Object placement method and apparatus
Patent 5050090 Issued on September 17, 1991. Estimated Expiration Date: 
March 30, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
March 30, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesPiling planning method and piling system of cargoes by palletizing robot Automatic freight stacking system Patent #: 4692876 InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 331621 filed on 03/30/1989US Classes:700/217, Article support load management (e.g., palletizing)414/273With control system responsive to changeable operating instructionsExaminersPrimary: Ruggiero, JosephAttorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassG06F 015/20AbstractAn object placement method and apparatus which obtains efficiency and optimized placement by providing a library of object placement patterns, each pattern in said library representing a plurality of objects filling a pattern line or series of pattern lines of a three-dimensional space. For each pattern line, a first type object (for example, a first size object) to be placed is selected and the pattern which minimizes the portion of the three-dimensional space used to place a number of first type objects, subject to at least one constraint factor, is determined. A representation of the objects in the rows according to the determined pattern may be provided. According to another aspect of the invention, linking restrictions between the objects of differing sizes may be provided. The linking restrictions are patterns from the library which may not be employed with objects of differing types in a line of the three-dimensional space. The linking restrictions may reject patterns that lead to irregular pattern geometries, inefficient use of space, unstable characteristics or any other undesirable configuration of the two object types in a single pattern line. The element placement technique of the present invention determines the patterns which minimize the portions of the three-dimensional space used to place the objects consistent with at least one constraint factor without violating the linking restrictions.Other References
Field of SearchIncluding control for pattern of groupAdjust to handle articles or groups of different sizes ASSOCIATED WITH FORMING OR DISPERSING GROUPS OF INTERSUPPORTING ARTICLES (E.G., STACKING PATTERNS, ETC.) With load-supporting pallet Sequentially forms or adds completed layers APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING PLURAL ORDERLY ARTICLES ONTO PALLET With control system responsive to changeable operating instructions With means to detect obstruction and alter movement of charging or discharging means | |
