# US 11,111,090 B2 · Load planning optimization using automated 3D packing

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- Number: US 11,111,090 B2
- Document ID: US11111090B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/296,676
- Filed: 2019-03-08
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-08
- Assignees: Verizon Connect Development Limited
- Applicants: Verizon Connect Development Limited
- Inventors: Marco Gualtieri; Leonardo Taccari; Andrea Benericetti; Tommaso Bianconcini; Alessio Frusciante; David Di Lorenzo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111090B2

## CPC

- B65G 65/30: Methods or devices for filling or emptying bunkers, hoppers, tanks, or like containers, of interest apart from their use in particular chemical or physical processes or their application in particular machines, e.g. not covered by a single other subclass (devices for tilting and emptying containers B65G65/23; such containers having means facilitating filling or emptying B65D88/54)
- G06Q 10/04: Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202)
- B65G 15/30: Belts or like endless load-carriers (co-operating with rails or the like B65G21/22; {co-operating} with rollers B65G39/20)
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06T 19/006: {Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00)}
- G09B 9/00: Simulators for teaching or training purposes (for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; {protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131})
- B65G 2814/0304: Stacking devices
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)

## Abstract

A load planning platform generates a preliminary packing solution based on loading constraints for a three-dimensional container and parameters for a set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container, wherein the preliminary packing solution simulates placing unpacked items into the three-dimensional container according to one or more loading rules based on a sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container. The load planning platform generates a set of packing solutions by applying one or more available moves changing a simulated placement for one or more items in the set of items. The load planning platform selects a final packing solution from the set of packing solutions based on one or more optimization criteria and provides access to a three-dimensional rendering of the final packing solution and instructions for implementing the final packing solution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving, at a device, information related to loading constraints for a three-dimensional container and parameters for a set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container;
generating, by the device, a preliminary packing solution based on the loading constraints for the three-dimensional container, the parameters for the set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container, and a sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container,
wherein the preliminary packing solution simulates placing unpacked items, in the set of items, into the three-dimensional container according to one or more loading rules until a condition is satisfied;
generating, by the device, a set of packing solutions by applying one or more available moves to the preliminary packing solution,
wherein the one or more available moves change a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container for one or more items in the set of items;
selecting, by the device, a final packing solution from the set of packing solutions based on one or more optimization criteria;
providing, by the device, access to a three-dimensional rendering of the final packing solution and instructions for implementing the final packing solution, based on the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container;
receiving, at the device and based on interaction with the three-dimensional rendering via one or more interface elements, a modification to the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container; and
updating, by the device and based on receiving the modification, the final packing solution.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein providing the instructions further comprises:
providing a first set of instructions that indicates placement of a first subset of the set of items in the three-dimensional container; and
providing, based on receiving confirmation from a sensor that the first subset of the set of items has been correctly placed in the three-dimensional container, a second set of instructions that indicates placement of a second subset of the set of items in the three-dimensional container.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is satisfied when each item in the set of items has a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, or when the set of items does not include any unpacked items that can be placed in the three-dimensional container while satisfying the one or more loading rules.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more optimization criteria are based on one or more of: a quantity of the set of items that have a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, heights for the set of items that have a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, or locations for the set of items within the three-dimensional container relative to a point of ingress and egress.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more loading rules include a restriction on vertically rotating one or more particular items in the set of items, a set of criteria for stacking multiple items, and a requirement to preserve a path to each item having a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container relative to a point of ingress and egress.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more available moves change the simulated placement by one or more of:
rotating one or more items in the set of items,
swapping the simulated placement for one or more items in the set of items,
moving one or more items in the set of items to an unoccupied space, or
inserting an unpacked item, in the set of items, into the three-dimensional container.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the instructions for implementing the final packing solution comprise augmented reality content for guiding a user through loading the set of items into the three-dimensional container based on the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container.

### Claim 8

A device, comprising:
one or more memories; and
one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, to:
receive information related to loading constraints for a three-dimensional container and parameters for a set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container;
generate a preliminary packing solution based on the loading constraints for the three-dimensional container, the parameters for the set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container, and a sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container,
wherein the preliminary packing solution simulates placing unpacked items, in the set of items, into the three-dimensional container according to one or more loading rules until a condition is satisfied;
generate a set of packing solutions by applying one or more available moves to the preliminary packing solution,
wherein the one or more available moves change a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container for one or more items in the set of items;
select a final packing solution from the set of packing solutions based on one or more optimization criteria;
provide access to a three-dimensional rendering of the final packing solution and instructions for implementing the final packing solution, based on the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container;
receive, based on interaction with the three-dimensional rendering via one or more interface elements, a modification to the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container; and
update, by the device and based on receiving the modification, the final packing solution.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, when providing the instructions, are further to:
provide a first set of instructions that indicates placement of a first subset of the set of items in the three-dimensional container; and
provide, based on receiving confirmation from a sensor that the first subset of the set of items has been correctly placed in the three-dimensional container, a second set of instructions that indicates placement of a second subset of the set of items in the three-dimensional.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the condition is satisfied when each item in the set of items has a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, or when the set of items does not include any unpacked items that can be placed in the three-dimensional container while satisfying the one or more loading rules.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more optimization criteria are based on one or more of: a quantity of the set of items that have a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, heights for the set of items that have a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, or locations for the set of items within the three-dimensional container relative to a point of ingress and egress.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more loading rules include a restriction on vertically rotating one or more particular items in the set of items, a set of criteria for stacking multiple items, and a requirement to preserve a path to each item having a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container relative to a point of ingress and egress.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more available moves change the simulated placement by one or more of:
rotating one or more items in the set of items,
swapping the simulated placement for one or more items in the set of items,
moving one or more items in the set of items to an unoccupied space, or
inserting an unpacked item, in the set of items, into the three-dimensional container.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions for implementing the final packing solution comprise augmented reality content for guiding a user through loading the set of items into the three-dimensional container based on the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive information related to loading constraints for a three-dimensional container and parameters for a set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container;
generate a preliminary packing solution based on the loading constraints for the three-dimensional container, the parameters for the set of items to be loaded into the three-dimensional container, and a sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container,
wherein the preliminary packing solution simulates placing unpacked items, in the set of items, into the three-dimensional container according to one or more loading rules until a condition is satisfied;
generate a set of packing solutions by applying one or more available moves to the preliminary packing solution,
wherein the one or more available moves change a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container for one or more items in the set of items;
select a final packing solution from the set of packing solutions based on one or more optimization criteria;
provide access to a three-dimensional rendering of the final packing solution and instructions for implementing the final packing solution, based on the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container;
receive, based on interaction with the three-dimensional rendering via one or more interface elements, a modification to the sequence in which the set of items are to be unloaded from the three-dimensional container; and
update, based on receiving the modification, the final packing solution.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to provide the instructions, cause the one or more processors to:
provide a first set of instructions that indicates placement of a first subset of the set of items in the three-dimensional container; and
provide, based on receiving confirmation that the first subset of the set of items has been correctly placed in the three-dimensional container, a second set of instructions that indicates placement of a second subset of the set of items in the three-dimensional container.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the condition is satisfied when each item in the set of items has a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, or when the set of items does not include any unpacked items that can be placed in the three-dimensional container while satisfying the one or more loading rules.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more optimization criteria are based on one or more of: a quantity of the set of items that have a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, heights for the set of items that have a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container, or locations for the set of items within the three-dimensional container relative to a point of ingress and egress.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more loading rules include: a restriction on vertically rotating one or more particular items in the set of items, a set of criteria for stacking multiple items, and a requirement to preserve a path to each item having a simulated placement in the three-dimensional container relative to a point of ingress and egress.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more available moves change the simulated placement by one or more of:
rotating one or more items in the set of items,
swapping the simulated placement for one or more items in the set of items,
moving one or more items in the set of items to an unoccupied space, or
inserting an unpacked item, in the set of items, into the three-dimensional container.