions of the Contest Administrator, which shall be final and binding with respect to all issues relating to the Contest.

 

Prizes

The following prizes will be awarded:

Legal Considerations

The odds of winning depend on the number of acceptable entries received and the decision of the Contest Administrator and judges. The prizes will be awarded and mailed to the winners. The Sponsor is solely responsible for the payment of all prizes. Upon delivery to the winner's address, the Sponsor will be deemed to have awarded the prize to the winner with the winner assuming full responsibility for the prize. There will be no substitution for prizes other than as offered. Each winner, and not the Contest Administrator or the Sponsor, is solely responsible for all other arrangements, costs and expenses associated with and receiving their prize, including without limitation, any taxes or other fees imposed by a government authority. All Participants and winners agree that signing the Contest registration form or otherwise registering online via e-mail constitutes agreement to the terms and conditions of the Entry rules. Winners will be required to sign an additional liability waiver and statement of eligibility before receiving any prize. Winners will be notified by mail, e-mail, and/or telephone. The Contest Administrator’s decision is final. If a winner fails to respond within 30 days of notification, an alternate winner will be selected. Prizes are not transferable.

Entries made on the Internet will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of Entry. In the event of a dispute, potential winners may be required to provide proof that the potential winner is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the potentially winning Entry. By completing a registration form and submitting an Entry, the Participant certifies that the Project entered in the Contest is their work, or that they have written legal permission from the property owner. Furthermore, they have read and understand the complete rules of the Contest and agree to abide by them.

By entering, Participants agree to release and hold harmless the Contest Administrator, the Sponsor and each of their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, representatives, agents, and employees, from any and all liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising from or in connection with, either directly or indirectly, 1) the awarding, acceptance, receipt, possession, use, and/or misuse of any prize awarded herein; or 2) participation in the Contest or any prize related activities, including but not limited to traveling to or from any prize related activity. By accepting a prize, Participants consent to the use of their name, photograph and/or likeness, address, voice, and statements made by or attributed to them, in perpetuity, in any and all media now known or hereafter developed (including, without limitation, print, broadcast, and Internet), for all legitimate business purposes including advertising and promotional activities without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. The Contest Administrator and the Sponsor are not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate entry of information including, but not limited to, technical malfunctions, human error, lost/delayed data transmission, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, line failures of any telephone network, computer equipment, software or any combination thereof, Entry materials that have been tampered with, or e-mail or mail-in entries that are illegible, late, lost, damaged, postage due, or misdirected. The Contest Administrator and the Sponsor are not responsible for any injury or damage to the Participant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any material in this Contest. Entries that have been tampered with or altered are void.

The Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend this Contest if it becomes technically corrupted or if for any reason the Internet portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infections by computer viruses, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor or the Contest Administrator that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest promotion.

 

Sponsor and Contest Administrator

Texas Instruments is the Contest Sponsor. Circuit Cellar Inc. is the Contest Administrator.

 

Copyright (c)2010 Circuit Cellar Inc. All rights reserved.