Patent ID: 7085689

Claim:
A machine-implemented method for simulating placement of a plurality of unplaced particles, the method comprising: selecting a plurality of unplaced particles; wherein each of the plurality of unplaced particles exhibits a characteristic dimension, corresponding to N categories of the plurality of unplaced particles; wherein the characteristic dimension of each of the plurality of unplaced particles of a given category of the N categories is different from the characteristic dimension of each of the plurality of unplaced particles of other of the N categories; defining a central string, a space disposed about the central string, and N subspaces disposed about the central string and within the space, wherein each of the N subspaces corresponds to one of the N categories, respectively; selecting a particle from the plurality of unplaced particles; defining a catch net representative of buoyancy of a portion of a plurality of placed particles and positioning the catch net within the space based upon placement of the portion of the plurality of placed particles; defining a water level representative of a level of a portion of the plurality of placed particles that are smaller than the selected particle; simulating placement of the selected particle within a corresponding subspace so that the selected particle is positioned in a non-overlapping relationship with respect to the plurality of placed particles, the catch net, and the water level; and repeatedly selecting another particle from the plurality of unplaced particles and simulating placement thereof until placement of each of the plurality of unplaced particles has been simulated.