Determination of a BALE laydown from an inventory of textile-fiber bales

Abstract

A computer-implemented method serves for determining a bale laydown (7) from an inventory (1) of fiber bales (11-13) in a textile production process, the fiber bales (11-13) being stored in the inventory (1) as at least one pile (10) At least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of an outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10) is determined. The determined fiber-quality parameters are inputted into a computer program for determining bale laydowns. A bale laydown (7) is determined by the computer program based on the inputted fiber-quality parameters. Information on the determined bale laydown (7) is outputted by the computer program. Thus, the quality and homogeneity of the bale laydown is improved, and the inventory management in the warehouse is simplified.

Description

[0001] DETERMINATION OF A BALE LAYDOWN FROM AN INVENTORY OF TEXTILE-FIBER BALES

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention lies in the fields of quality management and inventory management in the textile industry. It relates to a computer-implemented method, a computer system, and a computer program for determining a bale laydown from an inventory of fiber bales in a textile production process. It further relates to a computer-implemented method for providing a bale laydown in an opening department of a spinning mill from an inventory of fiber bales.

[0004] DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0005] Textile raw material such as cotton is usually delivered to a spinning mill in the form of fiber bales. The fiber bales are stored in a warehouse of the spinning mill. From there, they are transported to an opening department of the spinning mill and placed in continuous rows to form a so-called bale laydown. Typically, a bale laydown belongs to a so-called mixing, which is a group of bale laydowns with similar characteristics form which a certain textile product or intermediate product is produced. Fiber bales of various varieties and / or qualities are often collocated to form one bale laydown and / or one mixing in order to obtain a desired fiber blend. They are opened, and fiber tufts are taken off in layers by means of an automatic bale opener.

[0006] US-10,815,589 B2 describes a method for cotton mixes homogenization without categorizing bales in inventory, i.e., with no separation of bales into classes, whose main objective is to eliminate the large variability of cotton fiber quality for the spinning process resulted from data input concerning the quality of the mixes and inventories. With this method no categorization in inventory is required and more than 20 quality parameters can be controlled with no impact on the physical inventory management. An optimized logistics in the warehouse is also presented. The computer software USTER® FIBERQ optimizes the sourcing and utilization of textile raw material, taking into account inventory, quality, and cotton parameters. It automatically calculates and proposes bale laydowns and mixings and thus offers higher inventory utilization, quality consistency, homogeneity, and yield.

[0007] The raw-material parameters needed as an input into a software for determining bale laydowns are either provided by a cotton-classing authority or measured in the spinning mill, e.g., by means of the fiber classification and analysis system USTER® HVI 1000. The parameters can be provided per lot or per individual fiber bale.

[0008] It is difficult to localize in the warehouse the fiber bales needed for a proposed laydown. Even if the fiber bales can be localized, it is difficult to take them from the warehouse since in many cases, they are accessible only with great efforts, including restacking part of the warehouse. If the proposed laydown cannot be realized due to the unreachability of the fiber bales needed, the quality and homogeneity of the bale laydown and the textile products produced therefrom suffer.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer-implemented method for determining and / or providing a bale laydown from an inventory of fiber bales in a textile production process that avoids the drawbacks of the prior art. The quality, homogeneity, and uniformity of the bale laydown and the textile products produced therefrom shall be improved with regard to the prior art. The textile production process shall be more reliable. Moreover, the inventory management in the warehouse of the spinning mill shall be simplified.

[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a computer system and a computer program for carrying out the method according to the invention. These and other objects are solved by the computer-implemented method, the computer system, and the computer program as defined in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0012] According to one aspect, the invention proposes a computer-implemented method for determining a bale laydown from an inventory of fiber bales in a textile production process. The fiber bales are stored in the inventory as at least one pile. The method comprises the steps of determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales that form part of an outer layer of the at least one pile; inputting the determined fiber-quality parameters into a computer program for determining bale laydowns; determining, by the computer program, a bale laydown based on the inputted fiber-quality parameters; and outputting, by the computer program, information on the determined bale laydown.

[0013] The fiber bales that form part of an outer layer of the at least one pile are readily available. Thus, the fiber bales for the bale laydown determined according to the invention can be easily provided from the inventory of fiber bales to the opening department.

[0014] In one embodiment of the method, the at least one fiber-quality parameter is from the following set: reflectance characteristics, color characteristics, fiber-length characteristics, fiber-strength characteristics, fiber tensile properties, fiber-fineness characteristics, fibermaturity characteristics, micronaire, short-fiber characteristics, trash characteristics, dust characteristics, nep characteristics, foreign-matter characteristics. In a preferred embodiment, the fiber-quality parameters are from the following set: micronaire, yellowness, and reflectance.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fiber bales are stored in the inventory as at least two piles segregated from each other. At least one of the at least two piles consists of a single layer. The at least one fiber-quality parameter is determined for fiber bales that form part of the at least one pile consisting of a single layer. The single layer of the corresponding at least one pile is in fact an outer layer as envisaged in the general concept of the invention. This embodiment has the advantage that the fiber bales picked from the pile consisting of a single layer can be immediately replaced by fiber bales from other piles. For this purpose, the gap between the pile consisting of a single layer and any adjacent pile should be large enough to allow a forklift truck or a similar transport vehicle to maneuver in it.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least one fiber-quality parameter of each bale in the inventory is stored in a database. The step of determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales that form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile comprises the sub-steps of: assigning to each fiber bale within the inventory a bale identifier by attaching to each fiber bale a machine-readable tag containing the bale identifier; linking, in the database, the at least one fiber-quality parameter of each fiber bale with the assigned bale identifier; reading the machine-readable tags of the fiber bales that form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile to determine the corresponding bale identifiers; inputting the determined bale identifiers into the database; and extracting from the database the fiber-quality parameters linked with the inputted bale identifiers.

[0017] In one embodiment, the step of determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales that form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile comprises the sub-steps of: attaching to each fiber bale within the inventory a machine-readable tag containing the at least one fiber-quality parameter of the fiber bale; and reading the machine-readable tags of fiber bales that form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile to determine the corresponding fiber-quality parameters.

[0018] In one embodiment, the machine-readable tag contains an optically readable code, such as a barcode or a quick-response code, or a radio-frequency identification transponder.

[0019] In one embodiment, information contained in the machine-readable tag is read by means of at least one mobile reading device, such as a mobile phone or a radio-frequency identification reader, and / or by means of at least one stationary reading device, such as a camera. In the former case, the at least one mobile reading device can be carried by a human person or by a machine such as a robot or an unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0020] In one embodiment, at least one fiber-quality parameter of each bale in the inventory is stored in a database. The step of determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales that form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile comprises the sub-steps of: tracking a position of each fiber bale within the inventory; assigning, in the database, the position of each fiber bale to the corresponding at least one fiber-quality parameter; identifying, in the database, those fiber bales whose positions indicate that they form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile; and extracting from the database the fiber-quality parameters corresponding to the identified fiber bales. The position of each fiber bale within the inventory can be tracked by means of an indoor positioning system and transmitted to the database.

[0021] In one embodiment, the information on the determined bale laydown is outputted by the computer program in a machine-readable form and / or in a human-readable form.

[0022] In one embodiment, the information on the determined bale laydown is outputted by the computer program in a human-readable form as a map of the inventory, as an image of the inventory, or as an augmented-reality view of the inventory, wherein the fiber bales forming the determined bale laydown are graphically distinguished from the remaining fiber bales.

[0023] According to another aspect, the invention proposes a computer-implemented method for providing a bale laydown in an opening department of a spinning mill from an inventory of fiber bales, comprising the steps of: determining a bale laydown according to the method described above; and providing the bale laydown from the inventory of fiber bales according to the determined bale laydown.

[0024] According to still another aspect, the invention relates to a computer system comprising means for carrying out the method according to the method described above.

[0025] According to another aspect, the invention proposes a computer system for determining a bale laydown from an inventory of fiber bales in a textile production process. The fiber bales are stored in the inventory as at least one pile. The computer system comprises: a first receiver for receiving at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales that form part of an outer layer of the at least one pile; a processor for determining a bale laydown based on the received fiber-quality parameters; and means for outputting information on the determined bale laydown. In one embodiment, the computer system further comprises a database for storing at least one fiber-quality parameter of each fiber bale within the inventory. The computer system can further comprise a second receiver for receiving a position of each fiber bale within the inventory. In one embodiment, the database is configured to: assign a position of each fiber bale to the corresponding at least one fiber-quality parameter; identify the positions of those fiber bales whose positions indicate that they form part of the outer layer of the at least one pile; and extract the fiber-quality parameters corresponding to the identified fiber bales and transmit them to the first receiver.

[0026] The first and second receiver can be realized by the same or by different technical means.

[0027] According to still another aspect, the invention relates to a computer program having instructions which when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to perform the method described above.

[0028] Thanks to the invention, the fiber bales needed for the proposed laydown can always be readily picked from the inventory. Thus, the quality, homogeneity, and uniformity of the bale laydown and the textile products produced therefrom is improved. The textile production process becomes more reliable, i.e., yields a higher productivity and requires less interventions. The inventory management in the warehouse of the spinning mill is simplified.

[0029] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the following, the invention is explained in detail based on the drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the method according to the invention. Figure 2 shows an alternative to the inventory of Figure 1.

[0032] Figure 3 shows an example of outputted information on the determined bale laydown in the form of a printout.

[0033] Figure 4 shows another example of outputted information on the determined bale laydown in the form of an augmented reality. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0035] The upper part of Figure 1 shows a pile 10 of textile fiber bales 11-13, such as cotton fiber bales, stored in a warehouse of a spinning mill. The pile 10 forms or is part of an inventory 1 of fiber bales in a textile production process. In the simplified example of Figure 1, the pile 10 consists of 5x3x4 fiber bales 11-13; however, a real inventory has usually a higher number of fiber bales that are stored as several piles segregated from each other.

[0036] At least one fiber-quality parameter of each fiber bale 11-13 should be known. The at least one fiber-quality parameter can be from the following set: reflectance characteristics, color characteristics, fiber-length characteristics, fiber-strength characteristics, fiber tensile properties, fiber-fineness characteristics, fiber-maturity characteristics, micronaire, shortfiber characteristics, trash characteristics, dust characteristics, nep characteristics, foreign- matter characteristics. Preferred fiber-quality parameters are micronaire, yellowness, and reflectance.

[0037] For determining the at least one fiber-quality parameter of a fiber bale 11-13, at least one fiber sample can be taken from the fiber bale 11-13. Measurements of the at least one fiber-quality parameter can be taken in a textile laboratory by means of a fiber-testing instrument such as USTER® HVI 1000 or USTER® AFIS PRO 2.

[0038] The fiber bales 11-13 are usually delivered to the spinning mill in lots, a lot consisting of about 100 fiber bales of the same fiber variety and relatively homogeneous quality. To reduce costs and efforts, it can be sufficient to determine the at least one fiber-quality parameter of only part of a lot and assign average values of the measured parameter values to all fiber bales of the lot. As an alternative to determining the at least one fiber-quality parameter in the spinning mill, the fiber-quality parameters can be determined at another place and communicated to the spinning mill. For instance, they can be determined by a fiber-classing authority.

[0039] The lower part of Figure 1 shows a bale laydown 7 in an opening department of the spinning mill. The bale laydown 7 consists of certain fiber bales 11 taken from the inventory 1. In the simplified example of Figure 1, the bale laydown 7 consists of 2x4 fiber bales 11; however, a real bale laydown has usually a higher number of fiber bales. A typical bale laydown consists of up to 140 fiber bales, laydown widths typically ranging from three to six fiber bales, and laydown lengths typically ranging from 20 to 40 fiber bales.

[0040] The invention relates, among others, to a computer-implemented method for determining the bale laydown 7 from the inventory 1.

[0041] According to the invention, the bale laydown 7 is determined to consist of those fiber bales 11, 12 that can readily be picked from the inventory 1. The reachability of the fiber bales 11-13 depends on the organization of the warehouse. Independent of the organization, reachable fiber bales 11, 12 are those forming part of an outer layer of the pile 10. In many cases, only fiber bales 11, 12 forming a front layer 14 or front wall of a pile 10 can readily be picked from the inventory 1, e.g., by means of a forklift. The front layer 14 is graphically highlighted in Figure 1.

[0042] In other embodiments, the readily reachable fiber bales can also be on other parts of the outer layer of the pile 10, for instance, the outer layers forming the side walls or the back wall of the pile 10. Even the outer layer forming the ceiling of the pile 10 could be readily reachable, provided that an appropriate system for picking fiber bales from that layer is available in the warehouse.

[0043] An inventory 1 with two piles 10, 15 segregated from each other is shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment, one 15 of the piles 10, 15 consists of a single layer, thus forming a wall standing spaced apart from the other pile 10. The single layer of this pile 15 is in fact its outer layer. The fiber bales 11, 12 of this pile 15 are readily reachable for use in the bale laydown 7 (see Figure 1). This embodiment has the advantage that the fiber bales 11 picked from the pile 15 can be immediately replaced by fiber bales 13 from the pile 10 or from any other pile. A gap 16 between the piles 10, 15 allows for such replacements. The gap 16 should be large enough to allow a forklift truck or a similar transport vehicle to maneuver in it such that it can pick fiber bales 13 from a front wall of the other pile 10. The thus picked fiber bales 13 can be used to complete the pile 15.

[0044] The identification of fiber bales 11, 12 that form part of an outer layer 14 of the at least one pile 10 can be performed in various ways. In the following, three examples are discussed with reference to Figure 1.

[0045] In a first example, each fiber bale 11-13 is assigned a bale identifier unambiguously identifying the fiber bale 11-13. The bale identifier can be assigned to each fiber bale 11- 13 by attaching to the fiber bale a machine-readable tag 17 containing or representing the bale identifier. In the example of Figure 1, the machine-readable tag 17 contains a barcode attached to an outer surface of each fiber bale 11-13.

[0046] The fiber-quality parameters of the fiber bales 11-13 together with the assigned bale identifiers are stored and linked with each other in a database 4. The database 4 should map the current status of the inventory 1, i.e., it should be updated when new fiber bales are added to the inventory 1 and when fiber bales are withdrawn from the inventory 1.

[0047] The barcodes on the machine-readable tags 17 of the fiber bales 11, 12 forming the front layer 14 are read. This can be accomplished, e.g., by means of at least one mobile reading device 2 such as a mobile phone. The at least one mobile reading device 2 can be carried by a human person or by a machine such as a robot or an unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone. For this purpose, machine-readable tags 17 with an optically readable code such as a barcode or a quick-response (QR) code must be attached on the outer surface of the front layer 14. This need not be fulfilled for other types of tags such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders, which can be attached to any surface of the fiber bale 11-13 or even be buried inside the fiber bale 11-13. The identifiers corresponding to the barcodes of the outer-layer fiber bales 11, 12 are transmitted to the database 4 and inputted into the database 4. The fiber-quality parameters linked with the inputted bale identifiers are extracted from the database 4.

[0048] Instead of reading codes by means of a mobile reading device 2, the identifiers of the outer-layer fiber bales 11, 12 can be read by at least one stationary reading device, e.g., at least one stationary camera (not shown) pointing at the tagged surfaces of the outer-layer fiber bales 11, 12.

[0049] In a second example, a machine-readable tag 17 attached to each fiber bale 11-13 contains directly the at least one fiber-quality parameter of the fiber bale 11-13. Like in the first example, the machine-readable tag 17 can contain, e.g., an optically readable code, such as a barcode, or an RFID transponder. The machine-readable tags 17 of the outer-layer fiber bales 11, 12 are read. Thus, the corresponding fiber-quality parameters are determined.

[0050] In a third example that goes without the step of reading codes from the outer-layer fiber bales 11, 12, a position of each fiber 11-13 bale within the inventory 1 is tracked. This can be accomplished by means of an indoor positioning system; such systems, using a large variety of techniques and devices, are known as such. The positions of the fiber bales 11- 13 are transmitted from the indoor positioning system to the database 4. Alternatively, the position of each fiber bale 11-13 can be tracked in the database 4 itself. The positions of those fiber bales 11, 12 that form part of the outer layer 14 are determined in the database 4. The corresponding fiber-quality parameters are extracted from the database 4.

[0051] The determined fiber-quality parameters are inputted into a computer program for determining bale laydowns 7. In Figure 1, the computer program is schematically represented by a symbol for a processor 5 in which the computer program can be run. Computer programs for automatically determining bale laydowns 7 are known as such and thus need not be discussed here in more detail. A known and available example of such a computer program is USTER® FIBERQ. The computer program determines a bale laydown 7 based on the inputted fiber-quality parameters. In the examples of Figures 1 and 2, the fiber bales 11 forming the determined bale laydown 7 are graphically distinguished from the remaining fiber bales 12 of the front layer 14, 15. The computer program outputs information on the determined bale laydown 7. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the information is outputted as a printout on a piece of paper by means of a printer 6 connected to the processor 5. Figure 3 shows an example of a simple printout 8. The printout 8 schematically shows a map 80 of the front layer 14 (see Figure 1) of the inventory 1 on which the fiber bales 11 forming the determined bale laydown 7 are graphically highlighted for distinguishing them from the remaining fiber bales 12. As an alternative to the printout 8, the map 80 could be displayed on a screen of a computer, of a mobile electronic device, etc.

[0052] A technically more advanced example of outputting information on the determined bale laydown 7 is illustrated in Figure 4. The information is transmitted from the processor 5 to a mobile electronic device 9, e.g., a mobile phone, which an operator in the warehouse points at the pile 10. The mobile electronic device 9 continuously records images of the pile 10 with its built-in camera and displays them in real time on its built-in screen 91 in such a way that they form a continuation of the scene presented to the operator. The fiber bales 11 forming the determined bale laydown 7 are graphically highlighted on the screen for distinguishing them from the remaining fiber bales 12, 13. They are displayed as augmented-reality view 90 on the screen 91 in conjunction with an image of the pile 10, depending on the associated position. The mobile electronic device 9 thus outputs the augmented-reality view 90 to an operator. The mobile electronic device 9 can be designed, for example, as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or augmented-reality glasses.

[0053] The outputted information on the determined bale laydown 7 is used for providing a bale laydown 7 in an opening department of the spinning mill.

[0054] If the bale laydown 7 is provided by means of a human-operated machine such as a forklift, the information on the determined bale laydown 7 is given to the operator. Means for outputting the information can be, e.g., a printer 6 (cf. Figures 1 and 3), a computer screen, a mobile electronic device 9 (cf. Figure 4), etc.

[0055] If the bale laydown 7 is provided automatically by a conveyor system, the information on the determined bale laydown 7 is automatically transmitted from the processor 5 to the conveyor system. Based on the received information, the conveyor system picks the fiber bales 11 of the determined bale laydown 7 from the pile 10 and conveys them from the warehouse to the opening department for forming a laydown 7. The fiber bales 11 picked from the inventory 1 should be promptly replaced by other fiber bales 13 from the inventory 1, such that a large number of readily reachable outer-layer fiber bales 11, 12 is always available.

[0056] A computer system 3 according to the invention comprises at least the database 4 and the processor 5. In addition, it can also comprise a reading device and / or an output device.

[0057] It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments discussed above. With knowledge of the invention, the person skilled in the art will be able to derive further variants which are also part of the subject matter of the present invention.

[0058] LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0059] 1 Inventory

[0060] 10 Pile of fiber bales

[0061] 11 Reachable selected fiber bale

[0062] 12 Reachable non-selected fiber bale

[0063] 13 Unreachable fiber bale

[0064] 14 Front layer of pile

[0065] 15 Wall standing apart from pile

[0066] 16 Gap between wall and pile

[0067] 17 Machine-readable tag

[0068] 2 Mobile reading device

[0069] 3 Computer system

[0070] 4 Database

[0071] 5 Processor

[0072] 6 Printer

[0073] 7 Bale laydown

[0074] 8 Printout

[0075] 80 Map of inventory

[0076] 9 Mobile electronic device

[0077] 90 Augmented-reality view of inventory

[0078] 91 Screen of mobile electronic device

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 23 April 2026 (23.04.2026)

1. A computer- implemented method for determining a bale laydown (7) from an inventory (1) of fiber bales (11-13) in a textile production process, the fiber bales (11-13) being stored in the inventory (1) as at least one pile (10), the method comprising the steps of: determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of an outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10); inputting the determined fiber-quality parameters into a computer program for determining bale laydowns; determining, by the computer program, a bale laydown (7) based on the inputted fiber-quality parameters; and outputting, by the computer program, information on the determined bale laydown (7), characterized in that the bale laydown (7) is determined to consist of those fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10).

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber-quality parameter is from the following set: reflectance characteristics, color characteristics, fiber-length characteristics, fiber- strength characteristics, fiber tensile properties, fiber-fineness characteristics, fiber-maturity characteristics, micronaire, short-fiber characteristics, trash characteristics, dust characteristics, nep characteristics, foreign-matter characteristics.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fiber-quality parameter is from the following set: micronaire, yellowness, and reflectance.

4. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fiber bales (11-13) are stored in the inventory (1) as at least two piles (10, 15) segregated from each other; at least one (15) of the at least two piles (10, 15) consists of a single layer, and the at least one fiber-quality parameter is determined for fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the at least one pile (15) consisting of a single layer.

5. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one fiber-quality parameter of each bale (11-13) in the inventory (1) is stored in a database (4).

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the step of determining at least one fiber-quality parameters of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10) comprises the sub-steps of: assigning to each fiber bale (11-13) within the inventory a bale identifier by attaching to each fiber bale (11-13) a machine-readable tag (17) containing the bale identifier; linking, in the database (4), the at least one fiber-quality parameter of each fiber bale (11-13) with the assigned bale identifier; reading the machine-readable tags (17) of the fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10) to determine the corresponding bale identifiers; inputting the determined bale identifiers into the database (4); and extracting from the database (4) the fiber-quality parameters linked with the inputted bale identifiers.

7. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the claims1-4, wherein the step of determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10) comprises the sub-steps of: attaching to each fiber bale (11-13) within the inventory (1) a machine- readable tag (17) containing the at least one fiber-quality parameter of the fiber bale (11-13); and reading the machine-readable tags (17) of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10) to determine the corresponding fiber-quality parameters.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the machine-readable tag (17) contains an optically readable code, such as a barcode or a quick-response code, or a radio-frequency identification transponder.

9. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the claims6-8, wherein information contained in the machine-readable tag (17) is read by means of at least one mobile reading device (2), such as a mobile phone or a radio-frequency identification reader, and / or by means of at least one stationary reading device, such as a camera.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9, wherein information contained in the machine-readable tag (17) is read by means of a mobile reading device (2) carried by a human person or by a machine such as a robot or an unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the step of determining at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10) comprises the sub-steps of: tracking a position of each fiber bale (11-13) within the inventory (1); assigning, in the database (4), the position of each fiber bale (11-13) to the corresponding at least one fiber-quality parameter; identifying, in the database (4), those fiber bales (11, 12) whose positions indicate that they form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10); and extracting from the database (4) the fiber-quality parameters corresponding to the identified fiber bales (11, 12).

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 11, wherein the position of each fiber bale (11-13) within the inventory (1) is tracked by means of an indoor positioning system and transmitted to the database (4).

13. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the information on the determined bale laydown (7) is outputted by the computer program in a machine- readable form and / or in a human-readable form.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 13, wherein the information on the determined bale laydown (7) is outputted by the computer program in a human-readable form as a map (80) of the inventory (1), as an image of the inventory (1), or as an augmented- reality view (90) of the inventory (1), wherein the fiber bales (11) forming the determined bale laydown (7) are graphically distinguished from the remaining fiber bales (12, 13).

15. A computer- implemented method for providing a bale laydown (7) in an opening department of a spinning mill from an inventory (1) of fiber bales (11-13), comprising the steps of: determining a bale laydown (7) according to any one of the preceding claims; and providing the bale laydown (7) from the inventory of fiber bales according to the determined bale laydown (7).

16. A computer system (3) comprising means for carrying out the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

17. A computer system (3) for determining a bale laydown (7) from an inventory of fiber bales (11-13) in a textile production process, the fiber bales (11-13) being stored in the inventory (1) as at least one pile (10), the computer system (3) comprising: a first receiver for receiving at least one fiber-quality parameter of fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of an outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10); a processor (5) for determining a bale laydown (7) based on the received fiber-quality parameters; and means for outputting information on the determined bale laydown (7), characterized in that the processor (5) is configured to determine the bale laydown (7) to consist of those fiber bales (11, 12) that form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10).

18. The computer system (3) according to claim 17, further comprising a database (4) for storing at least one fiber-quality parameter of each fiber bale (11-13) within the inventory (1).

19. The computer system (3) according to claim 18, further comprising a second receiver for receiving a position of each fiber bale (11-13) within the inventory (1).

20. The computer system (3) according to claim 19, wherein the database(4) is configured to: assign a position of each fiber bale (11-13) to the corresponding at least one fiber-quality parameter; identify the positions of those fiber bales (11, 12) whose positions indicate that they form part of the outer layer (14) of the at least one pile (10); and extract the fiber-quality parameters corresponding to the identified fiber bales (11, 12) and transmit them to the first receiver.

21. A computer program having instructions which when executed by a computer system (3) cause the computer system (3) to perform the method according to any one of the claims 1-15.

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