Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Applicationnotes
Publicationsconferences
Training
Timeline
Generic
Baskaran Chidambaram

Baskaran Chidambaram

Bangalore | Https://www.linkedin.com/in/baskaranindia

Summary

Experienced lead software engineer specializing in embedded system software development. Demonstrated expertise in concept definitions, analysis, design, and development. Holds prestigious "Member Group Technical Staff (MGTS)" title at Texas Instruments.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work History

ROM and Security Expert

Iontra India Prv Ltd
Bangalore
01.2024 - Current
  • Led the device security architecture definition covering device use cases, life cycle states, debug support, failure analysis, and access restrictions to credentials.
  • Drove the implementation of Boot ROM and Secure Boot, covering crypto accelerator drivers and elliptic curve-based image authentication.
  • Additional features, such as tamper detection, ROM patch, boot loader, firewall configurations, clock configurations, etc.
  • Led the engagement with 3P for security architecture review and code review.
  • Drove the flash writer implementation, focusing on secure key provisioning and code provisioning.
  • Guided the team to implement scripts on PC to generate the encrypted and authenticated images and keys to enable secure provisioning.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional team on many tasks to enable the right mix of features to go into the device.

Boot ROM Firmware Manager

Texas Instruments
Bangalore
01.2018 - 12.2023
  • Successfully developed Boot ROM firmware for 5 System-on-Chips on time without any post-silicon issues
  • Key features include device initialization/configuration, trim loading for analog modules, SRAM Repair, clock initialization, security, peripheral bootloaders, secure flash boot, Live Firmware Update
  • Conceptualized and influenced key stakeholders to add Hardware patching (flexible in patching any location) to address the limitations of software patching
  • End to end project ownership right from coordinating with stakeholders to identify the requirements and dependencies, developing SW design document, implementation, developing test plans and test cases, pre and post silicon validation and generating the test report
  • Setup build, test and release mechanism for the Boot ROM software (Docker and Jenkins pipeline based)
  • Test Automation and Flows necessary for the generation of Functional safety artifacts (includes traceability, MISRA reports, Dynamic analysis reports etc.)
  • Led a team of 3 Software engineers: ramping up quickly, mentoring them, debug support, providing feedback on strengths and improvement areas
  • Led the initiative to enable Boot ROM knowledge sharing across multiple teams working on boot ROM.
  • ROM development for Hardware Security Module (HSM), enabling secure boot of the device. Developed the software design and implemented the same, covering life cycle states, access restrictions, app core setup, key and code provisioning, restricted debug, enabling failure analysis, among many others.

Software Architect

Texas Instruments
Bangalore
01.2017 - 12.2017
  • Live Firmware Update architecture and software development: Live Firmware Update is updating the firmware of the device in a live system without impacting the output (no device reset)
  • Prototyped and implemented LFU solution F28004x device with dual flash banks
  • Drove the features needed at device level, compiler, SW collaterals, system solutions on F28003x that enabled C2000 to stay competitive (Software swap within 5us) in Server Power Supply Unit (PSU) market
  • Proposed to include Hardware features such as Interrupt Vector table swap, a dedicated bit to indicate that LFU is in progress, RAM swap to handle function pointers
  • All of these features enable quicker switch over to new firmware
  • Proposed new features in compiler and drove their implementation with compiler team to enable ease of use and reduced switchover time
  • Defined an efficient SW flow for performing LFU on Control Law Accelerator (CLA, a task-based CPU) which avoided the need for HW change and the risks associated with that

Lead Software Engineer

Texas Instruments
Bangalore
01.2014 - 12.2016
  • Led a team of 3 engineers developing low level drivers for multiple peripherals in C2000 SoC
  • Setting performance and development goals for the team members, tracking, providing regular feedback and conducting performance appraisals
  • Guided the team to develop External memory interface driver, Proprietary serial interface driver and fixing MISRA C violations and full process adherence
  • Lead the team to develop MCAL (Microcontroller Abstraction Layer) which is part of AUTOSAR, following ASIL-B requirements of ISO 26262
  • Played a key role in driving the AUTOSAR strategy, built working relationship with top AUTOSAR vendors (EB, ETAS, Vector and ArcCore) and analyzed the challenges of the proprietary CPU

Lead Software Engineer

Texas Instruments
Bangalore
12.2010 - 12.2013
  • Developed cache driver (including outer cache PL310), GIC interrupt controller driver
  • Ported graphics library and related applications from StellarisWare platform
  • Involved in developing Out-of-Box demo for EVM of TI SoC's AM1808 and AM335x
  • Involved in developing power management module for AM33XX soc which manages different sleep modes and standby mode, display sleep/wake latency time and the power consumption in each rail in the Soc
  • Involved in developing framework for automating the testing process which reduces the testing overhead for each release
  • Involved in pre-silicon validation for AM335x and AM437x SoC's
  • Communicating with customers and field engineers on the requirements, priority and training
  • Interacting with HW team and ROM team during design phase on the feasible sequence for power management

Sr Software Engineer

Honeywell
Bangalore
06.2006 - 12.2010
  • Design and implementation of Scheduler(Rate Monotonic Scheduling)
  • Implementation of Power Interrupt handling, MMU (Memory Management Unit)
  • Implementation of GNSS(GPS) driver, Interrupt handling, Built-in-Tests and appropriate recovery mechanism
  • Porting Executive(Scheduler) module of Flight Management System(FMS) to Nucleus platform on PowerPC
  • Analyzing timing requirements for different modules(vertical nav, lateral nav, Redundancy Management, Navigation performance)
  • Implementation of Exception handling, Defect logging & restart mechanisms
  • Involved in integration of different modules like FMS, Displays, Taws and Platforms
  • Exposure to device drivers - I2C, SPI, GPIO, RTC, UART, PWM

Education

BE - Electrical and Electronics Engineering

PSG College of Technology
Coimbatore
05-2006

Applicationnotes

  • CRC Engines in C2000 Devices
  • Live Firmware Update Without Device Reset on C2000 MCUs
  • C2000 Software Controlled Firmware Update Process

Publicationsconferences

  • 11th International Conference on Embedded Systems and Applications (EMSA 2022), Key learnings from pre-silicon safety compliant boot ROM firmware development
  • TI Technical Leadership Conference TLC 2020, LFU without device reset using C2000TM MCUs in high availability systems
  • 22nd International Conference on Embedded Systems (VLSID 2023), Live & Seamless Firmware Upgrade in Real Time Control Systems
  • Sitara Workshop, Presented on StarterWare at Sitara external workshop where 200 participants from customers, colleges, marketing benefitted
  • Amirta Institute of technology, Hands on training on StarterWare and BeagleBone to around 50 professors and lecturers from various institutions

Training

  • Fundamentals of Secure Coding and Designing secure Bootloaders from Riscure
  • Functional Safety Certified professionals (FSCP) programs for Level -1 Training

Timeline

ROM and Security Expert

Iontra India Prv Ltd
01.2024 - Current

Boot ROM Firmware Manager

Texas Instruments
01.2018 - 12.2023

Software Architect

Texas Instruments
01.2017 - 12.2017

Lead Software Engineer

Texas Instruments
01.2014 - 12.2016

Lead Software Engineer

Texas Instruments
12.2010 - 12.2013

Sr Software Engineer

Honeywell
06.2006 - 12.2010

BE - Electrical and Electronics Engineering

PSG College of Technology
Baskaran Chidambaram