Scanning, copying, and printing with rewritable media

A handheld copier system comprising:

• rewritable media having a bistable, electrochromic, colorant layer susceptible to localized electrical fields;
• and
• in a hand-held scannable housing, sensor means for generating image signals representative of an image as said sensor means is scanned across the image, and in a fixed position relative to said sensor means, navigation means for forming at least one position signal indicative of inherent structure related properties correlated to said image signals as said sensor means is scanned, and connected to said sensor means, processor means for processing said image signals and position signals, connected to said processor means, memory means for storing image signals and position signals, and connected to processor means, electrode means for producing said localized electrical fields wherein said fields are associated with said image signals and said positions signals for printing a copy of said image on said rewritable media.

A method for scanning and printing, the method comprising:

• scanning a document with a self-contained, hand held, scanning and printing apparatus;
• and
• printing data collected during said scanning on a rewritable medium with said apparatus such that said document is reproduced on said medium.

A method of manufacture of a hand held scanning and printing apparatus, the method comprising:

• in a hand held scanner device, aligning an array of electrodes for producing localized electrical fields for manipulating a bistable, electrochromic, molecular colorant on a rewritable medium;
• and
• tuning said fields such that molecules of the colorant are subjectable to bistable switching between color states under influence of said fields such that data captured by said device is printable on said medium.