Official Contest Rules - Contests - TI University Program

2012-2013 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS ANALOG DESIGN CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

No Purchase or Payment Necessary to Enter or Win

For purposes of these official contest rules (“Rules”), “TI” shall mean Texas Instruments Incorporated and its subsidiaries. TI is also referred to herein as “Sponsor.”

CONTEST DESCRIPTION
1.	This Analog Design Contest (this “Contest”) is designed to encourage engineering students to submit senior design projects that utilize TI technology (each, an “Entry”). Prizes will be awarded to Entrants who submit the best Entries as determined by the judges in accordance with these Rules.
ELIGIBILITY
2.	This contest is open only to individuals or teams of individuals in which all participants (“Entrants”) are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or Canada (excluding the province of Quebec) and of the legal age of majority in their state of residence as of the date of entry. Entrants must also be registered as a full- or part-time undergraduate engineering students in their senior year at an accredited engineering school in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or Canada (excluding schools in the province of Quebec) in order to be eligible to participate. Entrants may participate as a single student working on a senior design project or as a member of a design team working on a senior design project. All Entrants must submit the name of their professor as part of the registration. A completed entry form must be submitted by each design team.
3.	Each Entrant may participate on only one design team.
4.	Individuals that are employees and/or agents of the Sponsor as of the date of the submission of a fully completed online entry form, and such individual’s immediate family (including spouse, parents, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, step-children, step-parents and in-laws) and members of the same household, are prohibited from entering this contest.
5.	In the event that any member of a design team does not meet the eligibility requirements set forth in these Rules the entire design team will be disqualified.
CONTEST PERIOD
6.	The contest begins October 1, 2012 at 12:01 a.m. (CST) and will end on May 10, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. (CST) (the “Contest Period”).
7.	No Entries submitted after the Contest Period will be accepted.
8.	Limit one Entry per design team and per Entrant.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS/JUDGING
9.	All design ideas must incorporate the use three different TI devices, all of which may be obtained free of charge from the Sponsor: either 3 analog integrated circuits (“ICs”) or 2 analog ICs and a TI processor (the “IC Requirements”). Analog ICs must come from the following categories: (i) data converters; (ii) amplifiers; (iii) power management devices; (iv) interface devices; (v) MSP430 (MCU+ADC); (vi) switches; (vii) RF devices; (viii) temperature sensors; (ix) clocks and timers; and (x) comparators. If you choose to use a TI processor, you may choose from the following: (i) MSP430; (ii) DSP; (iii) ARM, or (iv) OMAP™ processor. Other TI devices may be incorporated into the design, but only those integrated circuits in the categories above will be counted toward the IC Requirements. Any Entries that do not comply with the IC Requirements will be ineligible.
10.	Although use of a TI EVM is not required to enter into this Contest, and no points will be awarded for the use or the failure to use a TI EVM in a project, Entrants may, at their option, obtain a coupon from the Sponsor for the purpose of obtaining an EVM free of charge for use in connection with the Contest. Limit one coupon per Entrant and per design team. Teams can read more about TI’s suggestions when looking at the TI Senior Project Text Book.
11.	Contest entries must include/comply with the following: (a) a fully completed online entry form available at www.ti.com/analogdesigncontest (register now and submit your project by May 10th, 2013). (b) Your course required project report with additional one-page contest summary. The report must be uploaded to the contest dropbox prior to the contest deadline of May 10, 2013. The report should follow the report template HERE. (c) a poster representing the design. This will be used to support a three minute presentation of the project. Files must be provided in either EPS, high-resolution TIFF, JPEG or PDF format. Files must be scaled to 22”x28”; the poster must also be uploaded to the contest dropbox prior to the contest deadline of May 10, 2013. (d) Each Entry must also comply with the following: All Entries must be in English; Entries that are lewd, obscene, sexually explicit, pornographic, disparaging, defamatory, libelous, obscene or Entries that otherwise contain in appropriate content or objectionable material may be disqualified at any time in the Sponsor’s sole and unfettered discretion; and The Entry must be the Entrant’s original work and must not infringe upon the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other intellectual property rights of any person or entity.
12.	Entrants may, but are not required to, submit additional materials to their project report, such as source code and board files, to supplement an Entry; provided, that, such additional materials are submitted in a zip file online and are listed and described in an appendix to the Entry. The appendix and materials provided in a zip file will count toward the 30 page aggregate limit for each Entry.
13.	All entries must register through the following website: www.ti.com/analogdesigncontest. Reports, videos/photos, and posters must be uploaded to the contest dropbox. Entrants may modify or supplement their Entries at any time prior to the end of the Contest Period.
14.	The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify anyone who Sponsor in its sole discretion reasonably believes has attempted to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest, has tampered with the Contest or with any Entry or abuses, threatens or harasses other Entrants or the Sponsor. If a team member is disqualified, the entire team will be disqualified.
15.	All Entrants agree to follow and abide by the design idea requirements and judging criteria.
16.	Upon request, TI will provide certain materials to the Entrants necessary to meet the minimum design requirements needed to participate in this contest; provided, that, Entrants shall use such materials solely for the purpose of participating in this Contest. Any other use by Entrants of such materials may result in forfeiture of such materials provided by TI. Information regarding the process relating to obtaining these materials will be provided by TI upon request by an Entrant only after such Entrant has submitted the online entry form. TI will not reimburse Entrants for any out-of-pocket costs incurred or for efforts expended in connection with their participation in the contest.
17.	A panel of judges, at least one of which will be an independent judge not related to the Entrants, or Sponsor, will review each design and rate each Entry on the following criteria: (i) originality of design, (ii) quality of design, (iii) creativity of design, (iv) level of engineering analysis, (v) written description of how each TI analog integrated circuit or TI processor benefited the overall design, and (vi) usage of TI ICs and processors. A maximum of ten (10) points will be awarded for each of the six (6) categories identified in this section. Points in category (vi) above will be awarded as follows: two (2) points for using a TI processor; four (4) points for using TI ICs as critical ICs needed for the design and four (4) points for using a majority of TI ICs on the IC BOM. The total number of points possible is sixty (60). Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Rules, the design with the highest total design score shall be awarded the Prizes in accordance with Section 21. In the event of a tie at any prize level, an additional, “tie-breaking” judge will determine the winner(s) based on the criteria listed herein based upon the same point system. In the event of a further tie, the Entrant with the highest score in category (i) above from the tie breaking judge will be deemed the winner. In the unlikely event of a further tie, the tie will be broken based on the highest score achieved in each of categories (ii)-(vi) above until the tie is broken.
18.	Judges for the contest will be fully competent and are required to be fair and impartial. Names of the contest judges will be provided upon request.
ENGIBOUS PRIZE
19.	Prizes: the following prizes will be awarded: First place: $10,000 (Ten Thousand USD); Second place: $7,500 (Seven Thousand Five Hundred USD); and Third place: $5,000 (Five Thousand USD). In the event that a prize is won by a design team, the prize will be awarded to the team members jointly and severally and the prize will be divided equally among the members of the winning design team (unless specifically requested otherwise by more than one member of the team, and approved by the professor) with the Sponsor providing a winner’s check in the applicable amount to each member of the winning team. Sponsor reserves the right to award fewer than the number of prizes set forth herein in the event of an insufficient number of Entries meeting the criteria set forth herein are received.
20.	Winners will be notified by the Sponsor on or about June 10, 2013 by email at the email address(es) provided on the entry form. Winners may be invited to the Engibous Summit in Dallas, but are not required to be present to win. The prize will be awarded by September 30, 2013. A list of winners will be posted on www.ti.com/analogdesigncontest.
21.	If any prize winner cannot be reached within (10) days of attempted notification, or if a prize is returned with no forwarding address, the Sponsor reserves the right to deem that prize as forfeited. If any prize is won by a design team and any member of the winning design team cannot be reached, the Sponsor reserves the right to deem that portion of the prize as forfeited.
22.	Taxes. United States, Puerto Rican and/or Canadian federal, state and local and, any provincial or foreign taxes and other obligations are solely the responsibility of the winners. Prizes may be subject to reporting for tax and other purposes. Winners agree to supply Sponsor with any information necessary for tax reporting purposes (including, without limitation, the completion and execution of IRS Form W-9 or Form W-8BEN, as applicable) and to cooperate in fulfilling all applicable legal requirements.
23.	The members of the any design team whose design idea is chosen for consideration for any award, as a condition of award, may be required to submit further information concerning each team member’s employment and residence. The award of any prize is contingent on the winner furnishing to TI, at an address TI specifies, (i) a fully executed Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and where legally permissible a Publicity Release; and (ii) such other documentation necessary to ensure non-exclusive irrevocable license for TI to reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, distribute, perform, display and use the Entry and the design ideas contained therein. Each potential winner must submit the aforementioned documentation within fifteen (15) days of attempted notification of winning or the potential winner will forfeit the prize. If a potential winner forfeits a prize, that prize will not be awarded with respect to such potential winner; provided, that, if the winner is an individual with no team members, the prize may be awarded to the next highest-scoring Entrant.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS/ LICENSES/PUBLICITY RIGHTS
24.	ENTRANTS DO NOT RECEIVE BY WAY OF OR UNDER THE CONTEST ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ANY COPYRIGHTS, PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, TRADE NAMES, TECHNOLOGY, TRADE SECRETS, OR KNOW-HOW OF THE SPONSOR OR ANY THIRD PARTY.
25.	No Entries will be returned to Entrants, regardless of whether they are accepted. All Entries and design submissions become the property of the Sponsor.
26.	All Entrants warrant and represent that all design ideas and applications submitted are entirely original, have not previously won any awards, and that Entrant is the owner of all interests in and rights to such designs. By submitting an Entry to this contest, all Entrants further represent that there is no third party of any kind, whether an academic institution, commercial company, individual, or governmental legal entity which has any proprietary or other interest in, claims or rights to, any intellectual property rights, including trade secret, “know-how,” copyright, patent, trademark or trade name, in any design ideas submitted under the contest. Any Entry which Sponsor in its sole discretion believes does not comply with these requirements may be disqualified.
27.	By submitting an Entry to this Contest, all Entrants agree, represent and guarantee that there are no obligations of any nature, legal or otherwise, which would prohibit, restrict, or interfere with their participation in the Contest or submission of their Entry. All Entrants agree to obtain any necessary clearances, authorizations and/or approvals from any necessary third party participation in all contest activities and any such approvals which are required as a condition of participation.
28.	No confidential relationship is established between the Sponsor and the Entrant as a result of entering this contest. All Entrants agree, represent and guarantee that their Entries do not contain any confidential or proprietary information belonging to any third parties. None of the information submitted by the Entrants will be treated by the Sponsor as trade secrets, confidential information, or as protected data under any obligation.
29.	Participation in this contest constitutes an agreement by each Entrant, including all members of a team in the case of a team Entry, to be bound by these Rules and by the decision of the judges which shall be final and binding. All Entrants agree to be bound by the Contest requirements for licensing of non-exclusive rights. Ownership of the design ideas (hereinafter “Designs”) shall remain with the Entrants. Each Entrant hereby grants TI a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable and royalty-free license to use the Designs in, or as part of, TI products, to implement the Designs using TI products, to modify the Designs for such uses, and to publish the Designs for such uses by TI or by customers of TI under all applicable intellectual property rights related to the Designs, including but not limited to, patents, trade secrets, copyrights (including all moral and statutory copyrights), and trademarks. To the extent additional documents or actions are required under local law for an effective license to these rights, title, and interests for commercial purposes, each Entrant agrees to fully cooperate in executing such further documents and in taking such further actions as are necessary. In such cases, each Entrant agrees that commercialization license rights shall become effective upon completion of further required actions. Failure to comply with these requirements or to execute any documents deemed necessary by Sponsor to effectuate these rights may result in forfeiture of the prize.
30.	The non-exclusive license to TI of intellectual property rights, as described herein is free of charge and without remuneration of any kind. All Entrants agree that the opportunity to compete for prizes, receive publicity, and increase one’s understanding of TI products represents full and adequate consideration for license of these rights by all Entrants. Prizes do not represent fixed-sum monetary remuneration of the licensing of intellectual property and rights in design submissions.
31.	All Entrants grant the Sponsor the right to publicize their names, likeness, any biographical or other information provided on the entry form or their Entry in whatever manner without reservation or compensation. In certain countries, due to local requirements, it may be necessary for Entrants to execute, in addition to the entry form, certain other documents for license of intellectual property rights, prior to any publication of the full design idea submission. In those countries, TI will make appropriate arrangements. Entries and design submissions may be published in Sponsor or third party publications without any additional compensation to Entrants.
32.	Sponsor reserves the right to use information regarding Entrants for future mailings subject to applicable laws and regulations and privacy policies. TI’s privacy policy can be found at www.ti.com/home_f_privacy.
GENERAL
33.	THE CONTEST SHALL BE CONSIDERED VOID WHERE, AND TO THE EXTENT, PROHIBITED BY LAW.
34.	THE CONTEST AND THESE RULES AND CONDITIONS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND ANY DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF THIS CONTEST SHALL BE BROUGHT IN, AND EACH ENTRANT HEREBY CONSENTS TO EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN, THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS SITTING IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS.
35.	If any aspect of the Contest or any rule or condition is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or void, Entrants agree to allow the Sponsor to change such provision and, upon notice, to make it valid. Also, in such case, the remaining Contest provisions shall remain in full force and effect and the contest shall proceed accordingly.
36.	By entering this contest, each Entrant agrees to release and hold the Sponsor harmless from and against any losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind arising from (i) an exclusion or disqualification of an Entrant pursuant to these Rules; (ii) late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to notify winners of any prize; (iii) forfeiture of a prize and the selection of an alternate winner; (iv) late, lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible or unintelligible Entries; (v) telephone, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, or computer malfunctions, failures or difficulties of any kind; (vi) failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions; (vii) any condition caused by events beyond the Sponsor’s control that may cause the contest to be disrupted or corrupted; and (viii) any injuries, losses or damages of any kind relating to a Contest prize, or acceptance, possession or use of the prize, or from participation in this contest. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Contest or announcement of the prizes.
37.	The Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this contest if it becomes technically corrupted or if for any reason the Internet portion of the contest is not capable of running as planned, including infections by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor, which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this contest.
38.	ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
39.	By entering this contest, each Entrant will be deemed to have read, accepted, and agreed to be bound by these Rules.
40.	By entering this contest, all Entrants agree that any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action or other proceeding
Sponsor: Texas Instruments Incorporated 12500 TI Boulevard Dallas, Texas 75243

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