IEEE History Center: Irwin Jacobs Abstract

Irwin Jacobs (29 October 1999)

Jacobs got a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell (1956), and an MS (1957) and a PhD (1959) from MIT, working on information theory and communications, with a thesis on probabilistic networks. He joined the faculty of the University of California of San Diego in 1966. He co-founded the Linkabit consulting company with Andrew Viterbi in 1971. Linkabit (by itself, and as part of M/A COM after 1980) developed the micro-coded multi-satellite terminal, VSATs, the Videocipher TV scrambler/descrambler, and the first commercial TDMA wireless phone. In 2985 he left Linkabit and co-founded Qualcomm. Qualcomm has developed OmniTRACS, Globalstar low-orbit satellites, technology for digital cinema, and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) for commercial wireless and satellite communication. He discusses his participation in the IEEE Communication Society and Information Theory Society, the evolution of the digital communications field, the change of emphasis from analog techniques to digital techniques, and the importance of industry standards and standardization for technological development and competition, particularly in relation to Globalstar, OmniTRACS, and CDMA.

2-3	From the Cornell School of Hotel Administration to Electrical Engineering. Graduated from Cornell in 1956
3	Master (1957) and Doctorate (1959) from MIT. Work in communications
4	Joined UCSD in 1966. Founded a consulting company (LINKABIT) with Andy Viterbi. LINKABIT's innovative products
5-7	Started QUALCOMM in 1985. Company's main developments: OmniTRACS, Globalstar, technology for digital cinema, CDMA
8	Relation to IRE and IEEE Communication Society
9-11	Beginnings of digital communications field. Air Force satellite equipment program and development of the dual modem
12	Change of emphasis from analog techniques to digital techniques among IEEE people
13-16	Standardization in relation to Globalstar, OmniTRACS, and CDMA.
16-17	Importance of standards, standardization and competition

UCSD	University of California at San Diego
CDMA	Code Division Multiple Access
IRE	Institute of Radio Engineers
IEEE	Institute of Electric and Electronics Engineers