System and method of viewing a three-dimensional point cloud

Abstract

A system and method for generating and viewing a virtual reality scene from scanned point cloud data having user defined content is provided. A method of viewing point cloud data with user defined content in a virtual reality device includes measuring three-dimensional coordinate data by scanning an environment using a coordinate measurement device. A point cloud data is generated based at least in part on the three-dimensional coordinate data. A user defined content is selected. An area in the point cloud data is selected for the user defined content. The user defined content is inserted into the area of the point cloud data. A virtual reality data file is generated from the point cloud data with the user defined content. The virtual reality data file is transmitted to the virtual reality device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of viewing point cloud data with user defined content in a virtual reality device, the method comprising:
 measuring three-dimensional coordinate data by scanning an environment using a coordinate measurement device;   generating a point cloud data based at least in part on the three-dimensional coordinate data;   selecting a user defined content;   selecting an area in the point cloud data for the user defined content;   inserting the user defined content into the area of the point cloud data;   generating a virtual reality data file from the point cloud data with the user defined content; and   transmitting the virtual reality data file to the virtual reality device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user defined content is selected from a group comprising: two-dimensional images; network addresses, text, three-dimensional models, a computer aided design model, video images, animations, web pages, streaming media data and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the user defined content prior to selecting the user defined content. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting an access for a user; and   wherein the virtual reality device is used by the user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising receiving an electronic payment from the user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising determining that the electronic payment was received prior to transmitting the virtual reality data file to the user. 
     
     
         7 . A system for viewing point cloud data with user defined content, the system comprising:
 a coordinate measurement device operable to measure three-dimensional coordinates;   a computing device having a processor operably coupled to the coordinate measurement device, the processor being operable to generate a point cloud data and insert user defined content into the point cloud data in response to an input from a user, the processor further being operable to generate a virtual reality data file based at least in part on the point cloud data with the user defined content; and   a virtual reality device operably coupled to the computing device, the virtual reality device being operable to display the virtual reality data file to the user.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the user defined content is selected from a group comprising: two-dimensional images; network addresses, text, three-dimensional models, a computer aided design model, video images, animations, web pages, streaming media data and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further responsive to inserting the user defined content in an area of the point cloud based on a second input from the user.