Automated layout
OwnerJohn H. Klippensteininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for arranging a plurality of items on a sheet is described. Build trees, based on an ordered sequence of a plurality of items, with nodes representing the items and/or meta-items derived from pairings of items and/or other meta-items, are formed. A build tree is traversed to identify a candidate layout. Candidate layouts are evaluated to determine whether they fit the sheet and then to identify candidate layouts that optimize printing-related activities. The ordered sequence is designed to reduce the quantity of sheets required to produce the desired quantity of items.
Claims16
A method for determining a layout of items on a sheet, the method comprising:
- identifying dimensions of the sheet;
- identifying a plurality of items for placement in the layout based on the dimensions of the sheet wherein an item comprises item dimensions and a desired item quantity;
- determining an ordered sequence of items based on the plurality of items as candidates for placement in the layout wherein the sequence is selected to reduce a sheet quantity required to produce the desired item quantities;
- determining a first sub-sequence of the ordered sequence of items as a starting point for producing the layout;
- producing a first candidate layout based on the first sub-sequence of items;
- performing an iterative process to identify additional candidate layouts that fit the sheet for a same-sized or larger sub-sequence wherein the iterative process is designed to evaluate a subset of possible candidate layouts;
- and
- selecting a preferred candidate layout as the layout.
A method according to claim wherein performing an iterative process to identify additional candidate layouts that fit the sheet for a same-sized or larger sub-sequence comprises a time-limited process.
An imposition system for determining a layout of items on a sheet, the system operative to:
- identify dimensions of the sheet;
- identify a plurality of items for placement in the layout based on the dimensions of the sheet wherein an item comprises item dimensions and a desired item quantity;
- determine an ordered sequence of items based on the plurality of items as candidates for placement in the layout wherein the sequence is selected to reduce a sheet quantity required to produce the desired item quantities;
- determine a first sub-sequence of the ordered sequence of items as a starting point for producing the layout;
- produce a first candidate layout based on the first sub-sequence of items;
- perform an iterative process to find larger sub-sequences and produce corresponding candidate layouts that fit the sheet wherein the iterative process is designed to evaluate a subset of possible candidate layouts;
- and
- select a preferred candidate layout as the layout.
A method for determining a layout of printing items on a printing sheet, the method comprising:
- identifying dimensions of the printing sheet;
- identifying a plurality of printing items for placement in the layout based on the dimensions of the printing sheet wherein a printing item is associated with printing item dimensions and a desired printing item quantity;
- determining an ordered sequence of printing items based on the plurality of printing items as candidates for placement in the layout wherein the sequence is selected to reduce a printing sheet quantity required to produce the desired printing item quantities;
- determining a first sub-sequence of the ordered sequence of printing items as a starting point for producing the layout;
- producing a first candidate layout based on the first sub-sequence of printing items;
- performing an iterative process to identify additional candidate layouts that fit the printing sheet for a same-sized or larger sub-sequence wherein the iterative process is designed to evaluate a subset of possible candidate layouts on the basis of printing sheet utilization and the cost of cutting the printing sheet;
- and
- selecting a preferred candidate layout as the layout.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.