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US 7278025 B2 Résumé A high security identification card includes an on-board memory for stored biometric data and an on-board sensor for capturing live biometric data. An on-board processor on the card performs a matching operation to verify that the captured biometric data matches the locally stored biometric data. Only if there is a positive match is any data transmitted from the card for additional verification and/or further processing. Preferably, the card is ISO SmartCard compatible. In one embodiment, the ISO SmartCard functions as a firewall for protecting the security processor used for storing and processing the protected biometric data from malicious external attack via the ISO SmartCard interface. In another embodiment, the security processor is inserted between the ISO SmartCard Interface and an unmodified ISO SmartCard processor and blocks any external communications until the user's fingerprint has been matched with a previously registered fingerprint. Real-time feedback is provided while the user is manipulating his finger over the fingerprint sensor, thereby facilitating an optimal placement of the finger over the sensor. The card may be used to enable communication with a transactional network or to obtain physical access into a secure area.
Revendications(27) 1. An intelligent identification card comprising:
an on-board sensor for capturing live biometric data;
a first on-board processor coupled with said on-board sensor, said first on-board processor including a memory storing reference data, said first on-board processor comparing the captured biometric data with corresponding stored reference data within a predetermined threshold and generating a verification message only if there is a match within a predetermined threshold;
a second on-board processor coupled with said first on-board processor, for executing intelligent card functions, the verification message enabling said second on-board processor; and
an interface coupled to either one of said first on-board processor and said second on-board processor, for communicating with an external network.
2. The identification card of
3. The identification card of
4. The identification card of
5. The identification card of
6. The identification card of
7. The identification card of
an on-board location detector for determining current location of the identification card; and
means for restricting use of the card based on the detected location.
8. The identification card of
a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signal receiver.
9. The intelligent identification card of
an indicator for providing real-time feedback for finger placement while the user is manipulating his or her finger over the fingerprint sensor, thereby facilitating an adequate placement of the finger over the sensor.
10. The identification card of
a wireless interface coupled to said second on-board processor; and
a wired electrical interface coupled to said second on-board processor.
11. The identification card of
12. The identification card of
a security antenna coupled to said first on-board processor via a power circuit, said security antenna only providing power to said first on-board processor.
13. The identification card of
14. A method for identifying a user of an intelligent identification card, the intelligent identification card including an on-board memory storing reference data, an on-board biometric sensor, a security processor, and an ISO card processor, said method comprising:
capturing live biometric data using the on-board sensor;
comparing, using the security processor, the captured biometric data with corresponding reference data stored in the on-board memory within a predetermined threshold;
generating, using the security processor, a verification message only if there is a match within the predetermined threshold, the verification message enabling the ISO card processor; and
allowing operation of the ISO card processor if the identity of the user is verified.
15. The method of
loading data onto the security processor via a first connection during a loading process; and
permanently disabling the first connection after the loading process has been completed.
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method of
19. The method of
providing real-time feedback for finger placement while the user is manipulating his or her finger over the fingerprint sensor, thereby facilitating an adequate placement of the finger over the sensor.
20. The method of
21. The method of
providing real-time feedback for finger placement while the user is manipulating his or her finger over the fingerprint sensor, thereby facilitating an adequate placement of the finger over the sensor.
22. The method of
communicating via a wireless interface coupled to the ISO card processor; and
communicating via a wired electrical interface coupled to the ISO card processor.
23. The method of
24. The method of
providing power to the security processor via a security antenna and a power circuit coupled to the security processor, the security antenna and the power circuit being provided on the card.
25. The method of
providing power to the on-board biometric sensor via the security antenna and the power circuit.
26. An apparatus for identifying a user of an intelligent identification card, the intelligent identification card including an on-board memory storing reference data, an on-board biometric sensor, a security processor, and an ISO card processor, said apparatus comprising:
means for capturing live biometric data using the on-board sensor;
means for comparing, using the security processor, the captured biometric data with corresponding reference data stored in the on-board memory within a predetermined threshold;
means for generating, using the security processor, a verification message only if there is a match within the predetermined threshold, the verification message enabling the ISO card processor;
means for allowing operation of the ISO card processor if the identity of the user is verified.
27. The apparatus of
means for providing real-time feedback for finger placement while the user is manipulating his or her finger over the fingerprint sensor, thereby facilitating an adequate placement of the finger over the sensor.
Description This application is based on, and claims priority from, provisional applications 60/409,716 filed Sep. 10, 2002, 60/409,715 filed Sep. 10, 2002, 60/429,919 filed Nov. 27, 2002, 60/433,254 filed Dec. 13, 2002, and 60/484,692 filed Jul. 3, 2003, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Computerization and especially internet technology has been providing ever greater access to data, including financial data, medical data, personal data, and with means to expedite financial and other transactions in which confidential data is updated or exchanged. Passwords are commonly used to maintain the confidentiality of such data; however, passwords are frequently based on a birth date or phone number that is simple to guess and that is not secure at all. Furthermore, even a complicated randomly generated password can often be readily stolen. Password-based data accessing systems are thus vulnerable to criminal attack with resultant risk and damage to industry and the economy and even to people's lives. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method for securing data and protecting that data from unauthorized access. Biometric data can include precise details that are difficult to capture but easy to analyze (such as a sequence of fingerprint minutia) or overall patterns that are easy to capture but difficult to analyze (such as the spatial characteristics of adjacent fingerprint whorls). Encryption algorithms exist that require a digital key available only to authorized users. Without the proper key, the encrypted data can be decrypted into a usable format only with a substantial investment of time and processing resources, and even then, only if certain characteristics of the unencrypted data are known (or at least are predictable). Japan Published Patent Application JP 60-029868 dated Feb. 15, 1985 in the name of Tamio SAITO teaches an individual identification system that employs an identity card with an integrated memory for registering enciphered biometric data obtained from the card holder. The biometric data may include a voiceprint, fingerprint, physical appearance, and/or a biological assay. In use, the data on the card is read and deciphered for comparison with corresponding data captured from the person presenting the card. Such a system permits a registered individual to be positively identified with a high degree of accuracy. However, because the biometric data is obtained and processed by external equipment, it is difficult to protect the information stored on the card against possible alteration and/or identity theft. An improved identification card has been proposed which includes a data driven multi-processor chip on the card to provide a hardware firewall that both encrypts and isolates the biometric data stored on the card, thereby providing substantially greater protection against unauthorized alteration of the stored data. However, the actual matching process was performed in the same external reader terminal that captured the live biometric data, and was thus still potentially vulnerable to external fraudulent manipulation. A first embodiment of a high security identification card includes not only an on-board memory for the stored biometric data, but also an on-board sensor for capturing the live biometric data. A remote authentication system maintains a secure database including the biometric data. An on-board processor on the card performs a preliminary matching operation to verify that the captured biometric data matches the locally stored biometric data. Only if there is a positive local match is any captured data or any sensitive stored data transmitted to the remote authentication system for additional verification and further processing. As a further protection against malicious attack, the locally stored data is preferably different from the remotely stored data, and the local match and the remote match preferably are conducted utilizing different matching algorithms. Thus even if the card, the locally stored data, and/or the local terminal to which the card is connected is ever compromised, there is a high probability that the remote authorization system will still be able to detect the attempted intrusion. A second embodiment also includes an on-board memory for the stored biometric data, an on-board sensor for capturing the live biometric data and an on-board processor; however, in that embodiment the entire matching process is performed by the on-board processor and both the originally captured biometric data and any other "private" information stored in the on-board memory are not made available to any external processes. Instead, only a verification message is generated in response to a successful match between the newly captured biometric data and the previously captured biometric data. The verification message causes the card to function in a manner similar to a conventional ISO SmartCard upon the successful/unsuccessful entry of a conventional Personal Identification Number (PIN), but with the additional security afforded by a more secure verification process. In either of those embodiments, the stored biometric data and any associated locally stored encryption algorithm or encryption key is preferably loaded onto the card at the time of original issuance to the card holder in a manner that discourages any subsequent external access, thereby further enhancing the integrity of stored biometric data and of the entire verification process. In one embodiment, the ISO SmartCard functions as a firewall for protecting the security processor used for storing and processing the protected biometric data from malicious external attack via the ISO SmartCard interface. In another embodiment, the security processor is inserted between the ISO SmartCard Interface and an unmodified ISO SmartCard processor and blocks any external communications until the user's fingerprint has been matched with a previously registered fingerprint. In one preferred embodiment of a high security identification card with on-board fingerprint matching capability, real-time feedback is provided while the user is manipulating his finger over the fingerprint sensor, thereby facilitating an optimal placement of the finger over the sensor. This feedback not only reduces computational complexity but also provides additional means for discriminating between an inexperienced user and a fraudulent user, thereby further reducing the probability of false negatives and/or false positives. In another preferred embodiment, the fingerprint sensor is retained in a carrier that provides additional stiffness. In one exemplary application, the captured biometric data and/or an indication of the cardholder's identity is encrypted and input to a transactional network including a financial institution and a separate authentication server priori to any grant of on-line access to confidential data or to any automated process for completing a secure transaction. In another exemplary application, the output from the card is used to obtain physical access into a secure area. In either application, a record of successful and unsuccessful access attempts can be maintained either on the card or at an external security server, or both. Smart Card The phrase "smart card" or "intelligent card" is used herein in a generic sense to refer to any physical object that is small enough to be held in the hand, worn about the neck, or otherwise carried about the person and that includes a microprocessor that is capable of storing, processing and communicating digitally encoded information concerning or otherwise related to an individual cardholder. One well known example of such a smart card is the ISO (International Standards Organization) SmartCard, which has the same physical size and shape of a conventional credit card, but which includes flash memory for storage of user specified data and a microprocessor which can be programmed with a powerful encryption algorithm that indicates whether or not a PIN (Personal Identification Number) received from a user terminal matches an encrypted PIN stored on the card, thereby providing a higher degree of confidence that the person presenting the card is the real card holder than would be possible in a verification system that merely relies on a visual comparison of signatures and/or physical likeness. Reference should now be made to Similar to a conventional credit card, card 100 includes a free upper region 102 extending along the entire transverse width of the card for supporting a magnetic stripe (as specified by ISO 7811-2 & 7811-6) on the back surface of the card, on which may be stored conventionally encoded alphanumeric information about the card holder and any associated account, thereby permitting card 100 to be used in a conventional magnetic stripe reader. However, because any data embedded in the magnetic stripe can easily be altered, such a magnetic stripe is intended only for use in certain applications where the need for backwards compatibility with older magnetic stripe based terminals outweighs the potential degradation of security that a magnetic stripe brings to the system. Upper region 102 may also be used to support various fraud prevention measures, such as a tamper-resistant colored photograph of the cardholder and/or a holographic logo of the card issuer. The lower region 104 of card 100 may be used in conventional fashion for embossed information (as specified by ISO 7811-1) such as the name of the cardholder, a numerical account (or card) identifier, and an expiration date, to permit the use of card 100 in a conventional card imprinter. Upper region 102 and lower region 104 are separated by a middle region 106 in which are embedded a set of 8 visible ISO SmartCard contact pads 108, which provide a convenient electrical connection between the card and corresponding contacts on a card reader. By this means, not only data, but also power, timing and control signals may be exchanged between the reader and the card as specified in ISO 7816-3. On the right side of region 106 a sensor pad 110 is visible, which is used to capture fingerprint data from the cardholder's finger. The card preferably is provided with an ID code that is unique to sensor 110 or other electronic component embedded in the card; for example, a code in the format of a conventional IP and/or MAC address. Also indicated schematically in In one embodiment, ISO SmartCard compatible processor 112 is directly connected to ISO contact pads 108 to provide an electrical connection with an external ISO compatible card reader (not shown) to thereby not only provide power to the on-board electronics, but also a means for communicating data between the card and any external communication software, security software, transactional software, and/or other application software running on the card reader or any associated computing devices networked with the card reader. Although in the depicted embodiment the data path between the card 100 and the external card reader is in the form of a wired connection using an ISO specified SmartCard contact arrangement, it should be understood that in other embodiments, other transmission technologies can also be used such as USB or RS 232C or SPI (serial) connections, possibly over wireless RF (Radio Frequency), microwave and/or and IR (InfraRed) communication links. Also, although the described embodiment receives power from the card reader, other embodiments could have an on-board source of power such as a solar cell or a battery. Such an on-board power source might be advantageous, for example, if the mechanical interface between the card 100 and a particular type of card reader is such that the fingerprint sensor 110 is not accessible to the user when the contacts 108 are connected to the corresponding connections inside the card reader, and thus the user's fingerprint data must be captured when the card 100 is not directly wired to the card reader. Security Processor As illustrated, Security processor (CPU) 114 is connected between ISO processor (CPU) 112 and sensor 110 for providing secure processing and storage of the captured data, as well as a secure "firewall" to protect the data and programs stored in its dedicated memory from any improper access attempt via the ISO processor 112, as will be described hereinafter. Such a firewall may be designed to pass only encrypted data using an encryption key which is based on a uniquely assigned network address or that otherwise is unique to the particular card, such as data extracted from a previously stored fingerprint pattern or a uniquely assigned device number such as CPU number or a fingerprint sensor number. In another embodiment, the Firewall only passes data which contains unique identifying data from a previous transmission, or data. In yet other embodiments, the Firewall maintains different keys for different applications, and uses those keys to route the data to a respective different processor or memory partition. In another embodiment (not illustrated), the Security processor 114 is directly connected to the ISO contacts 108 and acts as a secure gatekeeper between the ISO processor 112 and the ISO contacts 108. Such an alternate arrangement has the advantage of providing the additional security afforded by Security processor 114 and sensor 110, without any possible compromise of any security features that may already be incorporated into ISO processor 112. Security processor 114 preferably includes a non-volatile semi-conductor or non-semi conductor memory, such as FRAM, OTP, E2PROM, MRAM, MROM, for storing a previously enrolled fingerprint pattern and/or other personal biometric information. In other embodiments, some or all of the functions of security processor 114 could be implemented in ISO processor 112 and/or some or all of the functions of ISO processor 112 could be implemented in security processor 114. Such a combined implementation could still maintain a software firewall between the various functions, which would be especially advantageous if the device was implemented with a process that did not permit any subsequent modification to the stored software programs. Alternatively, both processors 112, 114 could be separate processors in a single multi-processor device designed to protect each process from any interference from another process running in a different processor. One example of such a multi-processor devise is the DDMP (Data Driven Multiple Processor) from Sharp of Japan. Although these various sensors, contacts, and other electronic components, as well as the printed circuits or other electrical wiring with which they are interconnected, are all preferably incorporated entirely inside the body of the card 100 such that they are protected from abrasion and external contaminants, the preferred location within the middle region 106 between upper region 102 and lower region 104 further protects them from possible damage from the conventional magnetic stripe readers, embossers, and imprinting equipment that mechanically interfaces with those other regions. LED Feedback LEDs 116 a, 116 b are controlled by security processor 114 and provide visible feedback to the user. In the illustrated embodiment, they are located in lower region 104 preferably at a location at the side edge of the card remote from contact pads 108. In any event, LEDs 116 a, 116 b are preferably located where they will not be damaged during any embossing process and where they will be visible when the card is inserted into a conventional ISO SmartCard reader and/or while the user's finger is placed over the fingerprint sensor 110. For example: In Verify Mode:
The User is preferably given multiple opportunities to position his finger for a successful Match or Enroll before any negative report is transmitted. In one embodiment, a negative report is transmitted to the Authentication Server only if the User has removed his finger before receiving the green ok indication, or if a predetermined time limit has been exceeded. Such a process not only trains the User to make an optimal placement of his finger over the sensor, which not only reduces computational complexity but also permits the use of more discriminating thresholds. This visible feedback also provides a psychological basis for discriminating between an inexperienced user (who will typically keep trying until he achieves the proper placement) and a fraudulent user (who will typically not want to attract any attention and will leave before his malicious intentions are discovered). The net result is a significant reduction in the probability of false negatives and/or false positives. Exemplary Network Architectures Reference should now be made to The Client Terminal 200 may be implemented as a dedicated web appliance, or may be implemented in software installed on a programmable desktop, notebook or other workstation or personal computer controlled by a general purpose operating system such as Windows XXX, OS X, Solaris XX, Linux or Free BSD. Client Terminal 200 preferably includes up-to-date "negative" databases (for example identities of lost or stolen cards, or restrictions on a particular card or group of cards) that afford an additional measure of security. The application server 202 includes functionality for conducting a transaction or otherwise responding to instructions from the remote user at client terminal 200 after the user's identity has been verified by authentication server 204. The authentication server 204 includes functionality for secure communication with both client terminal 200 and application server 202, for storing authentic fingerprint data and other information concerning previously registered users, for comparing the stored data with the encrypted live data received from the client terminal 200, and for advising the application server 202 whether or not specified live fingerprint data matches specified stored fingerprint data. More particularly, Client Terminal 200 further comprises two main components: a fixed card reader 208 component including an internet browser terminal 210 and a card reader interface 108 a (which may be a simple USB cable terminating in a set of electrical contacts for forming respective electrical connection with ISO SmartCard contact pads 108) and a portable smart card component 100′. In one embodiment, the portable component 100′ may be the previously described smart card 100 including the fingerprint sensor 110, the security processor 114 and the ISO SmartCard processor 112. Application Server 202 further comprises an internet server interface including the firewall 206 and internet browser 214, as well as a transactional application module 216 and a validation module 218. In the event the application server and application module 216 are legacy devices that were not designed to communicate externally by means of the LP/TCP protocol, the firewall 206 can be replaced with an appropriate protocol converter which incorporates the validation module 218 and which has a fixed IP address. Application Server may for example be operated by a third party who is willing to provide service through Internet to an authorized User. Authentication Server 204 further comprises an internet server interface 220, a processing module 222 including a fingerprint matching algorithm 224, and a database 226 for storing fingerprint and other authentic information collected from individuals at the time those individuals were registered with the system and their identity was guaranteed to the satisfaction of the system operator. As a further security enhancement, the stored data for any particular individual is preferably not stored on the Application Server as a single sequence of information but rather each item is stored separately and any required indices or relationships connecting those items are accessible only by means of a corresponding key that is maintained as part of that individual's private data in the Authentication Server. Location In certain embodiments, the fixed reader 208 and/or the portable card 100″ may also be equipped with an integral Global Positioning Satellite ("GPS") receiver 212 which can provide useful information about the current location of the reader and card at or about the time a particular transaction is taking place. In particular, the location data from GPS receiver 212 may be used to disable (either permanently or temporarily) the reader and/or the card in the event either is removed to a location at which their use is not authorized. Position may also be automatically determined by means other than GPS, for example using PHS (Japanese Cellular Telephone) caller location technology, or location sensors responsive to local variations in the earth's electro-magnetic fields. In the particular case of a GPS equipped card, the various GPS components including antennae; signal amplification, AD converter and sample and hold circuits; and digital processor to calculate the position are preferably all part of a single integrated circuit or discrete devices mounted on a single circuit board, which is integrated with, embedded in, or laminated to the body of the card. Card Architecture for ISO Card with On-board Matching ISO Processor Interfaces In particular, in addition to the previously described ISO Processor 112, Security Processor 114, Fingerprint Sensor 110, LED's 116 a, 116 b and optional GPS receiver 212, with only ISO Processor 112 being directly connected to Card Reader 208 via ISO SmartCard contact pads 108, there is shown a separate Loading module 300 and associated temporary connection 302, which provides for direct communication with Security Processor 114 during initial User Registration. It may be noted that ISO Processor 112 communicates with Security Processor 114 by means of I/O ports 304, 306, while temporary Loading connection 302 is connected to a separate I/O port 308. Security Processor is preferably programmed such that any sensitive security related data or software are accessible only from port 308 and not from ports 304 and 306, thereby avoiding any possibility of malicious access to these sensitive data after connection 302 has been disabled. Most commercially available ISO processors have at least two I/O ports and some have at least three. Only one of these ports (I/O 1) is designated for the conventional ISO SmartCard serial data connection 108 to the external ISO compatible Card Reader 208. The extra one or two I/O ports preferably provide a dedicated hardwired communication between the ISO Processor 112 and Security Processor 114 which acts as a hardware firewall to block any malicious attempts to reprogram the Security Processor 114 or to gain access to any sensitive information which may have been previously captured by sensor 110 or which may otherwise be stored within Processor 114. In the particular case of an ISO Processor with more than two I/O lines, it is possible to present more than two states of static status information on the dedicated communication path between the ISO Processor and the Security Processor, such as 1) Ready, 2) Busy 3) Fail, and 4) Pass even when the Security Processor is completely powered down. Of course, even If only one I/O port is available those four conditions can be transmitted dynamically as serial data. Among the possible commands and data that may be transmitted between the ISO CPU and the Security CPU over the ISO interfaces I/O 2 and I/O 3 are the following:
Loading connection 302 provides a direct connection to security CPU 114 that bypasses any firewall protection afforded the ISO connection and associated dedicated I/O ports 304 and 306, while possibly maintaining communication between ISO CPU 112 and ISO reader 208 so that power will also be available to Security CPU 114. It is primarily used during initial registration of the card to a particular user, and should be protected against unauthorized access. Card Initialization and Protection of Stored Data Guillotine In one embodiment, the originally manufactured Card has a protruding printed circuit extension which provides a direct connection to the Security CPU, as well as to at least portions of the ISO interface and/or any discrete on board memory. This direct connection interface is used only for testing card and enrolling fingerprint data and includes the signal which enables the enrollment process. After the enrollment has been completed, this circuit extension is mechanically cut off so that no further enrollment will be possible, and the Security CPU memory is accessible only through the ISO CPU and the previously mentioned Firewall between the ISO CPU and the Security CPU. Fuse In another embodiment, the Security CPU has a type of memory which once the enrolled fingerprint pattern is written, will then be inaccessible. One example of such a memory is one time PROM ("OTP") which is similar in construction to EEPROM, but is opaque to UV and thus cannot be erased. Another example is Flash ROM which is rendered read only after enrollment has been completed, for example by applying sufficient current to a portion of the Enable or Address or Data signal path to form a physical break ("fuse") in that signal path. Exemplary Authentication Processes In one embodiment, an exemplary authentication process involves capturing physical fingerprint data, for example, using optical or pressure or conductive or capacitive or acoustical or elastic or photographic technologies at the Client Terminal used by the accessing person to connect to the Application Service Server, which is then sent (preferably in encrypted form) to a separate Fingerprint Authentication Server. The Fingerprint Authentication Server compares the captured fingerprint data to a Fingerprint File, which includes the User's registered fingerprint data, using Authentication Software, and if the data is matched the Authentication Server sends an enabling instruction to the Application Service Server. In another embodiment, the User accesses the secured WEB browser of the Fingerprint Authentication Server, which contains files of fingerprint, where all the fingerprints are pre-registered along with individual data, such as name, address, and date of birth. The secured Fingerprint Authentication Server, which User is accessing through a secure protocol such as HTTPS format, then sends an instruction to the Client Terminal to capture the User's finger print at the Client Terminal. In response to instructions displayed by the browser of the Client Terminal, the User puts his selected finger on the Fingerprint Sensor and the Fingerprint Capture Software residing in the Client Terminal captures a digital fingerprint, for example a pixel-based image with a 25 micron to 70 micron pitch resolution and an area of 12.5 mm to 25 mm square, and further having an 8-bit gray scale. The Secure Fingerprint Authentication Server receives the fingerprint data along with User ID as well as Internet IP address and/or fingerprint sensor individual code (MAC address) and/or cookie and/or any unique code or other information identifying the particular individual or terminal (for example, details from a previous conversation between Client Terminal and secured Fingerprint Authentication Server), whereupon it compares the received Fingerprint Data to a Fingerprint File, which is the pre-registered fingerprint data along with user ID, individual information such as name, address, date of birth, crime record, drivers license, social security number, etc, using Authentication Software, which may be minutiae comparison and or Fast Fourier Transform Comparison. At the commencement of the Authentication process, the Web Server 214 for the relevant application visually or audibly instructs the User to put his finger on the Fingerprint Capture Sensor 110 and to click his mouse button or keyboard key to thereby intimate the Fingerprint Capture Software in Security Processor 114. Then the User's captured fingerprint data is sent in encrypted format (for example, using the secure RSA encrypted transmission protocol HTTPS), to Web Server 220 of Fingerprint Authentication Server 204 via the ISO Processor 112 and Web Browser 210 of Client terminal 200. If the captured data is successfully matched to corresponding data in its Database 226, Fingerprint Authentication Server 204 then validates the User's identity to both the Client Terminal 200 and to the Application Server 202. An exemplary preferred embodiment utilizing a Three Way Authentication Protocol and a Onetime Password as a Hash Character Encoding Sequence will now be described with reference to
When a SmartCard 100 is inserted in Card Reader 208, a reset signal RST is sent from the card reader to both ISO CPU (START block 502) and Security CPU 114 (Fingerprint Verification block 504) and both receive power VCC from the Card Reader 208. ISO CPU then responds with ATR (Answer-to-Reset) message and communicates PPS (Protocol and Parameters Selection) as needed (block 506). At the same time, Security CPU goes into waiting state for receiving Fingerprint data and when data is received from sensor 110, performs the authentication process (block 504). When an initial request command is sent by the Application Process 216 to ISO CPU 112 (block 508) the ISO CPU queries (block 510) Security CPU about the authentication status. If the response is positive, ISO CPU responds to the application by executing the requested command (block 512). Otherwise (either an error message or no response from Security CPU 114) it does not make any response to the requested command but rather waits for a new first request (block 508 b). Assuming the Fingerprint was verified and the first response was received in a timely fashion and determined to be responsive by the Application 216 (block 514), the Request/Response process is continued (blocks 516, 518, 520) until a predetermined Verification Timeout has been exceeded during which no Requests were received from the Application (block 522), or the Application failed to receive an expected response (block 524).
Prior to transmission over any external network, any sensitive data and/or the authentication result is preferably encrypted, possibly using DES, or Two Fish encryption. The encryption key can be based on captured or stored fingerprint data, user ID code, sensor's uniquely assigned code, memory address, adjacent data in memory, other functionally related data, a previous conversation (transaction), IP address, terminal code, or an assigned password. Alternatively, the sensitive data may be sent over the Internet using the secure HTTPS protocol. To provide even greater security, a Virtual private gateway, such as hardware DES encryption and decryption, may be inserted between the secure Fingerprint Authentication Server and the network connection, and correspondingly between the Application Service Server and the network connection. By so using such a Virtual gateway or virtual Private Network ("VPN"), the sensitive data is additionally protected by an additional layer of encryption, for example both DES 128 (typically used in the VPN) and RSA (used by HTTPS). For especially secure applications, all communications may wrapped with additional layers of security. In particular, message headers in a lower layer can be encrypted in an upper layer. Wireless Communication Other embodiments may include a dual interface for both contact (ISO 7816) and wireless (ISO 1443 A or B) operation, and preferably incorporate a multi-interface power unit that allows interoperability among ISO 7816 contact, ISO 1443 A, ISO 1443 B, ISO 15693 and HID legacy wireless systems (among others) all on one card. Alternatively, the card may include provision for other wireless communciatons tecnologies such as Bluetooth (short range) or Cellular (medium range) or microwave (long range). Reference should now be made to ISO antenna 132 comprises two loops generally located about the periphery of card 100 and provides an ISO-compatible wireless interface to ISO CPU 112 for both data and power similar to that afforded by the wired electrical interface 108. In addition, a Security antenna 130 (in the depicted example, inside antenna 132 and consisting of only one loop) provides a separate source of power to Security CPU 114 via a DC-DC power regulator 120. Because the there is no direct connection for wireless data except through ISO CPU 112, the sensitive data stored within Security CPU 114 is not compromised by such a wireless interface. Alternatively, as mentioned previously with respect to the embodiments having only wired connections to the external reader and external network, the functionality of the two processors could be combined, or the external interface could be through the Security CPU 114 rather than the ISO CPU 112, in which appropriate wireless security measures would have to be incorporated into the thus-modified architecture. Also visible is a lower layer 124 and magnetic strip 128. Fingerprint Sensor In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor is only 0.33 mm thin and is durable enough to be embedded in a SmartCard and is not effected by static electricity, the elements or the condition (wet, dry, hot, cold) of the user's skin. A typical unit cell size of Sensor 110 is 25 micron to 70 micron and a typical pitch is 25 micron to 70 micron. The exemplary sensor has a sensing area of 12.5 mm to 25 mm square and an 8-bit multi level of sensitivity. Such sensor can be manufactured by array of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) and Pressure sensitive capacitor, such as formed by Thin Film Piezo Material, such as Titanium Barium Oxide or Strontium Barium Oxide, and includes an upper electrode which covers and protects the entire sensing area. If mechanical stress is applied, a corresponding charge is generated and stored in the Thin Film Piezo Capacitor. Alternatively, a pressure-based sensor can be manufactured as an array of TFT (Thin Film Transistor) along with thin film capacitor, and Pressure sensitive capacitor, such as formed by sheet of pressure conductive material, such as carbon fiber dispersed rubber sheet, metal (such as Copper or Tin or silver), plated carbon fiber or glass fiber based paper, or metal, dispersed elastic material (such as silicone), and an upper electrode sheet, which covers entire sensing area. Row and Column drivers 416, 414 which particular specified fingerprint sensor element 402 is outputting the electrical data to the Output circuitry 420 thereby converting the physical input representative of the user's fingerprint to analog electrical data. An A/D converter in the Output circuitry 420 then convert the analog electrical signal to digital electrical signal. Each thin film transistor selectively switches a shared row interconnection to the voltage on its associated capacitor, thus the voltage on each capacitor can be read and thereby each cell's deformation can be measured. An entire column of Thin film transistors is preferably switched simultaneously, and thus a number of cells (for example 8) in one selected column can be read in parallel on different row interconnections. The interconnection of multiple gates as rows and columns reduces the number of interconnections, while the parallel read out of multiple cells from different rows of the same column reduces the read time for the entire array. The output voltage from the sensor can be amplified by a differential amplifier. The output of such amplifier can be sampled and held for Analog to Digital Conversion (A/D converter). Substrate can be glass (such as non alkaline glass), stainless steel, Aluminum, Ceramics (such as Aluminum Oxide), Paper, Glass Epoxy, but is preferably a thin sheet of Crystal Silicon. Thin film semiconductor material can be Amorphous Silicon, Polysilicon, Diamond, or any other Semiconductor Thin Film. Piezoelectric Material can be a piezoelectric ceramic, such as lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) thin films, preferably ranging in thickness from 0.1 to 50.0 microns, or a polymer piezoelectric polyimide thin-film material. Interconnection Material may be: Ti/Ni/Cu, Al, Cr/Ni/Au, Ti/Ni/Au, Al/Au, W/Cu, W/Au, W/Au. As shown, the monolithic sheet of silicon 430 is about 0.1 mm in thickness, and is surrounded by an equally thick frame 432 of glass epoxy, which is mounted on a backing plate 434 also of glass epoxy construction and about 0.05 mm in thickness. Frame 432 and backing plate 434 may be readily constructed using conventional printed circuit board (PCB) technology. In particular, the upper and lower surfaces of backing plate 434 are covered with a thin copper layer 436 separated by a glass epoxy core. Frame 432 includes a number of solder pads 440 about its outer periphery, for connection to Security Processor 114. The thin silicon chip 430 is epoxy bonded to frame 432 and plate 434, and the active regions are electrically coupled to respective electrical traces in the frame 430 by conventional wire bonding 442 at the exposed outer edge portions 444 of the silicon 430 surrounding the protective upper electrode 446. Matching Algorithms For local on-board processing where processing power is limited and only a simple 1:1 match with a single reference sample is being attempted, the fingerprint-matching software can be based on a relatively straightforward comparison of Minutiae derived from the two patterns. For example, the gray-scale image of a fingerprint is may be reduced to two values, white and black, and 3 dimensional ridges are converted into two dimensional thin lines (vectors). The accuracy of the method is therefore subject to, among other problems, blurring, conglutination, distortion, partial lacking of line segments and other effects. Although the Minutiae method is in principle less accurate, it requires fewer computational resources and offers the possibility of compatibility with many existing databases. For processing at a remote Authentication server where more processing power is available and more accurate discrimination may be required, for example a "POC" (Phase Only Correlation) matching algorithm. POC is an identification algorithm based on macroscopic matching of whole images. POC, conversely, matches structural information across a wide range—from details to the total image. Hence, POC is able to provide robust accuracy against noises such as conglutination and partial hiatus. In principle, the POC method is free from the adverse effects of positional shift and differences in brightness, is fast (about 0.1 seconds for an offline match) and is highly accurate. For example, the POC software may perform a space frequency comparison of the two fingerprint patterns utilizing a two dimensional First Fourier Transform ("2DFFT"). 2DFFT converts an array of digitized data representing a physical two dimensional distribution of fingerprint, into frequency space, in other words, reverse space distribution, where higher density pattern has higher space frequency. A rotational transformation may be used to match the frequency space pattern matching. POC pattern matching has the further advantage Minutiae vector matching, because is not misled by common defects in the recorded fingerprint pattern which POC would recognize as noise but a Minutiae analysis would interpret as meaningful data. For particularly demanding applications, a hybrid approach may offer even greater accuracy and security than either method alone. For example, a minutiae methodology can be used at the point of capture, while a POC methodology can be used at a remote server. As another example, the matching process can analyze both the minutiae and the spatial relationships to produce a combined score that takes into account the results of both. The above-described technology provides a high level of security for multiple applications, both commercial and governmental. Depending on the requirements of each application, multiple secure applications may co-exist and operate on the same card and/or on the same authentication server. In one embodiment, a single card can contain up to 24 independent and secure applications. For example, the technology will permit/deny access (physical and/or logical), identify precise location and/or movement of personnel and/or watch list parties while at the same time operating other secure applications, each completely and securely isolated one from the other. Among the applications currently contemplated are the following:
For many of these applications, the card's on-board memory preferably also provides secure storage of various kinds of private personal information, which is accessible only when the registered cardholder has proven his identity and authorized such access. Examples of such private information are:
An exemplary card enrollment system will now be described The applicant: fills out an application and submits it, preferably including a photograph and fingerprint. For most applicants, an inspection of their breeder documents and an simple crosscheck of the submitted information against one or more available government and commercial databases should be sufficient to establish the individual's true identity. After his identity has been so verified, the applicant proceeds to an issuing station where any information deemed necessary by the card issuer is loaded onto the card. The applicant puts their fingerprint on the sensor on the card. Once the fingerprint is satisfactorily placed on the sensor and loaded onto the card, the tab on the card then gets a jolt of electricity which burns out certain fuses that prevent anyone from writing to that certain area of the card ever again. Then, the little tab gets cut/guillotined off (like an umbilical cord). At that point, the card can only be read or written to through the ISO contact reader or ISO wireless system. In the case of a networked Authentication server, some or all of the same data that is loaded onto the card is also transmitted in encrypted form to the remote server, possibly supplemented with additional data that is not normally stored on the card but that may be required for certain high security applications. Citations de brevets
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We are making our first trip to Fort Wilderness and are considering renting a pop-up, that will be set up when we arrive and taken down after our departure. I was wondering if anyone has rented from fortcamperrental before? Thank you for your help!
I'll be using them in August when our club goes to FW. So far it has been very easy. I contacted them, they emailed me a contract, I signed it, scanned it, and emailed it back, then used PayPal to put down the deposit. It will be such a nice campout, just driving up and having it all set up for us.
I too have a reservation for spring break. So far I've talked to them on the phone twice, very friendly, quick question responses through email too. I like making payments through PayPal too, it's just odd mailing checks to people I don't know that I'm just trusting to come through. Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it goes this April, so far so good!
Hi we are also renting a pop up from floridacamperrentals for 3 weeks 15 June so far they have answered all my questions and been very helpful I am renting the hybrid on their YouTube page there are only two of us so should be plenty of room, will let everyone know how it went Wendy
Hmm, may have to look into this since we sold our pop-up years ago. We're going in April -already have site booked as we were going to tent camp.
We were originally going to tent it but decide to rent instead. We have their pop-up #1 reserved, we will be going in 10 days so we will let everyone know how it goes! Very excited about our first time camping!
Renting from them this weekend, checking in on Saturday. Great people! You'll have a great trip with them. There is also a video on the website with lots of pictures of pop up #1. That's the one we'll have too!
Florida camper rental is amazing! We used them in October & had a great experience our camper was ready & waiting with the a/c running! I highly recomend William & his family at Florida camper rental!!!!!!!
Thanks for the comments - I was a but nervous about booking 'cause the video on the website is from 2000! I'm hoping the campers aren't that old!!!! For those of you who have gone...2x & charity.....which did you rent? Did you book your site through him or through disney? Which loop did you choose?
Would love to see a trip report on your family's reaction to the pop up experience. We've thought about renting one, many, many times!
Just getting back on here after vacation. We had a wonderful time and renting from Curt & Jodi (fortcamperrental)was beyond great! I haven't uploaded my pics yet, but I can tell you if you go to their website and watch the videos of the pop-ups that is exactly what you get. We rolled into FW about 2:30pm on Saturday afternoon and after checking in and getting our site assignment, met up with Curt & Jodi at our site! They were all set up and just waiting on us. We got the Cars site markers, there was a checkered flag tablecloth and Cars bedding for my little guy and a Princess pillow and blanket for my princess. Everything was clean and neat and we had everything we needed for the week. They even provided towels for showers along with paper plates, cups and utensils. Service was great, Curt was a call away if we needed him. I can't say enough good things about our experience with Fort Camper Rental. We will definitely be return customers! Don't be nevous about reserving/renting from them...it's a no brainier. Edited to add: we stayed in the 2000 loop, site 2004 to be exact. Loved it! We took our bikes and no problems getting anywhere.

subset: commoncrawl


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Common names: Feverfew is also known as featherfew, altamisa, bachelor's button, featherfoil, febrifuge plant, midsummer daisy, nosebleed, Santa Maria, wild chamomile, wild quinine, chamomile grande, chrysanthemematricaire , European feverfew, feather-fully, feddygen fenyw, flirtroot, grande chamomile, mutterkraut, and vetter-voo.
Efficacy-safety rating:
ÒÒ...Ethno or other evidence of efficacy.
Safety rating:
●...Little exposure or very minor concerns.What is Feverfew?
Feverfew is a short, bushy perennial herb, a member of the daisy family that grows along roadsides, fields, waste areas, and along the borders of woods from eastern Canada to Maryland and westward to Missouri. Its yellow-green leaves and yellow flowers resemble those of chamomile, for which it sometimes is confused.
What is it used for?
Traditional/Ethnobotanical usesFeverfew has a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine, especially among Greek and early European herbalists. The first century Greek physician Dioscorides used feverfew to reduce fever. In 1633, the plant was recommended for use to treat headaches in Gerard's Herbal. The plant has been used to treat arthritis, asthma, constipation, dermatitis, earache, fever, headache, inflammatory conditions, insect bites, labor, menstrual disorders, potential miscarriage, psoriasis, spasms, stomachache, swelling, tinnitus, toothache, vertigo, and worms. Feverfew also has been used to induce abortions, as an insecticide, and to treat coughs and colds. Traditionally, the herb has been used to reduce fevers, from which its common name is derived.
General usesFeverfew is primarily known to prevent migraine headaches and associated nausea and vomiting; however, evidence to support this use is inconclusive. Feverfew has numerous other drug actions, but information from clinical trials to support them is limited.
What is the recommended dosage?
Feverfew is generally given for migraine headaches at a daily dosage of 50 to 150 mg of dried leaves, 2.5 fresh leaves with or after food, or 5 to 20 drops of a 1:5, 25% ethanol tincture. Though the best doses of feverfew have not been established, an adult dosage of parthenolide 0.2 to 0.6 mg/day is recommended for the prevention of migraine. However, parthenolide has not been confirmed as a major active principle for migraine. Numerous feverfew products are commercially available; most are standardized to parthenolide 0.7% in tablet or capsule dosage forms.
How safe is it?
ContraindicationsFeverfew should not be used by people allergic to other members of the daisy family, such as aster, chamomile, chrysanthemum, ragweed, sunflower, tansy, and yarrow. Due to its potential anticlotting actions, it is not recommended for use in patients undergoing surgery. People with blood-clotting disorders should consult their health care provider prior to using products containing feverfew.
Pregnancy/nursingAvoid use because of documented adverse effects. Pregnant women should not use the plant because the leaves stimulate menstruation and may induce abortion. It is not recommended for breast-feeding mothers or for use in children younger than 2 years of age.
InteractionsNone well documented.
Side EffectsPatients withdrawn from feverfew may experience ill effects often known as "postfeverfew" syndrome. Handling fresh feverfew leaves may cause allergic skin reactions. Swelling of the lips, tongue, and lining of the mouth, in addition to mouth ulceration, have been reported with feverfew use. Effects such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, and gas, may also occur.
ToxicitiesNo studies of chronic toxicity have yet been performed on the plant and the safety of long-term use has not been established.
- Feverfew. Review of Natural Products. Facts & Comparisons [database online]. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Health Inc; September 2010.
Copyright © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health


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I'm going to bookmark this article to send to people who think Phoenix is nothing but tired retirees, soulless suburban sprawl, and right-wing politicians. Lots of innovation going on in America's sixth-largest and fastest-growing city.
Despite initial financial challenges (Buford had to dip into his wife's 401(k), and Ware sold his car), the trio managed to turn their passion into a reality, transforming the outdated former space of a Godfather's Pizza into a packed East Valley restaurant and distillery that hardly sees an empty seat during lunch hour.
"We knew we would be great," Buford says. "We had that in us. I said, 'Give us a moment to shine and watch us shine. It's going to happen fast' . . . And it did."
Suffice it to say the brewery's quick success has gained the attention of beer festivals and brewers alike, including Danish brewer Mikkeller, which is set to produce a collaborative brew with Arizona Wilderness in June.
With that success also come investor proposals for Valley expansion. But Buford's not interested.
"We have not had to change our ethics or values at all," he says. "No one demands that of us. I think people come in looking for us to not do that. If we came out and said we're going to open a production facility and brew five beers, people would be appalled."
Appalled? Perhaps. But can we really blame the Valley for wanting more access to Gilbert's best kept secret? Certainly not. — Katie Johnson
Aisha Tedros | Culinary Art
"Anyone can do it," Aisha Tedros says as she prepares a cup of strong coffee flavored with ground ginger, a specialty from her hometown in Africa. "I was always told that about America, and it's true."
Tedros moved to the United States 12 years ago from Keren, the second-largest city in Eritrea, a small eastern African country just north of Ethiopia. Back then, she spoke no English and could neither read nor write. Like so many others, she came in search of the American Dream, having grown up being told that in America anyone can be anything they want.
Tedros taught herself to speak English, and these days you can hardly get her to stop. The coffee shop owner switches back and forth with ease between English and the six African languages she also speaks. Tedros says her innate chattiness always set her apart from other Eritrean women. It's part of the reason she says America immediately felt like home.
"When I got here, I called my mom and said, 'Everyone here is like me!'" she says with a laugh.
Before opening A.T. Oasis Coffee and Tea Shop in Phoenix with her husband, Abdul, Tedros spent years working as a server at Mimi's Cafe at Mesa's Fiesta Mall. A framed letter from the restaurant's manager sits on a shelf inside the shop. It thanks Tedros for her years of service and commends her for exceptional customer service.
It's still one of her strongest assets as the owner of a small business.
Sitting at one of the small tables in the shop and sipping a cup of coffee (sweetened with two spoonfuls of sugar, at least), Tedros explains that she wants her coffee shop to serve as a community gathering place for both African immigrants and those who might not be familiar with the culture. And, thanks in no small part to her affable personality, it is. On any given night you'll find tables of customers enjoying a drink while chatting away.
"A lot of Africans, when they come here, they're a little isolated," Tedros says. "So I'm trying to bring everyone together."
But Tedros doesn't just want her shop to be for African immigrants seeking community. She also sees A.T. Oasis as an opportunity to educate Americans about her culture through something universal: coffee.
Tedros says more and more customers have been coming in and asking to see the traditional Eritrean coffee ceremony. It involves roasting green coffee beans over a burner, grinding them (traditionally, with a mortar and pestle), and boiling the coffee in a special clay pot. Tedros has had to buy more of the pots to accommodate the new customers.
For the ceremony, she sets up each table with its own tray. On it, there's one of those pots, a set of small cups, sugar, incense, and dates. Guests can then participate in the ceremony by pouring their own coffee and sweetening it to taste. The dates are to be eaten along with the drink. If you come in to try it, Tedros likely will be happy to sit and answer your questions — about coffee, Eritrea, or just about anything else.
Tedros also imports raw coffee beans directly from Ethiopia, in some cases working directly with the farmers. By doing so, she says, she's able to give them a larger share of the profits than if she were to go through a coffee broker. She uses only these Ethiopian beans at A.T. Oasis and also sells the raw product to some of the city's best-known coffee shops. The list includes Cartel, Echo Coffee, and Bergies.
Within the next year, Tedros hopes to organize a group trip to Africa to visit some of the farmers she buys her beans from and continue educating people about her culture. And, of course, she wants to see her hometown.


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by: Richard
This is a work of fiction and in no way draws on the lives of any specific person or persons. If there is any similarity to any real persons or events it is entirely coincidental. Some license has been taken with places as well.
The work is copy righted (c) by the author and may not be reproduced in any form without the specific written permission of the author. It is assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of their submission agreement but it may not be copied or archived on any other site without the written permission of the author.
Thanks to Rob (in Atlanta) a note: "... In chapter 2, which is set in 1833, it mentions Atlanta. Atlanta did not exist, yet. It might have existed as a little railroad village called Terminus. In the 1840s, as it began to grow due to the railroads, it was named Marthasville. Later in the 1850s, it was renamed Atlanta. It wasn't much of a town until the 1850s. Even during the Civil War, it was smaller than Savannah."
I am sorry to be so long in getting this chapter loaded --
installed Windows XP. I want to thank all of you who have written to me about the story. Your comments are
greatly appreciated. I hope that I haven't missed writing back to any of you. Here is the next chapter
of this historical story.
The next day Charles packed what things he wanted to take along, and they rode into
Charlotte. Byron's first stop was the lawyer's office where he and Ty had stopped before. "I assumed as much," The man said, when Byron explained what had transpired with
the Perkins, Cynthia and her husband, he knew them well. "I'm glad you were able to reach
an agreement with them. They really aren't all that bad, but like most folks hereabouts they
don't understand about Black people and their feelings." "It's been a real pleasure meeting and talking with you. As I said before, I really
appreciate what you've done for us," Byron said. "It's been my pleasure, I knew your father and your uncle well, they were my friends."
The two men shook hands and Byron left the office and headed back to the hotel where
they were staying. On Friday, Byron met with Perkins' attorney and signed the sale papers for the land.
The amount of money agreed to was transferred at the bank, from one account to the other. They had to decide on how they were going to get to California now that they had
made it their goal. The could go by ship, a slow and agonizing trip at best. None had
traveled by ship and all were fearful of such a journey. No, by land was safer,
they agreed. Byron knew something of the geography involved in making the trek, and had seen
maps showing the various trail used to cross the vastness of the great plains and mountains
of the West. He knew that St. Louis was the usual starting point unless one used the
Southern route starting in Dallas, a new and bustling cattle town in the Texas territory.
Few chose this route, however, for two reasons: the great desert and the murderous
Apache. He suggested that they travel by horseback from Charlotte to St. Louis and join
up with a wagon train there. They could carry what they wanted on pack horses taking
just what they needed for the long journey across the mountains between the two cities.
Although resupplying in St. Louis would surely be more expensive, it would be preferable
to taking everything from Charlotte. Ty and Charles agreed, and thus the plans were made, and provisions purchased. At
the bank sufficient gold and paper was secured from the accounts to stock them for the trip.
The rest the bank agreed to send by ship and would be waiting for them when they got
there. The bank was also handling the sale of the land for them. Horses and equipment were purchased to carry the supplies they had bought. Maps
were secured and routes checked. Their excitement was building day by day. When at
last they were ready, early in the morning on a bright and sunny day the fourteenth of
March, 1842 they set off across the hills of North Carolina toward St. Louis. They reached Nashville in due course passing through Asheville North Carolina, by
which time Charles was able to ride much faster than at first. They encountered no great
difficulty along the way, although the climb out of North Carolina into Tennessee was
still a challenge. Not wishing to cause any problem with the locals, they camped outside
of town, going in the following day to re-supply their food provisions. The weather was
warming now, and they had little problem sleeping out-of-doors. They were careful to
camp in spots well out of the usual trails and roads, and thus avoid being spotted by the
marauding bands of outlaws and thieves which roamed the countryside. They followed the Nashville Road from Knoxville through Nashville, and then headed
north to Montgomery. From there they went to Eddyville and up to Salem. From there
they went to Paducah where they crossed the Ohio River and went to Vienna. Then they
went to Brownsville and then on to Kaskaskia, then north to Belleville. It was just a short
distance from there to St. Louis across the Mississippi. They rode into St. Louis dusty and tired after their four week trek. They watched the river boats loading and unloading. They came from all directions.
Those coming from the Ohio were laden with coal and iron products. Those coming up
the Mississippi carried furniture and coal from Birmingham and New Orleans. Some of
these boats had stops further North at the port at St. Anthony Falls, others were reloaded
and proceeded up to Minnesota Territory. The bustling river town was sight they thought they'd never see. Men on horseback
were everywhere. Wagons loaded with settlers traveling from all over the Ohio valley
were streaming into the town. Springtime was the beginning of long journey across the
great plains westward. From St. Louis it was on to Kansas City, the wild cattle town, and
the starting point for most of the trains headed west. It didn't take them long to find the leaders of several different wagon trains. The
problem was to find the most reliable one. Byron went to several saloons to mingle with
the crowds to listen and gather information. Ty and Charles meanwhile did some shopping
for the few items which needed to be replaced, belts and straps. Boots, gloves, and pants
had to be purchased to augment the items which were beginning to show signs of wear.
Ty was careful not to show too much money when he was in the stores. He carried most
of the cash as no one would suspect that an aging black would be carrying that kind of
money. They met at the hotel where Byron had secured their rooms for the night. "How long before we leave?" Ty asked eagerly. "Roughly a week, they say. We'll be traveling with Captain Hardy and his train,"
Byron said. "And how long'll it take?" "The Captain says we should arrive before the winter snows begin in the Rockies.
Or, he says, we won't make it at all. Once you leave Fort Boise, you've got to go all the
way, there's no stopping or turning back. And you've got to make Fort Boise before the
first of September to have any chance at all of making it." Byron showed Ty the routed
marked on the map. The next few days were lazy days. There was little to do except to wander around
the town. The day of departure finally arrived. Two trains were leaving the same time, taking
roughly the same route Westward across the prairie. Byron, Ty and Charles took their
assigned place at the rear of the train, which they had been assigned to them. That way they could help any stragglers who had problems. Excitement pervaded
everyone, the men and women, the kids and dogs, horses and cattle. Even the poultry
who were forced to ride in cages strapped along the sides of the great Saratoga wagons
cackled and hissed. The wagons began snaking their way across the grassy prairie. Captain Hardy would
ride at the head of the caravan the first several days, as there was little else to do. There
were no hazards for the first part of the trip. Later more caution would be used. The wind, what there was, blew south across the trail, sending up a cloud which could
be seen for miles. They would all soon learn where to ride to avoid this cloud as the days
passed and the wind changed directions. Still they would find themselves covered in this
dust by the end of the day. Byron was impatient with the slow progress of the ponderous
wagons some drawn by the equally massive oxen, others by draft horses, the kind used for
plowing and pulling farm equipment, not the sleek riding horses Byron was used to seeing.
In that area of the South mules were most often used instead of the larger horses. The trip
from Charlotte to Kansas City took just five weeks, a distance of about 850 miles. When
Byron asked the Captain about the slowness, he said the same trip would have taken this
train ten weeks, exactly twice as long. The first night was an experience that no one with the train would ever forget. The
Captain made all the wagons circle in a great loop end-to-end. The animals were herded
inside and roped off in a sort of corral. The other inside area was reserved for the cooking
fires. It looked like a giant picnic. There was no need for such an arrangement that night,
but the Captain did it as a practice for the times when it would be essential for
their survival. Ty and Charles acting the part of servants, did all the chores required. They were two
of only four black men in the train. The other two traveled with their wives in a wagon
near the head of the train. These two couples had come from New York and were headed
to California too. They had a chance to chat briefly with them that first night. They gave
only the information that was necessary about themselves. They could hardly let on that
they were partners with the man they served. Ty and Byron had agreed that they'd not try to have any physical contact unless it
were absolutely safe, and they both had to agree that it was before hand. They both realized
the dangers involved if they were discovered, and so were in complete agreement on this.
Of course the tension which would doubtlessly develop would be at time unbearable, and
this they knew only too well would in itself prove dangerous. The first several days would
be no problem because of the excitement, but after the boredom of the trip set in, they
could become careless. They had bought a tent to sleep in because of the probability of rain along the way.
It afforded some privacy, but not enough for anything intimate. They attracted some
attention at first because of the racial difference, a White man sleeping in the same tent
as Black, but the Captain served notice that he would tolerate no disturbance on that
account. It was perfectly natural that a man would want his servants close by, and that
there was no need for two tents when one would do. Ty had purchased a spare tent,
somewhat smaller in case it were necessary. After the first night no one took notice.
They were careful to pitch their tent near the two Black couples' wagon. That seem to
satisfy everyone. And thus the first day of the great westward trek from Kansas City ended. The
tension of the day relieved by a hot meal prepared over the open fire. As everyone
started for bed at the urging of their leader, the tall, dark, and mustached Captain
Hardy, the voice of a harmonica began to wail in the night, not loudly as it had earlier
in the evening, but mournfully and soft more like a bird calling in the night. The
Captain's tall, lanky figure could be seen moving from fire to fire, and the people
dispersing to their beds, some on the ground in the open, others to the shelter of their
wagons, and a few traveling without wagons, like Ty and Byron to their tents. As practice for later nights in the trip dictated, sentries were posted at the four points
of the compass, in watches of two hours each, the men took turns guarding the wagon
train. It was not only from Indians that the guards sought to protect their charges, but
outlaws, storms, fire, and animals which might be frightened in the night. There were thirty wagons, with fifty-four men, and seven boys old enough to stand
watch, not including the Captain. With five watches from eight in the evening until six in
the morning, of two hours each, the sixty-one men would have watch roughly every three
days, allowing for some slack due to illness or special circumstances. Lots had been
drawn among them when they stopped for the evening and the twenty men selected for
the first night. Names and wagon number were taken and duly noted in the log kept by
the Captain. In the order drawn they served, the first drawn going first each evening, and
so on. The practice would continue each night in rotation. Names would be called first,
those who'd served most recently excused, the last set of names called would serve that
night. After the third night no lots would be drawn, unless a post needed to be filled.
Thereafter, names would be called just to remind you that it was your turn that night. The Captain or one of his scouts would make rounds during the night, acting as a
leader of the guards, making certain that each sentry was awake. Those found asleep
would be flogged in full view of the company, ten lashes the first time, twice that the
second time, the third time they would be dismissed from the train as unreliable. This
punishment had been used a number of time, and was equivalent of a death sentence, as
none so dismissed were ever seen again, alive. None of the three had duty that first night, so they climbed eagerly into the tent to rest.
Since they'd been traveling virtually in a similar fashion for more than a month now, they
were used to the routine and the exercise. Then knew of the necessity of getting a good
night's sleep each night, and thus lost no time in settling down in their blankets and
dropping off to sleep.
Early the next morning they were awakened by the sentry passing their tent, whose loud voice was calling, "Time to get up!" They lost no time in pulling on their clothes and boots and crawling out in the near darkness of the early morning. There was much to do before they could be on their way. The horses had to be feed and harnessed, the fire built, breakfast made and eaten, the tent and provisions re-stored in their packs. The usual bodily functions had to be taken care of with as much haste as possible. The Captain even had a procedure for that. Separate facilities for men and women were prepared by the younger boys each night, and re-covered before leaving each campsite. Where cover was not available, a canvas screen was setup by each, to assure some degree of privacy.
All these things had to be done by full light so that everything and everybody was ready for the now familiar, "Wagon's Ho!" call from the Captain.
As the sun peeked out above the horizon to the east, the Captain could be seen riding about, giving a warning that he was about to get underway. This he did so that at least these first days, he'd have no stragglers to contend with.
Ty, Byron and Charles were more than ready, and stood talking quietly with their new neighbors, the Patricks and the Hamptons from New York. They were slightly amused by their accents, considering that they were all Blacks. They had no children, and were all young, the oldest being just twenty-five. They in turn were surprised to see a Black manservants and their young master from the South traveling together, seemingly friendly toward each other. They seen and heard stories of the Blacks in the South were treated.
The conversation was polite and cordial, if not friendly. The guise of servants-master was apparently working. They hoped that it would continue to do so.
Children could be seen running and playing while the adults tended their chores. Their time would come when the cattle were started on their way. Any child old enough to run and play was judge old enough to herd cattle, at least part of the day. The younger ones rode in the wagons all the time. Some boys rode horseback herding while most were on foot.
"Wagons Ho!" came the call at last, and the first wagons began to pull out and head away from the sun. As the train stretched out, the Captain assumed his position at the head of the train heading more Northerly it seemed than necessary, but no one called him on it.
Early in the day they met a troop of cavalry from Fort Leavenworth. The lieutenant in charge apparently knew Captain Hardy for they talked for a considerable period, not delaying the train however, as the wagons continued their North Westerly movement along the trail led by one of the scouts.
Captain Hardy did indeed know Lieutenant Billings. The Captain had retired from the army the year before, and had been at Fort Leavenworth when Billings transferred in from Fort Snelling. They had become good friends in the short six month before Hardy had retired, better friends than it was generally known. Both men were single and had shared living quarters. Many, if not most, officers were married, and as long as they were in secure areas, such as Leavenworth, most brought their wives to live with them.
Those officers without wives, or whose wives had not moved there, shared quarters with other officers. Sometimes as many as four sharing the larger family quarters, when they were available. Of course, the average soldier, even if he were married, was not accorded such privileges. The quarters at Leavenworth were not elegant, but they were better than quarters at places like Fort Kearney, Fort Morgan, and Fort Snelling, all on the frontier.
After their extended conversation, Hardy rode quickly back to the head of his train, just as the wagons were passing the Fort which sat on the trail they were taking. Fort Leavenworth looked down on the Missouri at a point where it made a small bend. It was the one of several military outposts which they would encounter along their trek, the next was Kearney, and after that Morgan.
Byron had seen the maps which showed the route they were taking, and now understood why the trail made the strange loop northward before dipping south toward Fort Morgan. The Captain knew the areas between the forts, and they were more secure in staying in those areas.
By the time the sun reach its highest point in the sky, everyone was ready for a break, both man and beast, for it was quite warm that day. Sweat soaked their clothing and stained their coats. A hasty lunch was eaten by all and soon the call came again to "Move Out!" There was no circling of the wagons at noon, but the scouts were out well away from the train on the lookout for any signs of trouble, as they were throughout the day. Each afternoon two men were selected to ride ahead with one of the scouts to prepare the campsite for the evening, once the site was selected, based on the rate of speed the train was moving, and the terrain, and with prior recommendations from the Captain. The tasks which were to performed involved setting up the latrine facilities, dig a shallow well if possible, collect firewood if available, and where practical build a corral. The fact that one was the only man in a wagon did not exempt him from this duty, as all women were expected to be able to handle their own wagon on the usual terrain. Some were reluctant at first to attempt it, but most were farm women, or had grown up on farms, and had at least some experience with driving with teams of animals. Those who hadn't the experience had to get it with their husband's instruction. These husbands spent many days of painful tutoring of their often terrified wives. One poor man had to get one of the older boys from one of the other wagons to drive his wagon when even after two weeks of instruction, his wife still could not manage the team and he was required to leave his wagon in the afternoon.
The scouts were both Whites and Indians, some a mixture of both. The Captain had chosen them as carefully as he had chosen his mount, for without a good scout, one could not hope to make safe passage across this hostile land anymore than one could do it with a poor horse.
Afternoon was hotter than the morning and they traveled until the sun was full in their faces sitting just above the horizon. And all were glad when they heard the call, "Circle Your Wagons!" It took a few minutes for the action to complete. With practice it would less time each time they did it. The first night the tail had turned the wrong way and it took twice as long to complete. But now it all went smoothly, and soon everyone was busy with their nighttime chores.
Smoke quickly rose from the cooking fires, the horses unsaddled and tethered to graze outside the circle for now. The cattle were milked, those the needed milking, and the rest corralled inside the circle. The cages for the chickens and ducks were set on the ground under the wagons. The children were sent scouring the area for anything burnable material for the fires. That which was used one night was saved for another when it might not be available.
Once again Ty, Charles and Byron were all free from sentry duty. The next night they would have it once again. The sunset was all coral and peach tinged with purple and red long after the fireball had disappeared beyond view in the West.
Their neighbors invited them to share the evening meal with them that night. They enjoyed the chance to mingle with the two couples with whom they had much in common. A strange comradeship was developing between them. It was much different from that between the other groupings within the wagon train. Most of those traveling in the group were farmers or shop keepers, but these four were in neither groups. They were entertainers. Ty suggested that this made them appear different, as indeed they were.
Charles sensed it first, but Ty and Byron were soon aware of it too. Whatever it was that made them different, also made them more interesting for the three, and the curiosity regarding them was soon forgotten.
The meal was delicious and welcome after the hard day's ride. Ty and Charles helped the women with the cooking and the cleanup so as to continue to give the appearance that they were tying to maintain. Byron sat about the fire chatting with the two men. They were neatly dressed, though in durable outdoor style clothing, obviously newly purchased for the trip. The two men looked enough a like to be brothers but weren't. They were pleasant enough, and seemed quite comfortable talking with Byron, less so with Ty and Charles. The laughed and joked with Byron telling tales of their experiences in New York.
Once again the Captain made his rounds, checking to see that everyone was sound and ready for the next day, urging to bed down early.
Darkness fell quickly, and soon the fires died as did the voices, and the prairie was quiet save the occasional call of coyote, or night bird. Sleep conquered all once again.
A week after leaving sight of Fort Leavenworth, a noontime rest came at the shore of Turtle Creek Lake, at the point where the Big Blue River and the Little Blue Rivers joined and flowed into the lake. It was well past noon. The Captain had driven them beyond their normal time for rest so that they could cross the rivers that day and make camp on the other side that night. He judged, and wisely so, that it would take all afternoon for everyone to make this first crossing. Not all due to lack of experience, but some to the height of the water this time of year. The items which might be total ruined by water, and those that could be carried on horseback were carried across that way. The rest were raised to the highest point possible in the wagons without making them top heavy. The with ropes tied to the irons going across their tops to stabilize them, one by one they were coaxed into the water. The draft animals were led by men on horseback, to keep them going in a straight line as much as possible.
In spite of the deep water from the spring runoff, there were no accidents, no wagons tipped. Several children in their eagerness to see what was happening fell into the water and had to be pulled out by riders, but only on the first two wagons did this happen. After the others had seen them fall in, they were more cautious.
After the wagons were circled, clothing was hung to dry while dinner was prepared. As much dry wood, and some green saplings were collected from the trees which grew in abundance along the river banks and lake shore.
The evening was spent in relaxing and story telling this night. Both Ty and Charles were on sentry duty having the first watch. While Byron had the last.
Byron crawled in early but did not really sleep until Ty and Charles came in near ten o'clock. Still Byron would get six hours sleep since wouldn't be awaken until nearly four. Their neighbors were quiet, somewhat subdued that night, as the men both had sentry duty that night as well.
"Mister Harper," Came the call, in a loud whisper accompanied by tapping on the side of the tent.
All three were instantly awake. Byron poked his head out of the opening of the tent.
"I'm awake," he whispered, "Be out in a minute."
"Alright, Sir," It was young Nathan Hampton. His dark face appeared even darker in the blackness of the night, barely visible at all. He straightened and continued on his rounds.
Inside the tent Byron was pulling on his heavy jacket and boots. He pulled the rifle from its case at the edge of the tent and crawled out into the brisk night air. The others rolled over and soon were once again asleep.
He hurried off to use the latrine. When he was finished he returned and caught up with Nathan and relieved him after Nathan showed him the section of the circle he was to guard.
Byron watched as Nathan climbed into the wagon which was right next to their tent. He thought he heard voices come from inside. Byron turned and began walking slowly along the edge of the circle which was his designated route. The sky was clear and the stars twinkled brightly, but there was no moon.
From between the wagons he could see the lone fire which was at the center. One of the scouts, one of whom was always on sentry duty, day or night, was filling tin cups with coffee. He carried two in each hand and distributed them to each sentry in turn.
When Byron tasted it, he found it strong and bitter, having been sitting at the edge of the fire most of the night, it had grown in strength steadily until now it was barely drinkable. Had it not been for its steamy hotness, Byron would have turned it down. But it warmed him greatly as he sipped the nasty brew. Presently he grew accustomed to the taste, and by the time he'd finished the cup, he was fully awake and feeling quite alert.
Occasionally Byron and one of the other sentries would meet at the edge of their respective territories. They greeted each other with a nod or a soft "Howdy." Conversation was forbidden, as it tended to disturb those who were sleeping.
As much as Byron hated to climb out of his warm blankets, he was glad he was up now that he was fully awake. It gave him a chance to think about what they were doing, a chance to make it clear in his mind what it was, that he wanted it to be when they arrived at their goal, The Golden West.
During the day the hustle and bustle of the activity left little time for thinking, and the nights passed so quickly in sleep, they also provided the necessary time. But the solitude of sentry duty was ideal. It was quiet and peaceful, and he was alone for the most part.
In the past years, Byron had grown in stature, not physically, but as a person. He'd left the plantation, a disillusioned young man, who'd lost all that he held dear to him. He wandered the hills and valleys of the Virginias and Carolinas living by the sweat of his brow and the cunning of his mind and arrived at Ty's cabin that summer day, still alone and disorganized, not really having a goal, save the vague idea that he wanted to go West, whatever that meant. He'd been tested in ways he hadn't thought of before, by having to do things he never had thought he might have to do. He found that he could work hard physically, and enjoy what he was doing. That was probably the thing he learned about himself most, that he was strong.
He like Charles, had a sort of sixth sense about people, men especially, and could tell when a person was interested, even in the slightest way, about him sexually. He was surprised to find out how many men were interested in him that way. Knowing it, and being able to do anything about it, were two quite different things.
Luckily for him, his tolerance for pain, both physical and mental, was high, for he had to endure at lot of it. What made it so bad was the fact that the point at which the pain began was so low. Everything hurt him, every unkind look or word hurt his feelings. But rarely did he ever display openly how he felt. Tears were rare, as was laughter.
That day at the stream when he discovered Ty lying naked drying himself in the sun, all that had changed. He discovered within himself a determination and a strength that never before had been tested. Laughter and tears now came easily, he felt things that he never before felt, rather let himself feel, since Jeffrey had died and he'd left the comfort of his home. He found that the love he felt for Ty was real, and that it was as real as that love he'd shared with Jeffrey. He also found out that love wasn't all about sex, although it certainly made things nicer. It was about trusting on honesty, caring and giving.
He found in Ty a gentleness and strength beyond anything he had seen in men or women before. Oh, he had seen strength and he had seen gentleness, not in such abundance in one person. It was these two things about Ty that attracted him to him.
Byron was suddenly awakened from his thoughts by the appearance of the scout-sentry from behind one of the wagons.
"More coffee?" the man whispered.
Byron handed him the cup he'd stuck on his belt. The man took it and disappeared without a sound. It was strange, he thought, you never heard them, and rarely saw them. It was only when they wanted to be seen or heard, that you could actual do it.
Presently the scout returned, appearing from between two wagons just as Byron was passing the narrow gap, again without a sound, and without Byron's having seen him until he showed himself as he stepped out of the opening.
Byron took the cup once more, and sipped the hot liquid. This time it was fresh coffee, flavorful and aromatic, tasting as if it had been brewed in the finest restaurant in Atlanta, the only large city with which he had any experience.
A short time later, the wake-up call began. The wagon train became a living thing once again, teaming with activity, alive with voices, and smells, and sights. The sun began breaking above the horizon, clean and golden, without a cloud to hide it from view. A new day was beginning.
To be continued ---
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