Hans R. Camenzind
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Hans R. Camenzind (born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1934) is an electronics engineer most famous for inventing the 555 timer IC in 1970. He has also acquired 20 US patents, written numerous books and technical articles, and lectured at the University of Santa Clara.
He received an MSEE from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara. After several years doing research in the Boston area, he moved to the West Coast to join Signetics (now Philips) and later started his own company, Interdesign. After heading it for seven years he sold Interdesign to Plessey. Since then he has been an independent design consultant in analog IC design.
During his career he has written three textbooks, designed the first integrated class D amplifier, introduced the phase-locked loop concept to ICs, invented the semicustom IC and created the 555 timer. He has designed 140 standard and custom ICs as of 2006.
Camenzind's latest book, Much Ado About Almost Nothing, a general audience book on the history of electronics, was published in February 2007. Other books in publication include Designing Analog Chips.
