Patent ID: 7607103

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for planning a virtual arrangement of beverage equipment on a virtual countertop work surface, the method comprising the steps of: providing an interface having a graphical representation of the virtual countertop work surface; selecting a virtual countertop work surface area value, the virtual countertop work surface area value being an area having at least one of a width dimension and a length dimension; setting an open space value to the virtual countertop work surface area value; providing on the interface a graphical representation of at least one piece of beverage equipment for placement on the virtual countertop work surface; attributing a space demand value to each piece of selected beverage equipment; iteratively allowing a user to select a piece of beverage equipment and place a graphical representation of the selected beverage equipment onto the graphical representation of the virtual countertop work surface; iteratively calculating a used space value by taking a sum of the space demand values for each piece of selected beverage equipment; and iteratively recalculating the open space value by subtracting the used space value from the virtual countertop work surface area value.