Patent Publication Number: US-2006017799-A1

Title: Flexible media magnetic laser printer

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates generally to data storage and in particular to a laser printer system applying magnetic print material to flexible media such as cloth or paper.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Today&#39;s computer systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated, permitting users to perform an ever increasing variety of computing tasks at faster and faster rates. Data storage and retrieval are two issues involved in nearly every computer operation.  
      Hard copy and soft copy are terms generally applied to distinguish between printed materials and electronic copies. To be non-volatile, the soft copy/electronic copy is traditionally stored in an appropriate data storage media.  
      Traditional forms of electronic data storage rely upon writing media set down with rigid devices, such as the magnetic media utilized in hard drives, floppy drives and magnetic tape. In a great many instances, a printed representation of the stored data is created, for example, in a textual document, graphic, chart, table or photograph.  
      Unlike a computer, a printed document does not require a continuous source of power to be enjoyed. Documents printed on paper are also portable and easily passed from one person to another. Yet, in many instances it is desirable to provide the recipient of a hard copy with the corresponding electronic soft copy as well. At least two issues arise in such a setting.  
      First, the provider of the data must have at his or her disposal an appropriate media for receiving the electronic copy of the information—a removable hard drive, floppy disc, cassette tape, writeable DVD or CD, zip drive, ram drive or other physical device capable of holding electronic data.  
      In most cases, such devices are acquired for a price from a third party supplier or manufacturer. Regardless of a desire to do so, the general user is not capable of rendering a data storage device on his or her own.  
      The manufacturing costs and technology involved in fabrication place the generation of traditional data storage devices out of the realm of financial feasibility for the typical user. Although costs for general storage devices have decreased, a user may incur significant aggregate costs over time in continuously utilizing electronic file storage devices.  
      Second, transferring a second item (i.e., the device containing the electronic copy) in addition to the paper hard copy presents its own problems. The recipient should take care not to loose or misplace the electronic copy. Yet, in many cases the electronic copy is not stored, carried with, or otherwise tied to the paper copy. Frequently, paper and electronic copies are stored in physically different archives.  
      Another undesirable factor inherent in separate physical storage devices, such as floppy discs or other devices, is the creation of excess waste. When a user saves an electronic copy of a document or file to a floppy disc, the unused portion of the disc is wasted. This represents further waste of the resources used in creating the disc itself.  
      Printer devices such as ink-jet printers and laser printers have become increasingly more common and specialized in terms of their quality of resolution. Laser printers typically offer improved speed, precision and economy over ink-jet printing. Laser printers tend to be more expensive then ink-jet printers, however, comparatively speaking they are less costly to maintain. Toner powder, as used by laser printers is relatively cheap and lasts a long time, whereas liquid ink cartridges tend to dry up and/or may be used up very quickly. A typical modem laser printer may also print 20+ pages per minute whereas an inkjet printer may only accomplish 7 per minute.  
      As a direct result of the advances in both laser and ink-jet printing, hard copy versions of data are increasingly more precise and capable of conveying visual information with greater resolution and clarity. To some extent, this leads users to be more prolific in their printing efforts, both for their own use as well as in printing for dissemination to others.  
      If the user is working with multiple versions of a document, image, picture, or other physically tangible form of the data, the issue of a paper copy and a separate electronic copy may become both complex and confusing. As such, a user may inadvertently open an electronic copy that does not correspond to the print copy he or she is working with. This introduces an opportunity for error within the data as the user makes changes. In addition, there is the prospect of additional time lost in sorting and comparing electronic and hard copies. These issues of lost time and data error potentially carry an economic cost.  
      Hence, there is a need for a data storage device that overcomes one or more of the drawbacks identified above.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present disclosure advances the art and overcomes problems articulated above by providing a flexible media magnetic laser printing and data storage system.  
      In particular and by way of example only, according to an embodiment, provided is a flexible media magnetic laser printing system including: a case; a laser printing device disposed at least partially within the case, the laser printer device including a print material applicator and a fuser; at least one reservoir of magnetic print material coupled to the print material applicator, the magnetic print material including magnetic particles capable of supporting high density data; and at least one magnetic write device disposed at least partially within the case proximate to the fuser, opposite from the print material applicator. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a flexible media magnetic laser printing system according to an embodiment;  
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of a flexible media magnetic laser printing system according to an alternative embodiment;  
       FIG. 3  is enlarged portion of  FIG. 1  illustrating the application of magnetic toner to a flexible media;  
       FIG. 4  is a further enlarged portion of  FIG. 3  detailing the fuser and magnetic write device;  
       FIG. 5  is a top view of a flexible media receiving magnetic toner according to an embodiment wherein magnetic toner and visible toner are independently applied;  
       FIG. 6  is a top view of a flexible media receiving magnetic toner according to an alternative embodiment wherein magnetic toner and visible toner are applied together;  
       FIG. 7  illustrates one relationship of magnetic toner and visible toner according to one embodiment; and  
       FIG. 8  illustrates an alternative relationship of magnetic toner and visible toner according to an alternative embodiment.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Before proceeding with the detailed description, it is to be appreciated that the present teaching is by way of example, not by limitation. The concepts herein are not limited to use or application with a specific type of flexible media magnetic laser printing system. Thus, although the instrumentalities described herein are for the convenience of explanation, and shown and described with respect to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that the principles herein may be equally applied in other types of flexible media magnetic laser printing. It will be appreciated that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and may be expanded in certain aspects for ease of discussion.  
      In the following description, the term “data” is understood and appreciated to be represented in various ways depending upon context. Generally speaking, the data at issue is primarily binary in nature, represented as logic “0” and logic “1”. However, it will be appreciated that the binary states in practice may be represented by relatively different voltages, currents, resistances or the like that may be measured, sensed or imposed and it may be a matter of design choice whether a particular practical manifestation of data within a memory element represents a “0” or a “1” or other memory state designation.  
      Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly  FIG. 1 , there is shown a portion of a flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100  according to an embodiment, having a case  102 , a laser printing device  104  having at least one print material applicator  106 , a fuser  108 , at least one reservoir  110  containing magnetic print material  112  coupled to the print material applicator  106 , and at least one magnetic write device  114 . As described below, print material applicator  106  may include subcomponents such as  106 A and  106 B.  
      Magnetic write device  114  is disposed at least partially within case  102  and proximate to the fuser  108 . A flexible media  116  is presented to the print material applicator  106  for receiving the magnetic print material  112 . More specifically, flexible media  116  is a print material receiving media. In at least one embodiment, the flexible media  116  presented to the print material applicator  106  is paper.  
      The data recording ability of the flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100  is at least in part achieved by the magnetic print material  112 . More specifically, the magnetic print material  112  includes magnetic particles  112  capable of supporting high density data represented as magnetic fields. As such, the magnetic print material  112  provides magnetic data storage when fused to flexible media  116 .  
      In at least one embodiment, the particles capable of supporting high density data are small substantially uniform ferromagnetic particles, such as iron oxide particles. The actual size of the ferromagnetic particles may be determined by data storage requirements, however in at least one embodiment the ferromagnetic particles are less than 100 nm. In at least one embodiment, the magnetic particles may be substantially similar to the magnetic particles commonly found in ferrofluids.  
      In addition, although the magnetic print material  112  is capable of supporting high density data, the magnetic print material  112  may have a substantially low initial magnetization, but can be influenced to maintain a higher magnetization. Such behavior may be better understood and appreciated with the example of an iron bar. In an initial state, an iron bar may be said to have a low initial magnetization. However, upon exposure to a magnetic field the iron bar may assume a higher level of magnetization. The degree of magnetization is affected in part by the strength, orientation and duration of the applied magnetic field.  
      The print material commonly used in a laser printing system is typically referred to as toner—a powdery substance typically including pigment and plastic. The pigment is typically black, or a color such as cyan, magenta and/or yellow. The purpose of the pigment is to provide a visual image such as a chart, graph, photo, or text. The pigment is blended with the plastic particles so that the toner will melt when passed through the localized heat provided by fuser  108 . As the toner is melted it binds to the flexible media  116  to which it has been applied, such as paper fibers. In at least one embodiment magnetic print material  112  may be combined with plastic or polymer particles to provide a magnetic toner  170 . Moreover, the magnetic print material  112  may be bonded to the flexible media  116  by the melting of the plastic or polymer particles as the magnetic toner  170  passes through the fuser  108 .  
      In at least one embodiment, magnetic print material  112  may be combined with traditional laser toner, such as black or colored toner, or provided as or within a separate magnetic toner reservoir, paralleling the use of multiple color toner reservoirs in color laser printing. Moreover, the magnetic print material  112  may be substantially invisible. The visible print material may be black toner, or colored toner.  
      In applications where colored toner is used, the visible colored toner may be a combination of several separate toners, such as for example, Red/Green/Blue or Cyan/Magenta/Yellow, as are commonly used in color laser printing. As the magnetic print material  112  is provided as magnetic toner  170 , the same technology used to apply visible toner  172  may be advantageously relied upon for the application of the magnetic toner  170 , see  FIG. 2  More specifically, controller  180  utilizing control logic and disposed within case  102  communicates with a laser imaging device, herein after laser  126 , and or a laser guide  128  through control lines  182  and  184  to control the application of material to flexible media  116  provided by a user, as further described below.  
      Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the visible toner  172  may be provided by at least visible toner reservoir  174 , and the magnetic print material  112  may be provided by at least one magnetic toner reservoir  200 . In at least one embodiment the reservoir of visible toner  172  and the reservoir of magnetic toner  170  are a combined reservoir  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment wherein the magnetic print material  112  is provided as separate magnetic toner  170  in one reservoir  200  while a traditional visible toner  172  is provided by a second reservoir  174  The order of application, i.e. magnetic toner before visible toner, or visible toner before magnetic toner, may be interchanged. In at least one embodiment the magnetic toner  170  is applied first so as to be protected by the subsequent application of visible toner  172 .  
      With respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flexible media  116  is transported through the case  102  along a flexible media path  118 , represented as a dotted line. Flexible media path  118  may be described as having a down stream section  120 , and an upstream section  122 . The down stream section  120  occurs before any print material (i.e. magnetic toner, visible toner or combined visible magnetic toner) is applied to the flexible media  116 . As shown, the media path  118  utilizes a plurality of rollers  140  to deliver the flexible media  116  with applied printing to the top of case  102 . Under appropriate circumstances, such as for printing upon thicker material, such as card stock, the media path  118  may include optional output locations, such as for example a front fold down door (not shown). The flexible media path  116  is understood to be exemplary. Under appropriate circumstances, such as where multiple reservoirs are employed (i.e. separate magnetic toner reservoir  110 , and visible toner reservoir  174 ) the flexible media path  116  may provide alternative passage to by-pass un-used or un-desired toner application components.  
      The principles of laser printing are well understood in the art, and briefly summarized herein for the purposes of discussion with respect to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 . The laser printing device  104  may be generalized to include a device for applying print material to a provided flexible media  116 , and a device for bonding the applied print material to the provided flexible media  116 . In at least one embodiment, the device applying the print material includes: a magnetic material reservoir  110  coupled to print material applicator  106 , a laser  126 , a charging device  142 , and a discharge lamp  144 .  
      The print material applicator  106  may consist of one or more drums or rollers. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in at least one embodiment, a developer roller  106 A and photoconductive drum  106 B comprise print material applicator  106 . Developer roller  106 A is coupled to the reservoir ( 100 ,  200 ) to receive magnetic toner  170  and provide magnetic toner to the photoconductive drum  106 B. The photoconductive drum  106 B is typically made out of a highly photoconductive material that may be discharged by light photons. In certain embodiments there may be plurality of print material applicators  106 , (see  FIG. 2 ) or a single drum may serve to both receive magnetic print material  112  directly from the reservoir  110  and apply magnetic print material  112  to the flexible media  116  (see  FIG. 1 ).  
      With a laser printing system, typically a single device incorporates the reservoir  110  and one or more print material applicators  106  (i.e. the developer roller  106 A and photoconductive drum  106 B), into a single device commonly known as a toner cartridge. Moreover, toner cartridges are removable, permitting the user to replace them when and as the toner supply runs low. Removable toner cartridges are aligned to the flexible media path  118  by a toner cartridge receptacle  160  disposed at least partially within case  102 . In at least one embodiment, the flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100  includes a plurality of toner cartridge receptacles  160 ,  160 ′ for receiving a magnetic toner cartridge and at least one color toner cartridge (i.e., Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow), see  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3  provides an enlargement illustrating the application of magnetic toner  170  to a flexible media  116 . As shown in  FIG. 3 a  positive charge is applied to the photoconductive drum  106 B by the charging device  142 , such as a corona wire. Photoconductive drum  106 B is disposed within case  102  so as to be optically coupled to laser  126 . As photoconductive drum  106 B revolves, laser  126  directs a laser beam  130  across the surface to discharge certain locations (take them from a positive charge to a negative charge). Stated another way, the laser  126  draws the desired image, or at least a portion of image, upon the photoconductive drum  106 B as an electrostatic image. Magnetic toner  170 , (illustrated as circles  300 , each including at least one magnetic particle  112 ) is delivered by the developer roller  106 A, to photoconductive drum  106 B. As the magnetic print material  112  is positively charged, magnetic print material  112  will generally cling to the discharged (as in negative charged) areas, i.e. the electrostatic image.  
      Another charging device  146  disposed proximate to media path  118  provides a negative charge to flexible media  116  as it is presented to photoconductive drum  106 B. As the negative charge applied to the flexible media  116  is generally stronger then the negative electrostatic charge holding magnetic toner  170  to photoconductive drum  106 B, the magnetic toner  170  transfers to the flexible media  116 . In at least one embodiment the relationship of the charges is reversed, i.e. photoconductive drum  106 B is negatively charged, the electrostatic image provided by laser  126  is a positive charge, the magnetic toner  170  is negatively charged, and the flexible media  116  is given a positive charge.  
      Moreover, the flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100  is operable during a print operation to apply magnetic toner  170  to flexible media  116  in substantially the same area as to which visible toner  172  is applied. In at least one embodiment, such substantially co-location is accomplished by combining the magnetic toner and visible toner  172  within the same reservoir so that they are simultaneously provided to the same toner delivery roller, for example the photoconductive drum  106 B.  
      To keep the flexible media  116  from clinging to photoconductive drum  106 B it is discharged by de-charging device  148  after picking up the print media. In at least one embodiment, charging device  146  is a transfer corona wire or charged roller, and de-charging device  148  is a detac corona wire or de-charging roller.  
      The fuser  108  is disposed upstream from the print material applicator  106 . With respect to embodiments providing at least one toner cartridge receptacle  160  the fuser  108  is generally upstream from these receptacles  160 . More specifically, the fuser  108  is upstream from where the toner cartridge receptacle  160  will align a removable toner cartridge to the flexible media path  118  for application of print material. As shown in  FIG. 2 , where multiple toner reservoirs  110 ,  110 ′ are employed, such as with the use of multiple toner cartridges, multiple fusers  108 ,  108 ′ may be employed to bond one toner to the flexible media before a subsequent toner is applied.  
      The fuser  108  is typically disposed transverse to the direction of travel along the flexible media path  118 . As may be more fully appreciated with respect to  FIG. 4 , showing an enlargement of the fuser area portion of  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 , fuser  108  provides localized heat  250 , illustrated as dotted lines, to the flexible media  116 .  
      The toner particles, be they visible, magnetic or a combination, are represented in their unheated state as circles  300 . As these particles are subjected to heat  250  from fuser  108 , the toner particles melt and bond with the flexible media  116 . Such melting and bonding is illustrated by the circles  300  becoming ovals  302 , at least a portion of each oval melding into the flexible media, illustrated as a portion of each oval being below the top surface  306  of the flexible media  116 , see  FIG. 4 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , for the purposes of later scanning the flexible media to read the magnetically encoded data, in at least one embodiment the magnetic toner  170  is applied as parallel tracks  500 . However, under appropriate circumstances, the magnetic toner  170  may be applied so as to ultimately produce a circle, or other object.  
      The precision of laser control permits the magnetic toner  170  to be applied as individual dots  502  at a predetermined interval spacing, the spacing selected to avoid the magnetic toner dots from joining together. The predetermined spacing and size of the individual dots serves to predefine the storage format. In an alternative embodiment the application of the magnetic toner  170  to the flexible media  116  may be performed so as to create a continuous strip of magnetic material across the surface of the flexible media  116 .  
      In at least one embodiment, the magnetic write device  114  is a linear array of magnetic field providers  150  disposed proximate to the flexible media path  118 . Specifically, magnetic write device  114  is disposed upstream from the fuser  108 . In the case of multiple fusers  108 ,  108 ′ as shown in  FIG. 2 , the magnetic write device  114  is disposed upstream from the most upstream fuser  108 .  
      Each magnetic field provider  150  is operable to provide an oriented magnetic field of a threshold intensity, sufficient to orient, or create an oriented magnetic field within the magnetic particles of the applied magnetic toner  170 .  FIG. 4  illustrates such an oriented magnetic field as looping arrows  400 . As the magnetic field in contact with the magnetic toner particle represented by oval  402  is oriented towards the left, the magnetic field of magnetic toner particle  402  is oriented towards the left as well. In an alternative embodiment, magnetic write device may be a movable magnetic write head operable to move transversely across the flexible media path  118 . Use of a linear array of magnetic field providers  150  is preferred in at least one embodiment as such a linear array permits an entire line of magnetic toner  170  to be encoded simultaneously.  
      In addition, in at least one embodiment, the plurality of is a magnetic field providers  150  operate simultaneously. Such contemporaneous operation is facilitated by orienting magnetic write device  114  transverse to the flexible media path  118 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . A controller  180  utilizing control logic is coupled to magnetic write device  114  by control line  186 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a single integrated controller  180  may control both the magnetic write device  114 , as well as the laser  126  and laser guides  128 ,  128 ′, or separate controllers may be provided. In at least one embodiment, the magnetic write device  114  may be shielded, such as for example with lead or other magnetically shielding material such as a cladding  152 .  
      In at least one embodiment the magnetic field providers  150  may be devices such as a magneto-resistive head or giant magneto-resistance heads. Such types of devices are commonly found within a typical hard drive as a read/write head and well understood in the field of data storage technology. The read functionality of a read/write device used in a hard drive may not be utilized in the flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100 , however use of such off the shelf heads may be desirable as a cost saving measure during fabrication.  
      Typically, hard drive read/write devices provide a single head with two independent circuits—one for reading and one for writing. Under appropriate circumstances, the read and write circuits may be divided and either may be disabled during fabrication of the incorporating device. Briefly stated, the principle underlying the storage of data in magnetic media is the ability to change and/or reverse the relative orientation of magnetization of a storage bit (i.e. the logic state of a “0” or a “1”).  
      A given magnetic particle generally has two magnetic axes—a hard axis transverse to an easy axis. The orientation of magnetization tends to prefer alignment along the easy axis. A convention is established to define an first orientation along the easy axis as a “0” and an opposite orientation along the easy axis as a “1”. A magnetic bit is written to a magnetic particle or group of particles by providing a magnetic field of sufficient intensity to re-orient the magnetic alignment to a known direction.  
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrates a partial top view of flexible media  116  passing along media path  118  from print material applicator  106 , by fuser  108 , and magnetic write device  114 . The nature of magnetic write device  114  in at least one embodiment as a being a linear array of magnetic field providers  150  may also be appreciated. For ease of discussion, the scale of the components has been exaggerated.  
      Applied magnetic toner particles are represented initially as circles  502 . Upon heating by the fuser  108  to fuse with flexible media  116  they are transformed to ovals  504 . It is understood and appreciated that each magnetic toner circle  502 , and oval  504 , may include a plurality of magnetic particles  112 . Each circle  502  and oval  504  is intended to represent a magnetic media that may be suitable for the storage of a single data bit. The magnetic orientation of each oval  504  is set by magnetic write device  114 , the orientation within each oval  504  is illustratively shown by an arrow  506 .  
      In both  FIGS. 5 and 6 , visual character  510  has not been filled in.  FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment where magnetic toner  170  may be applied independently from typical visual toner  172 , showing the magnetic toner  170  applied across the flexible media  116 .  FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment where the magnetic toner  170  may be applied in a combined form with typical visual toner  172 .  
      In initial form, the magnetic print material  112  within the magnetic toner  170  may have a low initial magnetization, but can be influenced to maintain a higher magnetization. Alternatively, the magnetic print material  112  may have an established field of an unspecified orientation. As the orientation is not set, or not strongly present, it is not shown in ovals  504  or circles  502  prior to the magnetic write device  114 .  
      The coercivity of a material is the level of magnetizing force, measured in oersteds or ampere-turns per meter, that must be applied to a magnetic particle to reduce and/or reverse the magnetization of the particle. Generally, the smaller a particle the higher the coercivity. The threshold intensity of the magnetic field provided by each magnetic field provider  150  is preset overcome the coercivity of the magnetic print material, so as to establish a known magnetic orientation of preference.  
      It is generally appreciated in the magnetic memory arts that as the size of a magnetic bit decreases, the coercivity of the bit will increase. For example, a 0.25×0.75 micrometer bit may have a coercivity of about 40 Oe[1 Oe=1000/(4*pi)A/m], whereas a 0.15×0.45 micrometer bit may have a coercivity of about 75 Oe[1 Oe=1000/( 4 *pi)A/m]. In general, the coercivity of a material will decrease as temperature increase. For example a 100 degrees Celsius rise in temperature may impart a drop in coercivity of about 50%. Upon a decrease in temperature to the original state, the original coercivity will generally return.  
      As stated above, the fuser  108  melts the toner particles to “fuse” them with the flexible media  116 . A typical operating temperature range for a fuser  108  is about 150° C. to 170° C., such that the temperature of the flexible media leaving the fuser is about 160° C. In at least one embodiment the magnetic write device  114  is disposed close to fuser  108 , such that the fuser thermally assists magnetic write device  114 . More specifically, the flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100  is operable during a print operation such that magnetic toner  170  applied to flexible media  116  is heated by the fuser to fuse the magnetic toner  170  to the media  116 , the applied heat thermally assisting the magnetic write device to write data to the fused magnetic toner.  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , magnetic toner dots  700  (formed of magnetic toner  170 ) have been set down substantially within a visible character  702 . For the sake of understanding the placement of the magnetic toner dots  700 , visible character  702  has not been substantially filled in or otherwise shaded within the character defining border.  
      Such co-location of visible and magnetic toner  170  advantageously permits the data storage capability of the flexible media  116  to be substantially non-evident to the eye of a party visually observing the media. Additionally, protection of stored data is advantageously provided when magnetic toner dots  700  are set down beneath a layer or coating of visible toner  172 .  
      In an alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , in addition to or as an alternative, the magnetic toner dots  700  are shown as appearing below a text character in a strip  800 . In at least one embodiment, such strip  800  may be provided and visually indicated to help inform the user as to the presence of encoded data, or at the very least, the ability to provide encoded data within the flexible media  116 .  
      The representation of the magnetic toner dots  700  as round dots is not intended to suggest or imply that the magnetic toner dots  700  should be substantially round in all cases. Under appropriate circumstances, such as for example to accommodate data strings of certain lengths, the separate magnetic toner dots  700  may be oval, tapered, rectangular or otherwise appropriately shaped. In addition, although illustrated as separate magnetic toner dots  700 , it may be desirable for certain applications to provide a continuous strip, or large area of any particular shape of magnetic toner  170 . In further addition, it is understood as well that simply because magnetic toner  170  has been applied to flexible media  116 , it may be desirable for the magnetic write device  114  to not write any data at all—rather a user may simply desire to create a flexible media that is ready to receive magnetic encoded data at a future date.  
      Where the magnetic toner dots  700  are intended to be invisible, and not merely concealed by visible toner  172 , the type of magnetic print material  112  may impose size restrictions upon the size of the magnetic toner dots  700  and the density of the magnetic toner dots  700 . In other words, if the physical size of the magnetic toner dots  700 , and/or the density of the magnetic toner dots  700  is significantly increased, visibility of the magnetic toner  170  may occur.  
      In a similar fashion, the applied magnetic toner  170  may be specifically concentrated in or as a graphic. Moreover, just as visible toner  172  may be applied to render a photograph, page of text, chart or other image, the application of the magnetic toner  170  to flexible media  116  is in general limited only by the physical limitations of the flexible magnetic laser printing system  100 .  
      Advances in magnetic particle fabrication and magnetic read/write devices now permit the storage of data at a nano-scaled level. Such minute granularity may not generally be necessary with respect to flexible media  116  such as paper.  
      The selection of appropriately sized magnetic particles and the density of these particles within the toner is generally driven by the density of data storage desired. In general, the particle size and density will be sufficient such that each typical 12 point character of Times New Roman text can store 1 to 2 bytes of information. Under appropriate circumstances, this storage capacity may be increased or decreased as required for specific applications.  
      The use of flexible media such as traditional paper may provide many advantages to users of the flexible media magnetic laser printing system  100 . For example, the user need not buy a floppy disc or other physical device on which to store the soft copy of the data. A user can quite literally print himself or herself a floppy when and as needed.  
      Even more advantageously, the soft copy of the data and the hard copy of the data may be integrated into a single physical item, thus significantly reducing if not otherwise eliminating the opportunity for confusion to arise in matching electronic copies to hard paper copies. In addition, if the user has the hard copy, then by implication, he or she also has the soft copy. Waste of resources is also curtailed as additional resources are not required for a separate data storage device.  
      Such integration of electronic data and visual data may be most advantageous. Photographs may be printed that also include the necessary data for immediate reproduction without loss of resolution or complex processing. A sheet of music may contain a writing of the score along with the visual notes. A photo of an animal may contain an audio track of the animal in the wild, thereby permitting a user to further enhance his or her learning process beyond what mere text and pictures can provide.  
      Changes may be made in the above methods, systems and structures without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description and/or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method, system and structure, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.