Apparatus and method for inputting measurements into a software product to construct software models of architectural structures

Abstract

A method for creating a three dimensional rendering of an architectural structure includes the measuring of spans of the structure using a laser measuring device which is communicatively coupled to a logic device capable of executing instruction embodied in architectural rendering software. The measurement data for the spans is transmitted directly into at least one structural measurement fields associated with the architectural rendering software. A three dimensional rendering of the architectural structure is then displayed by the architectural rendering software using the mapped measurement data.

1 . A method for forming a virtual model of a three-dimensional space, comprising the steps of: 
 coupling a laser measuring device communicatively to a logic device which includes a display component, wherein the laser measuring device is capable of creating measurement data by measuring a plurality of spans;    receiving a first user input identifying at least one structural category, wherein each of the at least one structural categories determines a plurality of structural measurement fields;    receiving measurement data from the laser measuring device;    mapping uniquely each measurement data to at least one of the plurality of structural measurement fields of the at least one structural category;    forming on the display component a rendition of the identified structural category based on the measurement data mapped to the plurality of structural measurement fields;    identifying at least one structural object, wherein the at least one structural object is associated with the identified at least one structural category, and wherein the identified at least one structural object determines a plurality of object measurement fields;    mapping measurement data to at least one of the plurality of object measurement fields of the at least one structural object; and    modifying the rendition of the identified structural category based on the measurement data mapped to the plurality object measurement fields.    
   
   
       2 . A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a logic device for forming a virtual model of a three-dimensional space, the computer-readable storage medium comprising: 
 program code for coupling a laser measuring device communicatively to a logic device having a display component, wherein the laser measuring device is capable of creating measurement data by measuring a plurality of spans;    program code for receiving a first user input identifying at least one structural category, wherein each of the at least one structural categories determines a plurality of structural measurement fields;    program code for receiving from the laser measuring device measurement data;    program code for mapping uniquely each measurement data to at least one of the plurality of structural measurement fields of the at least one structural category;    program code for forming on the display component a rendition of the identified structural category based on the measurement data mapped to the plurality of structural measurement fields;    program code for identifying at least one structural object, wherein the at least one structural object is associated with the identified at least one structural category, and wherein the identified at least one structural object determines a plurality of object measurement fields;    program code for mapping measurement data to at least one of the plurality of object measurement fields of the at least one structural object; and    program code for modifying the rendition of the identified structural category based on the measurement data mapped to the plurality object measurement fields.    
   
   
       3 . A method for creating a three dimensional rendering of an architectural structure, comprising: 
 measuring a plurality of spans of the architectural structure using a laser measuring device which determines measurement data for each of the plurality of spans;    coupling communicatively the laser measuring device to a logic device capable of executing instruction embodied as architectural rendering software wherein the logic device is associated with a display component;    mapping the measurement data for each of the plurality of spans directly into at least one of a plurality of structural measurement fields associated with the architectural rendering software; and    generating the three dimensional rendering of the architectural structure on the display component by the architectural rendering software using the measurement data mapped into the plurality of structural measurement fields.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising identifying at least one structural category and wherein the at least one structural category determines the plurality of structural measurement fields.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the at least on structural category is associated with at least one structural object and wherein the at least one structural object determines a plurality of structural object fields.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the measurement data is mapped to at least one of the plurality of structural object fields.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising modifying the three dimensional rendering based on the measurement data mapped to the plurality of object measurement fields.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the laser measuring device includes a user interface enabling a user to identify the at least one structural category and the at least one structural object.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the logic device is communicatively coupled to the laser measuring via a wireless transmission.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the logic device is communicatively coupled to the laser measuring via a network.