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Abstract

An 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.

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First Claim