Method and device for automated palletizing of packages

1. A method for automated palletizing of packages, comprising the steps of:

providing an input to a processor defining a size of a loading area, having edges respectively connected at corners of the loading area, in which packages are to be stacked by an automated manipulator;

in said processor, generating a virtual layer comprised of multiple packages from among said packages to be stacked in said loading area;

in said processor, automatically centering said virtual layer relative to said loading area with at least some outer packages in said virtual layer located at selected locations at said edges of said loading area, thereby obtaining a centered virtual layer in said processor, and automatically assessing a stability of said centered virtual layer in said processor and generating a control signal dependent on the assessed stability; and

from said processor, emitting said control signal in electronic form configured to control operation of an automated manipulator to cause packages to be stacked in a stack in said loading area dependent on the assessed stability of said centered virtual layer in said processor.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising assessing said stability of said centered virtual layer by determining a characteristic stability value of said centered virtual layer and comparing said characteristic stability value with a stability limit value, and generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability said automated manipulator to not stack said outer packages at at least one of said edges of said loading area when said characteristic stability value of said centered virtual layer is below said stability limit value.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising generating said characteristic stability value of said centered virtual layer before centering said virtual layer relative to said loading area.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating said automated manipulator from said processor control signal dependent on the assessed stability of said centered virtual layer to cause said manipulator to stack said packages spaced from each other in said loading area to cause said at least some outer packages to be located at said selected locations.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 comprising, in said processor, automatically determining a further characteristic stability value respectively for said packages spaced apart from each other in said loading area and comparing said further characteristic stability value to a further limit value, and generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability to cause said automated manipulator to not stack said packages at said at least one of said edges of said loading area if said further characteristic stability value is below said further limit value.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 comprising employing a value, as said further limit value, determined for said virtual layer with unshifted packages at said at least one of said edges of said loading area.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4 comprising generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability said automated manipulator to place packages at respective corners of said loading area corresponding to packages at respective corners of said centered virtual layer.

8. A method as claimed in claim 4 comprising, in said processor, defining a corridor at at least one of said edges of said loading area and including said corridor in said virtual layer, and generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability to cause said automated manipulator to place packages in an actual corridor of the loading area corresponding to the corridor in the virtual layer.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability to cause said automated manipulator to distribute packages equidistantly from each other in said actual corridor of said loading area.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability to cause said automated manipulator to distribute packages with respect to a center of said actual corridor in said loading area.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating said control signal dependent on the assessed stability to cause said automated manipulator to distribute some of said outer packages at respective edges of said loading area and to center a remainder of said packages within said outer packages in said loading area.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions and loaded into a computerized control unit of a manipulator system, comprising an automated manipulator operated by the control unit, said programming instructions causing said computerized control unit to:

receive an input defining a size of a loading area, having edges respectively connected at corners of the loading area, in which packages are to be stacked by an automated manipulator;

generate a virtual layer comprised of multiple packages from among said packages to be stacked in said loading area;

automatically center said virtual layer relative to said loading area with at least some outer packages in said virtual layer located at selected locations at said edges of said loading area, thereby obtaining a centered virtual layer in said processor, and automatically assess a stability of said centered virtual layer in the control unit and generate a control signal dependent on the assessed stability; and

emit said control signal in electronic form configured to control operation of the automated manipulator to cause packages to be stacked in a stack in said loading area dependent on the assessed stability of said centered virtual layer in said control unit.