Patent ID: 11727521

Abstract:
A control circuit obtains a first set of rules that define a conveyability range for containers as a function of conveyability constraints pertaining to an intermediary distribution facility. The control circuit also accesses conveyability constraint information for the intermediary distribution facility and generates a conveyability range for that facility by evaluating the constraint information against the first set of rules. The control circuit obtains a second set of rules that define an objective function that uses the conveyability range as a constraint to determine an optimal container pack size for the given item. (By one approach these teachings will also accommodate using at least two additional constraints, such as a so-called days-of-supply (DOS) constraint and a so-called pack-and-a-half constraint.) The control circuit then generates an optimal container pack size for the given item by evaluating the objective function against the conveyability range (and other selected constraints).