Adaptive Facility Layout Optimization System

Publication ID: 24-11856902_0007_PTD

Published: October 26, 2025

Category:New Applications & Use Cases

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Adaptive Facility Layout Optimization System,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11856902_0007_PTD, Published October 26, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11856902_0007_PTD

This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,856,902.

Background and Problem Solved

The original patent disclosed novel production facility layouts for automated controlled environment agriculture, but its application was limited to the agricultural industry. However, the same principles of optimizing layouts for efficiency, space utilization, and reduced transportation costs can be applied to other industries. The new invention addresses the limitations of traditional facility layouts in these industries, which often result in inefficient use of space, high transportation costs, and excessive energy consumption.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The new invention's novelty lies in its application of controlled environment agriculture production facility layout principles to unrelated industries, resulting in a paradigm shift in facility design and optimization. The inventive step is the recognition of the potential for cross-industry application and the development of modular, industry-specific components that enable efficient layout optimization.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the invention could include the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, or IoT sensors to further optimize facility layouts in real-time. Variations of the system could be designed for specific industries, such as retail, manufacturing, or education, providing a broad range of applications for the Adaptive Facility Layout Optimization System.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The Adaptive Facility Layout Optimization System has significant commercial potential in various industries, including warehousing, supply chain management, data centers, and healthcare facilities. The system can help companies reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, and minimize environmental impact, making it an attractive solution for businesses seeking to optimize their facilities and stay competitive in their respective markets.

CPC Classifications

Section	Class	Group
A	A01	A01G31/06
A	A01	A01G31/045

Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)

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Field of Art

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and facility design optimization, encompassing spatial arrangement, workflow efficiency, and modular system configuration across industrial and agricultural contexts

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

An engineer or facility design specialist with expertise in systems integration, spatial optimization, thermal management, and logistics flow, capable of translating design principles across different industrial domains

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize the fundamental design principles of the source patent's controlled environment agriculture facility layout are universally applicable across multiple industrial contexts. The core concepts of thermal management, workflow optimization, and modular spatial configuration can be readily translated to other facility types by systematically replacing agricultural-specific components with domain-specific equivalents. The PTD demonstrates this principle by applying the source patent's layout strategies to warehouses, data centers, hospitals, and supply chain logistics.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element

Nutrient and thermal corridor for managing environmental conditions in crop production

PTD Variation

Thermal corridor in data center for managing server heat generation and energy efficiency

Obviousness Reasoning

Known technique of thermal management applied to a predictable alternative domain with identical engineering objectives of temperature control and energy optimization

Source Patent Element

Array of grow rooms arranged parallel to a central corridor for efficient workflow

PTD Variation

Modular warehouse layout with interchangeable functional modules aligned along a central logistics corridor

Obviousness Reasoning

Predictable design extension applying spatial organization principles from agricultural facility to logistics infrastructure, representing a standard design choice for efficient space utilization

Source Patent Element

Conveyor system for moving harvested products through processing facilities

PTD Variation

Hospital layout optimization for patient and staff workflow using similar transportation and movement principles

Obviousness Reasoning

Known technique of flow optimization transferred across domains, representing a standard engineering approach to spatial configuration

Source Patent Element

Integrated post-harvest processing and storage facilities

PTD Variation

Supply chain warehouse layout designed to minimize transportation costs through strategic product placement

Obviousness Reasoning

Predictable application of spatial optimization principles, demonstrating how a PHOSITA would recognize transferable design methodologies

Source Patent Element

Facility layout with adjacent functional spaces for efficient crop production

PTD Variation

Artificial intelligence and IoT sensor integration for real-time facility layout optimization

Obviousness Reasoning

Obvious technological enhancement using known techniques of sensor integration and machine learning to improve existing spatial configuration strategies

35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on US Patent 11856902's comprehensive disclosure of controlled environment facility layout principles, the present publication demonstrates that a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art would find the claimed variations obvious through standard design translation and optimization techniques. The disclosed methods represent predictable extensions of existing spatial configuration strategies, rendering subsequent claims involving similar cross-domain facility design methodologies anticipated and non-patentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103.

Original Patent Information

Patent Number	US 11,856,902
Title	Production facility layouts for automated controlled environment agriculture
Assignee(s)	MJNN LLC