Granted Patent B2

US 9,892,212 · App. 14/280,847 · Granted Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Claims (67)

1. A method comprising, by one or more processors:

creating a package design file comprising a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional structure having a plurality of facets by:

creating a set of cut/fold line definitions, each cut/fold line definition comprising a plurality of parameters pursuant to which a device will impart a cut line along which the three-dimensional structure will be cut or a fold line along which a facet of the structure will be folded,

identifying at least one of the cut/fold line definitions as a variable cut/fold line definition,

for each identified variable cut/fold line definition, identifying one or more alternate parameters for the variable cut/fold line definition, a first cutting/folding scenario in which the three-dimensional structure will use a substrate of a first thickness and will not use the alternate parameters, and a second cutting/folding scenario in which the three-dimensional structure will use the alternate parameters and a substrate of a second thickness that is different from the first thickness, and

saving the cut/fold line definitions, the plurality of parameters, the one or more alternate parameters, the first cutting/folding scenario, and the second cutting/folding scenario to a package design file;

detecting a condition of the device;

based on the condition, determining whether the first cutting/folding scenario or the second cutting/folding scenario is present; and

by the device, using the package design file to impart cut/fold lines on a substrate by applying the alternate parameters only if the second cutting/folding scenario is present.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first cutting/folding scenario comprises a production run;

the second cutting/folding scenario comprises a proof run; and

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines for interlocking tabs and slots of the three-dimensional structure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the alternate parameters also comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will either change a number of flaps or alter a size of a flap that would contain the slots if created pursuant to the second cutting/folding scenario.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines that alter sizes of one or more interlocking tabs and slots of the three-dimensional structure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines that alter a length of one or more flaps of the three-dimensional structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart a fold line as two creases with a gap area between the two creases.

7. A method comprising, by a one or more processors:

creating a package design file comprising a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional structure having a plurality of facets by:

creating a set of cut/fold line definitions, each cut/fold line definition comprising a plurality of parameters pursuant to which a device will impart a cut line along which the three-dimensional structure will be cut or a fold line along which a facet of the structure will be folded,

identifying at least one of the cut/fold line definitions as a variable cut/fold line definition,

for at least one of the identified variable cut/fold line definitions, identifying one or more alternate parameters for the at least one variable cut/fold line definition, a first cutting/folding scenario in which the three-dimensional structure will use a substrate of a first thickness and will not use the alternate parameters, and a second cutting/folding scenario in which the three-dimensional structure will use the alternate parameters and a substrate of a second thickness that is different from the first thickness, and

saving the cut/fold line definitions, the plurality of parameters, the one or more alternate parameters, the first cutting/folding scenario, and the second cutting/folding scenario to a package design file;

detecting a condition of a cutting/folding device;

based on the detected condition, for each identified variable cut/fold line definition, selecting either the first cutting/folding scenario or the second cutting/folding scenario that is associated with the identified variable definition; and

causing a cutting/folding device to create a package flat based on the package design file and the selected cutting/folding scenario.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the first cutting/folding scenario comprises a production run;

the second cutting/folding scenario comprises a proof run; and

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines for interlocking tabs and slots of the three-dimensional structure.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the alternate parameters also comprise parameters pursuant to which the cutting/folding device will either change a number of flaps or alter a size of a flap that would contain the slots if created pursuant to the second cutting/folding scenario.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines that alter sizes of one or more interlocking tabs and slots of the three-dimensional structure.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines that alter a length of one or more flaps of the three-dimensional structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart a fold line as two creases with a gap area between the two creases.

13. A package generation system, comprising:

a cutting/folding device;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory containing programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to create a package design file comprising a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional structure having a plurality of facets by:

creating a set of cut/fold line definitions, each cut/fold line definition comprising a plurality of parameters pursuant to which the device will impart a cut line along which the three-dimensional structure will be cut or a fold line along which a facet of the structure will be folded,

identifying at least one of the cut/fold line definitions as a variable cut/fold line definition,

for each identified variable cut/fold line definition, identifying one or more alternate parameters for the variable cut/fold line definition, a first cutting/folding scenario in which the three-dimensional structure will use a substrate of a first thickness and will not use the alternate parameters, and a second cutting/folding scenario in which the three-dimensional structure will use the alternate parameters and a substrate of a second thickness that is different from the first thickness, and

saving the cut/fold line definitions, the plurality of parameters, the one or more alternate parameters, the first cutting/folding scenario, and the second cutting/folding scenario to a package design file; and

programming instructions to:

detect a condition of the cutting/folding device,

based on the condition, determine whether the first cutting/folding scenario or the second cutting/folding scenario is present, and

cause the cutting/folding device to use the package design file to impart cut/fold lines on a substrate by applying the alternate parameters only if the second scenario is present.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the first cutting/folding scenario comprises a production run;

the second cutting/folding scenario comprises a proof run;

the device comprises a cutting device; and

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines for interlocking tabs and slots of the three-dimensional structure.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the alternate parameters also comprise parameters pursuant to which the cutting device will either change a number of flaps or alter a size of a flap that would contain the slots if created pursuant to the second cutting/folding scenario.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the cutting/folding device comprises a cutting device; and

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the cutting device will impart cut lines that alter sizes of one or more interlocking tabs and slots of the three-dimensional structure.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the cutting/folding device comprises a cutting device; and

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the device will impart cut lines that alter a length of one or more flaps of the three-dimensional structure.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the cutting/folding device comprises a creasing device; and

the alternate parameters comprise parameters pursuant to which the creasing device will impart a fold line as two creases with a gap area between the two creases.

Assignments (9)