Philips honored with IEEE Milestone Award for the development of CD

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands - March 4, 2009

IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society, announced today that it will be granting its prestigious IEEE Milestone Award to Royal Philips Electronics for its contribution to the development of the Compact Disc (CD) on March 6th 2009. The award coincides with the 30th anniversary of the historic demonstration of the first CD prototype codenamed "Pinkeltje" on March 8th 1979.

Compact Disc in every home

The CD was the first ever digital mass consumer product to find its way into almost every consumer's home. Since its introduction in 1982, over 3.5 billion audio CD players, 3 billion CD-ROM drives and an astonishing 240 billion CD discs have been sold. This means an average of 40 discs per person on Earth!

"The compact disc was a revolutionary new concept that fulfilled a great consumer demand for a robust, high quality compact audio medium," says John Vig, 2009 IEEE President and Chief Executive Officer. "By leveraging research advances in optics, mechatronics, microelectronics, digital signal processing and error control coding, a unique platform was created that has really changed the audio as well as the computing world".

Joop Sinjou demonstration Compact Disc system 8 March 1979 Joop Sinjou at the demonstration of the Compact Disc system, 8 March 1979

Innovation

"The vinyl LP format was too large for the new integrated audio systems that were emerging at that time, so we needed to develop a suitable alternative that would take us forwards for decades," says Joop Sinjou former Philips' Chief Engineer and world's first presenter of the CD prototype. Unlike its predecessors, Thomas Edison's phonograph in 1877 and Emil Berliner's gramophone in 1888, the Compact Disc cannot be attributed to a single inventor. "It was clearly a team effort, like any innovation nowadays," says Mr. Sinjou. "To come up with innovations like the CD you need to have the right critical mass in R&D and partners, who can truly create synergies between different disciplines which consequently lead to major breakthroughs."

World Standard

"The Philips board were very clear in their instructions that the CD needed to be a worldwide industry standard to succeed," says Mr. Sinjou. To bring this disruptive product to market, Philips teamed up with Sony, which previously had shown a 30 cm digital record with a playing time of 150 minutes in 1977. Through the co-operation with Sony, the final diameter was set to 12 cm with 60 minutes of music and the digital resolution was increased to 16 bits.

Despite the recession of the early 1980s, Philips and Sony invested and planned for the successful commercial introduction of the Compact Disc in 1982. Initially, major record labels did not want to be associated with the new format. As far as they were concerned everyone had to keep their hands off the good old LP. But soon the music industry, with PolyGram taking the lead, was able to revitalize its declining music business thanks to the new CD. In 1988 the CD became the dominant audio medium.

Philips Pinkeltje prototype demonstration 1979

"By building a strong IP position in optics and signal processing, Philips has contributed to a high point in convenience, comfort and quality in the consumers' audio & video experience, and to the related global business success in optical storage (CD, DVD and Blu-ray). This also led to spin-offs in the Eindhoven region for the lithography of semiconductors and the future generation of biomedical sensors," says Rick Harwig, Chief Technology Officer of Philips Electronics. "The Compact Disc demonstrated clearly that continued long-term investments in breakthrough innovation during an economic downturn can not only contribute significantly to the company's success, but even have the power to revitalize a complete industry in decline."

IEEE Milestone Award

The Milestone award is an initiative of the IEEE History Center. To be eligible for IEEE Milestone status, developments need to be significant achievements that have stood the test of time for at least 25 years, involving a unique solution to an engineering problem and must have made a major regional impact at the very least. Since the program was established in 1983, the IEEE has only awarded 83 milestone awards, although it has received many applications from around the world. Successful applicants include companies like Seiko Epson (quartz watches), IBM (magnetic disk memory), Hydro-Québec (735 kV transmission technology), Toshiba (Japanese language word processor), Sydney Mines (first transatlantic telephone cable), JVC (VHS video) and now Philips with the commemoration of Compact Disc.

IEEE CD Milestone bronze plaque, presented 6 March 2009 IEEE CD Milestone bronze plaque, presented 6 March 2009

About IEEE

IEEE is the world's largest professional association in the technical domain, celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year. Through its 375,000 members in 150 countries, the society is a leading authority on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Dedicated to the advancement of technology, IEEE publishes 30 percent of the world's literature in the electrical and electronics engineering and computer science fields, and has developed 950 active industry standards. The organization also sponsors or co-sponsors more than 900 international technical conferences each year. Additional information about IEEE can be found at www.ieee.org.

Background information

CD prototype 'Pinkeltje' - towards the first digital consumer product

The vinyl LP record with its recorded analog audio signal also had the disadvantage that it was very vulnerable to scratches. A scratch on the surface of a disc spoiled the enjoyment of the reproduced music. To prevent similar problems with the CD disc, the recorded audio signal was made digital. A digital audio signal can be protected against errors, caused for example by scratches, by using a suitable error correcting code. As a consequence, the reproduced digital audio signal is identical to the digital signal before recording. Furthermore, the shift from analog to digital audio signals resulted also in a more accurate registration of a signal from the output of a microphone. By using 14-bit signal quantization, a signal-to-noise ratio of 84 dB was realized. This made noise inaudible something impossible in analog recording and reproduction.



Specifications:     'Pinkeltje' prototype Final 'red book' specification
Disc diameter     11.5 cm 12 cm
Disc thickness       1.2 mm 1.2 mm
Playtime       60 min 60 min
Pit size       0.6 µm wide, 0.12 µm deep and 0.9 to 3.3 µm long
Track pitch       1.6 µm 1.6 µm
Resolution       14 bits 16 bits
Dynamic range       85 dB 90 dB
Laser       780nm 780 nm (infrared)

Snippets facts

  • Pinkeltje was the first compact prototype CD player from Philips. The name Pinkeltje originates from a character in the children books series by the Dutch author Dick Laan.
  • The spindle hole of the CD is exactly the size of the former Dutch 10-cent coin the 'dubbeltje' that came from the wallet of Mr. Sinjou.
  • The maximum playtime was chosen so that Beethoven's 9th Symphony in the Herbert von Karajan recording with the Berlin Philharmonic would fit in its entirety.
  • The reflective layer of the first discs was made from silver.
  • The disc capacity chosen was 700 Mbytes, 140 times the hard disk capacity (5 Mbytes) of microcomputers at the time.
  • CBS proposed a different CX (Compatible Expansion) system to extend the life of the vinyl LP.

From the officiel 2009 IEEE website

Report of the first IEEE Benelux milestone event

IEEE Milestones recognize the technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity. Each milestone recognizes a significant achievement that occurred at least twenty-five years ago in an area of technology represented in IEEE and having a large impact. To date, more than seventy-five Milestones have been approved and dedicated around the world. Initiated by the IEEE Benelux Section, the IEEE dedicated a Milestone to N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken, with the following citation:

On 8 March 1979, N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken demonstrated for the international press a Compact Disc Audio Player. The demonstration showed that it is possible by using digital optical recording and playback to reproduce audio signals with superb stereo quality. This research at Philips established the technical standard for digital optical recording systems.

On 6 March 2009, IEEE President John Vig presented an IEEE Milestone to Rick Harwig, Chief Technology Officer of Royal Philips Electronics, for the creation of the Compact Disc about 30 years ago. The presentation and unveiling of the Milestone was the culmination of a three-hour long event, in which short speeches were delivered by the Rector of Eindhoven University of Technology (where the event took place), by Georges Gielen, the IEEE Benelux Section Chair (which Section nominated Philips for the Milestone), by the Mayor of the City of Eindhoven, by the Deputy of her Majesty's Governor in the Province of Noord-Brabant, and by the Deputy Director-General for Enterprise and Innovation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The first more or less technically-oriented and historical lecture was given by Joop Sinjou, with the title "From LP to CD". On the occasion of the Milestone, a book was published by Springer in the Philips Research Book Series; the first copy of the book, entitled "Origins and Successors of the Compact Disc: Contributions of Philips to Optical Storage," was presented to Joop Sinjou by IEEE Life Fellow Hans Peek. Both Joop Sinjou and Hans Peek played an important role in the development of the CD.

After the tea break, two more lectures were presented: one by Hiroshi Ogawa, entitled "Sony's Approach to the CD," in which Sony's role in the development of the CD was discussed, and a more general one by Frans Greidanus, with the title "Innovation and Optical Storage." The ceremony ended by John Vig's presentation of this first Milestone in the Benelux Section to Rick Harwig, who expressed Philips' sincere appreciation for getting this important award.

The photograph shows the unveiling of the bronze plaque by John Vig and Hans Noordanus, who was the driving force behind the Milestone nomination.

IEEE Milestones in Electrical Engineering and Computing

IEEE Milestones in Electrical Engineering and Computing is a program of the IEEE History Committee administered through the IEEE History Center to honor significant achievements in electrical, electronic, and computer engineering and the associated sciences. Milestones recognize the technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity found in unique products, services, seminal papers and patents. Milestones are proposed, nominated, and sponsored by an IEEE Organizational Unit such as an IEEE section, society or chapter. After recommendation by the IEEE History Committee and approval by the IEEE Executive Committee, a bronze plaque commemorating the achievement is placed at an appropriate site with an accompanying dedication ceremony. The program is administered for the IEEE History Committee by the IEEE History Center.

IEEE established the Milestones Program in 1983 in conjunction with the 1984 Centennial Celebration to recognize the achievements of the Century of Giants who formed the profession and technologies represented by IEEE.

Each milestone recognizes a significant achievement that occurred at least twenty-five years ago in an area of technology represented in IEEE and having at least regional impact. To date, more than seventy-five Milestones have been approved and dedicated around the world.

The Compact Disc Digital Audio System

The creation of the Compact Disc Audio System resulted, for the first time, in the introduction of complex micro electronic systems in large quantities into the life and works of the people of the world. The low price, the robust sound disc and the simple intuitive control of this friendly product made it open to all levels of society and brought high fidelity sound reproduction to the public. The combination of existing market potential, the successful concept as consumer product, the standardization and advanced technology, procured the Compact Disc a distribution all over the globe. The resulting impact on the community and technology formed one of the most important technologic impulse of the 20th century. The descent from the video domain, the radiation into the professional audio market and the CDROM (and its successors) in the multi media domain evolved the concept of the optical disc far above the level of only an audio carrier. The Compact Disc System became a historic milestone in the information age.

Milestone Citation

Initiated by the IEEE Benelux Section, the IEEE has decided to dedicate a Milestone to N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken, with the following citation on the bronze plaque:

IEEE MILESTONE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING
COMPACT DISC AUDIO PLAYER, 1979
On 8 March 1979, N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken demonstrated for the international press a Compact Disc Audio Player. The demonstration showed that it is possible by using digital optical recording and playback to reproduce audio signals with superb stereo quality. This research at Philips established the technical standard for digital optical recording systems.
March 2009
INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS

Date and Venue

The dedication ceremony will take place at the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Auditorium, Blauwe Zaal, on Friday 6 March 2009.

Program

  • 13:30
    elcome address by Hans van Duijn, Rector Magnificus, Eindhoven University of Technology
    Welcome address by Georges Gielen, IEEE Benelux Section Chair
  • 13:40
    Introduction by Martin Bastiaans, today's session chair
  • 13:50
    Speech by Rob van Gijzel, Mayor of the City of Eindhoven
  • 14:00
    Speech by Paul Rüpp, Deputy of Her Majesty's Governor in Noord-Brabant
  • 14:10
    Speech by Hans de Groene, Deputy Director-General for Enterprise and Innovation, Ministry of Economic Affairs
  • 14:20
    Lecture by Joop Sinjou: From LP to CD
  • 14:50
    Presentation of the first copy of the milestone book by Hans Peek
  • 15:00
    Tea break
  • 15:30
    Lecture by Hiroshi Ogawa: Sony's Approach to the CD
  • 16:00
    Lecture by Frans Greidanus: Innovation and Optical Storage
  • 16:30
    Milestone award ceremony
    Speech by John Vig, IEEE President
    Presentation of the Milestone by John Vig
    Acceptance speech by Rick Harwig, Philips Chief Technology Officer
  • 17:00
    Reception

IEEE Milestone Award for Philips CD player: perfect timing

12 maart 2009 - The first presentation of a Compact Disc player took place in 1979, at the beginning of the recession early in the 1980s. On Friday March 6, thirty years later but for 2 days, Royal Philips Electronics was honored with the Milestone Award for the development of the CD.

During a reunion-like meeting in the Auditorium Rick Harwig, director of Philips Research, accepted the prestigious prize of the international engineers association IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). The various speakers all underlined the importance of innovation at a time of an economic crisis.

“Small though the Benelux may be, it is a clever, ingenious region nonetheless”, said Georges Gielen, president of the IEEE Benelux section. “The CD player is just one example of the extraordinary genius of the Benelux.” Still, it is the first invention in the region that deserved an award, according to the IEEE. Gielen explains why: “The digitization of audio systems has been of tremendous importance for nearly every household, over a period of at least 25 years.”

Philips and Sony

Throughout the world over 240 billion CDs, 3.5 billion audio CD players and 3 billion CD-ROM drives have been sold. “One cannot ascribe the invention of the CD to only one person”, said Joop Sinjou, who witnessed the birth of the CD at the time as project leader. “It was the result of a team effort, like most innovations nowadays. The Philips management clearly indicated that the CD had to become a worldwide industry standard if it was to be successful.”

That much the company had learnt from the development of the Video 2000, which was not compatible with VHS. For this reason Philips collaborated with Sony from the beginning. By mutual consultation it was decided that the diameter of a disc would be twelve centimeters, while the hole in the middle would be the size of a Dutch ten-cent piece.

Sinjou brought along the first CD prototype, codenamed “Pinkeltje”. It was demonstrated all over the world, inter alia during the Salzburger Festspiele in Austria. Conductor Herbert von Karajan, after having listened to it together with the members of his orchestra, welcomed its arrival: “CD is a gift for the music lover”.

Sinjou still listens to music on the CD player that he got in 1983. He is amazed when he sees the ease with which his grandchildren use and handle the discs and clearly remembers that he was at least fifteen years old when he was first allowed to operate his father’s LP player. Very cautiously he positioned the needle in the groove of a turning record.

Brainport

The necessity to keep investing in research was emphasized also by mayor Rob van Gijzel, Paul Rüpp on behalf of the Queen’s Commissioner for North Brabant and Hans de Groene for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Van Gijzel: “The CD is an early example of co-makership in Brainport. Cooperation was and continues to be the key to success.” In Van Gijzel’s opinion Brainport is the perfect region to come up with a solution for today’s crisis./.