my $delim_reg = ['A -3 C','C -4 B']; \__i__/ \__j__/ --> sub-regions my $array = ['A -4 A','A -1 C','C -4 D','D -4 B','B -3 C', 'C -2 B','B -1 E']; |\_____i_______/ \__j__/|-> Inst 1 |____________________________________________________| |\_i__/ \_____j________/ |-------> Instance 2 |_________________________| ... till |\_____i_______/ \_______________j__________________/ |--> Inst 6 |______________________________________________________|