Stanley Mazor
Encyclopedia
Stanley Mazor is an American engineer who was born on 22 October 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of the designers of the world's first microprocessor
, the Intel 4004
, together with Ted Hoff, Masatoshi Shima
, and Federico Faggin
.
from which he graduated in 1959. He enrolled in San Francisco State University
(SFSU), majoring in math and studying helicopter design and construction as a hobby. Mazor met his future wife Maurine at SFSU and they wed in 1962. Around the same time, he became interested in computers and learned to program SFSU’s IBM 1620
computer, taking a position as a professor’s assistant and teaching other students to use the technology. Meanwhile, he continued to study computer architecture in technical manuals outside of school.
, followed by a position as computer designer in the Digital Research Department, where he co-patented “Symbol,” a high-level language computer.
In 1969, he joined the year-old Intel Corporation
, and was soon assigned to work with Ted Hoff on a project to help define the architecture of a microprocessor
—often dubbed a “computer-on-a-chip”—based on a concept developed earlier by Hoff. The Japanese calculator manufacturer Busicom
asked Intel to complete the design and manufacture of a new set of chips. Credited along with Faggin, Hoff, and Masatoshi Shima
of Busicom as co-inventor, Mazor helped define the architecture and the instruction set for the revolutionary new chip, dubbed the Intel 4004
.
Although there was an initial reluctance on the part of Intel marketing to undertake the support and sale of these products to general customers, Hoff, Mazor, and Faggin actively campaigned for their announcement to the industry and helped define a support strategy that the company could accept. Intel finally announced the 4004 in 1971.
After working as a computer designer for six years, Mazor moved to Brussels
, Belgium where he continued to work for Intel, now as an application engineer helping customers to use the company’s products. He returned to California the following year, and began teaching, first in Intel’s Technical Training group, and later at Stanford University
and the University of Santa Clara. Various teaching engagements took him around the world, including Stellenbosch, South Africa; Stockholm
, Sweden; and Nanjing
, China. In 1984, Mazor joined Silicon Compiler Systems. In 2008, Mazor was the Training Director of BEA Systems
.
, he published a book on chip design language entitled A Guide to VHDL. Over the course of his career, Mazor has also published fifty articles.
, and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
. In 2009 the four were inducted as Fellows of the Computer History Museum
. In 2010, Mazor and his co-inventors Hoff and Faggin, were awarded the National Medal of Technology
by President Barack Obama.
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
, the Intel 4004
Intel 4004
The Intel 4004 was a 4-bit central processing unit released by Intel Corporation in 1971. It was the first complete CPU on one chip, and also the first commercially available microprocessor...
, together with Ted Hoff, Masatoshi Shima
Masatoshi Shima
is a Japanese electronics engineer, who was one of the designers of the world's first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, along with Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stanley Mazor....
, and Federico Faggin
Federico Faggin
Federico Faggin , who received in 2010 the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by Barack Obama, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on scientists, engineers, and inventors, at the White House in Washington, is an Italian-born and naturalized U.S...
.
Early years
As a youth, Mazor's family moved to California, where he attended Oakland High SchoolOakland High School (California)
Oakland Senior High School is a public high school in California. Established in 1869, it is the oldest high school in Oakland, California and the sixth oldest high school in the state.-Background:...
from which he graduated in 1959. He enrolled in San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
(SFSU), majoring in math and studying helicopter design and construction as a hobby. Mazor met his future wife Maurine at SFSU and they wed in 1962. Around the same time, he became interested in computers and learned to program SFSU’s IBM 1620
IBM 1620
The IBM 1620 was announced by IBM on October 21, 1959, and marketed as an inexpensive "scientific computer". After a total production of about two thousand machines, it was withdrawn on November 19, 1970...
computer, taking a position as a professor’s assistant and teaching other students to use the technology. Meanwhile, he continued to study computer architecture in technical manuals outside of school.
Career Summary
In 1964, he became a programmer with Fairchild SemiconductorFairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. is an American semiconductor company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1957, it was a pioneer in transistor and integrated circuit manufacturing...
, followed by a position as computer designer in the Digital Research Department, where he co-patented “Symbol,” a high-level language computer.
In 1969, he joined the year-old Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
, and was soon assigned to work with Ted Hoff on a project to help define the architecture of a microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
—often dubbed a “computer-on-a-chip”—based on a concept developed earlier by Hoff. The Japanese calculator manufacturer Busicom
Busicom
Busicom was a Japanese company that owned the rights to the first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, which they created in partnership with Intel in 1970....
asked Intel to complete the design and manufacture of a new set of chips. Credited along with Faggin, Hoff, and Masatoshi Shima
Masatoshi Shima
is a Japanese electronics engineer, who was one of the designers of the world's first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, along with Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stanley Mazor....
of Busicom as co-inventor, Mazor helped define the architecture and the instruction set for the revolutionary new chip, dubbed the Intel 4004
Intel 4004
The Intel 4004 was a 4-bit central processing unit released by Intel Corporation in 1971. It was the first complete CPU on one chip, and also the first commercially available microprocessor...
.
Although there was an initial reluctance on the part of Intel marketing to undertake the support and sale of these products to general customers, Hoff, Mazor, and Faggin actively campaigned for their announcement to the industry and helped define a support strategy that the company could accept. Intel finally announced the 4004 in 1971.
After working as a computer designer for six years, Mazor moved to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium where he continued to work for Intel, now as an application engineer helping customers to use the company’s products. He returned to California the following year, and began teaching, first in Intel’s Technical Training group, and later at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and the University of Santa Clara. Various teaching engagements took him around the world, including Stellenbosch, South Africa; Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden; and Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, China. In 1984, Mazor joined Silicon Compiler Systems. In 2008, Mazor was the Training Director of BEA Systems
BEA Systems
BEA Systems, Inc. specialized in enterprise infrastructure software products known as "middleware", which connect software applications to databases and was acquired by Oracle Corporation on April 29, 2008.- History :...
.
Publications
In 1993, then working at SynopsysSynopsys
Synopsys, Inc. is one of the largest companies in the Electronic Design Automation industry. Synopsys' first and best-known product is Design Compiler, a logic-synthesis tool. Synopsys offers a wide range of other products used in the design of an application-specific integrated circuit...
, he published a book on chip design language entitled A Guide to VHDL. Over the course of his career, Mazor has also published fifty articles.
Recognition
Along with his co-inventors Hoff, Faggin, and Shima he has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Ron Brown American Innovator Award, the 1997 Kyoto PrizeKyoto Prize
The has been awarded annually since 1985 by the Inamori Foundation, founded by Kazuo Inamori. The prize is a Japanese award similar in intent to the Nobel Prize, as it recognizes outstanding works in the fields of philosophy, arts, science and technology...
, and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The Hall of Fame honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human,...
. In 2009 the four were inducted as Fellows of the Computer History Museum
Computer History Museum
The Computer History Museum is a museum established in 1996 in Mountain View, California, USA. The Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the stories and artifacts of the information age, and exploring the computing revolution and its impact on our lives.-History:The museum's origins...
. In 2010, Mazor and his co-inventors Hoff and Faggin, were awarded the National Medal of Technology
National Medal of Technology
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology...
by President Barack Obama.
External links
- IEEE Global History Network
- National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Scribd article on Architectural Innovation in Microprocessors
- The History of the 4004 1996 paper in IEEE Micro (ISSN:0272-1732)