A new encoding scheme for rectangle packing problem

In the rectangle packing problem, encoding schemes to represent the placements of rectangles are the key factors of efficient algorithms. In 1995, an epoch-making encoding scheme, known as SEQ-PAIR, was developed. The solution space of SEQ-PAIR has been considered sufficiently small. In this paper, however, we present a simple and natural encoding scheme of rectangle packings whose solution space is smaller than that of SEQ-PAIR.