November 1996
Volume 1, Number 5

Introduction

This month's issue focuses on the areas of the NCIC 2000 system that law enforcement personnel may use directly -- the NCIC 2000 Workstation, the Squad Car Mobile Imaging Unit (MIU), and the equipment (scanners, printers, and cameras) and communications used with each. We will look at the status of these products in the NCIC 2000 development effort, discuss technical specifications, and cover the portability and flexibility of the software that the Harris Corporation (Harris) is developing for the workstation and the MIU. The workstation and MIU designs give users a wide choice of hardware to host NCIC 2000 functionality, provided that the equipment meets the specifications outlined below. Next month, we will focus on the Fingerprint Matching Subsystem (FMS).

Status of Workstation and MIU Development

Most of the software for these products is complete. The programming to add the new NCIC files to the workstation and MIU software still needs to be completed. The new files are: the Violent Gang and Terrorist File, the Deported Felon File, the Protection Order File, and the National Sex Offender Registry File.

The FBI is considering a plan for early delivery of these products and the FMS. Specific dates are still being discussed, but delivery would occur well before the date scheduled for NCIC 2000 initial operating capability (July 1999). This would give the FBI and some interested States time to test the performance and integration of the workstation and MIU. Tests will give insight into the capabilities and portability of these subsystems, especially NCIC 2000 application software such as the user interfaces, the Computer Based Training (CBT), and the Software Image Processing System (SWIPS). SWIPS replaces the IPScard, which was a hardware image processing card.

If the FBI decides to take early delivery of the workstation and MIU, Harris will provide workstations and MIUs with NCIC 2000 applications software, all required commercial software, and all required documentation. At this point, negotiations with Harris are in progress and no dates for early delivery or testing have been set. We will keep you updated on these areas in future issues.

Workstation and MIU Specifications

Note: The following is a general overview of NCIC 2000 workstation and MIU hardware and software. Users should not make purchases based on this brief summary. For further details and questions, please contact Mr. Roy Weise on 304-625-2730.

The NCIC 2000 workstation and MIU allow users to access NCIC 2000 using popular commercial off-the-shelf equipment. This precludes the need for special purpose hardware and software, other than the NCIC 2000 applications software that the FBI will provide to States at no cost. The NCIC 2000 workstation and MIU are designed and tested to operate on any computer that uses Windows 3.1. The workstation and MIU software have also run successfully on Windows 95 and Windows NT in Harris' tests, but the NCIC 2000 software does not use the 32-bit processing and dynamic multitasking capabilities of Windows 95 and Windows NT. Both the workstation and the MIU use standard Windows interfaces and drivers and are designed to facilitate integration with new commercial technology and software as it becomes available. This allows users to have access to multiple application developers.

The workstation and MIU run on any Intel-based 386 processor or higher. The recommended processor speed is 66 MHZ, 486 or better. Performance and response times will be better using a faster computer, such as a 486, Pentium, or higher processor.

The MIU is designed similar to the workstation in that it uses standard, commercially available hardware and software. MIU application software that is unique to NCIC 2000 will be provided by the FBI at no cost to users.

The MIU supports the NCIC 2000 transactions that are most typically sent from a patrol car (e.g., inquiries). The MIU will have equipment to support police operations, such as a live-scan fingerprint device, a digital camera, and a printer capable of printing high quality images. The MIU will have a simple interface that allows a police officer to make inquiries into NCIC 2000 (e.g., using function keys as "hot keys"). Harris has designed and tested the MIU on a 486 computer. The computer and additional equipment that comprise the MIU must be able to withstand shock, vibration, and temperature extremes that may occur in vehicles.

Harris has provided the FBI with a working model of the MIU. It is on display in the Criminal Justice Information Services Division's Human Interface Technology Center (HITEC) Center, located at FBI Headquarters. Harris has demonstrated the interchangeability of various commercial products in the MIUs configuration. The FBI anticipates that the hardware technology will continue to evolve over the next several years. We will keep you posted on these advancements.

NCIC 2000 Workstation Commercial Hardware Specifications:

• 386 processor or higher (66 MHZ 486 or higher is preferred for performance)
• 8 MB memory (4 MB minimum)
• 120 MB hard disk drive (minimum)
• RS232 serial port based on the 16550 Universal Receiver/Transmitter (UART) chip for communication with the MIU
• Monitor capable of displaying 1024 x 768 pixels and 64 gray shades with a Windows driver
• Two button mouse (Microsoft compatible)
• Extended, 101-key keyboard
• 3.5" or 5.25" Floppy Disk Drive
• Adaptec SCSI Board OR COMPARABLE
• One ISA slot for a communications board -- EICON X.25 configured (or a communications board compatible with State requirements)

NCIC 2000 Workstation Peripheral Equipment:

• Brother HL-10h 10 PPM, 600 DPI Laser Printer with 4 MB Memory Upgrade OR COMPARABLE (Note: Printer resolution is important as the system is designed to print high quality images (64 shades of gray scale) as well as text, such as messages and reports)
• Digital Biometrics, Inc. FC-7 Model T Desktop Fingerprint Scanner OR COMPARABLE for live scanning of fingerprints
• Tamarack Color Scanner Series 12000C OR COMPARABLE for scanning documents, file fingerprints, and other identifying images (e.g., mug shots)
• Dataradio modem OR COMPARABLE for transmission of data sent to the MIU (Note: Users may select their own mobile communications, but the capability chosen should support error correction transmission).

NCIC 2000 Workstation Commercial Software:

The following software is not provided by the FBI. States must purchase this software.

• DOS 6.22
• Windows 3.1
• FTP, Inc. PC/TCP 3.0 OR COMPARABLE
• Adaptec SCSI Driver 2.0 OR COMPARABLE (Note: Some SCSI drivers may not work correctly).
• Tamarack Scanner Driver 3.7 OR COMPARABLE (Note: Scanners must be capable of supporting high quality images such as facial details on mug shots. The scanner must be able to physically read at least 500 dpi with no interpolation.
• Brother Printer Driver 1.40 OR COMPARABLE
• Display Driver (1024 x 768) OR COMPARABLE

NCIC 2000 Workstation Application Software:

This software will be provided by the FBI at no cost to States.

• Computer Software Program Files
• Software Data Files
• CBT Files and Data

Note: The workstation application software includes object code from the following COTS class libraries: zApp 2.21, Tools.h 6.0, Windows Sockets 1.1, Accusoft DLL-16 for Windows 4.0. The workstation application was coded in Borland C++, version 4.52 and uses a PS/2 type mouse.

A note on communicating with the NCIC 2000 Central Segment

The NCIC 2000 workstation is designed to communicate via TCP/IP protocol over X.25. If local users access State Control Terminal Agencies (CTA) using protocols other than X.25 (through Windows Sockets) and TCP/IP, users can substitute their own access protocols in the communications portion of the workstation. NCIC 2000 is designed to allow users to easily change to other commercial communications equipment. CTAs should not have to change their existing means of communicating with their users.

NCIC 2000 Mobile Imaging Unit (MIU) Hardware:

• Fieldworks FW8500 Computer OR COMPARABLE (486 or higher)
• Minimum 4 MB memory
• Minimum 40 MB hard disk drive
• Centronics parallel port for the gray scale printer
• VGA display screen (640 X 480) with a Windows driver
• 84 key QWERTY keyboard with function keys

NCIC 2000 MIU Peripheral Equipment:

• Sony UP-D860 Digital Graphic Printer and PV-125 Inverter OR COMPARABLE to print identifying images, fingerprints, and results of NCIC 2000 inquiries.
• Digital Biometrics Model-T Fingerprint Scanner OR COMPARABLE with recharging and a SCSI interface cradle.
• Closed Circuit Products B-52 Camera OR COMPARABLE to provide the capability to capture identifying images and transmit them to the workstation for display and printing.
• Dataradio Turbo Mobile Radio Modem (MRM) OR COMPARABLE. The MRM hardware provides the packetization, modulation, and error correction for data sent to and from the NCIC 2000 workstation.

NCIC 2000 MIU Commercial Software:

The following software is not provided by the FBI. States must purchase this software.

• DOS 6.22
• Windows 3.1
• Adaptec SCSI Driver 3.03 OR COMPARABLE
• Display Driver (1024 X 768) OR COMPARABLE

NCIC 2000 MIU Application Software:

This software will be provided by the FBI at no cost to States.

• Software application files
• Software program data files

Note: The MIU application includes object code from the following COTS class libraries: Borland C++, version 4.2

This space is provided for authorized criminal justice agencies to provide commentary, questions, or suggestions. We will provide an answer to all questions. If you would like to submit an article, send it to:

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Attn: Ms. Katina Mackall
Room 9504
NCIC 2000 Program Office
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20535