Charles G. Seagrave
After 17 years with Dolby Laboratories, where he led the engineering team that developed the Dolby Digital multi-channel film sound format, and developed the Digital Technologies Licensing program, Charles founded Seagrave Instruments in July, 2007, to develop the LASSIE System.
As Project Engineer and DAFFODIL Project lead, Dolby
Laboratories Film Group (1989-1996), Charles led the team that developed the Dolby Digital motion
picture film sound format. He was responsible for system
architecture, and 6 classes of products: DS-10,
recorder and AC-3 formatter; CA-10 Film recorder;
2 models of print head adapters; DA-10 and follow-on
DA-20 cinema decoder adapters.
Following the release of the DA-20, and based on his expertise in integrated circuit design
and test, Charles joined Dolby Laboratories' Licensing Division
to develop a team focused on specifying, testing
and reporting on newly developed digital technologies,
as used in Laser Disc, DVD, and HDTV products. As Director, Engineering Licensing, and General
Manager, Digital Technologies, Charles introduced domestic and Far East licensees to Dolby
Digital technologies, and created the first Digital Licensing
manual and support group. He
grew a small team of 3 into a section of 25 employees.
Charles directed 3 managers and 2 senior level staff who
dealt with the growth of digital technologies from
less that 1% to over 70% of licensing revenue ($120
million in FY 2001.) Three of Charles' direct reports
were recognized with an Emmy award for their contributions to the development
of the AC-3 soundtrack for the DVD format.
He has also personally trained
over 400 employees in Continuous Improvement techniques.
EDUCATION
AeA / Stanford Executive Institute – Intense
2 week residential course in business management.
M.S.I.
Scientific Instrumentation, UC Santa Barbara Dept.
of Physics. Applied Electrical Engineering with
focus on developing microprocessor-based instrumentation.
Analog and digital circuit theory and design. Thesis
project was an arbitrary waveform generator / analyzer
for use in hermit crab shell fighting behavior.
Also developed a video input inverse metronome.
A.B.
Occidental College, Independent Pattern of Study
in Musical Technology
Three years of Physics, 2 of Music, and advanced
courses in Audio and Acoustics (UCSB) and Electrical
Engineering (Caltech).
HONORS AWARDED
AMPAS (Academy Award – Science and Technical
Plaque 1996) awarded to Dolby Laboratories for the
Development of the Dolby Digital Sound System. Charles
attended the awards ceremony with Ray Dolby, who
accepted the plaque.
4 US patents awarded, and the LASSIE System is patent pending.
5,544,140 - Storage medium and apparatus and method
for recovering information from such medium by oversampling.
5,710,752 - Apparatus using one optical sensor to
recover audio information from analog and digital
soundtrack carried on motion picture film
5,757,465 - Storage medium for carrying information
encoded in two dimensions
6,211,940 - Selecting analog or digital motion picture
sound tracks
AVOCATIONS
Charles is a member of the US Power Squadron
and an avid a cappella singer with Flying Without Instruments
