Collecting and viewing three-dimensional scanner data in a flexible video format

A method of interactively displaying panoramic images of a scene, the method comprising:

• measuring a first plurality of 3D coordinates with a 3D measuring instrument at a first position;
• measuring a second plurality of 3D coordinates with the 3D measuring instrument at a second position different than the first position;
• registering the first plurality of 3D coordinates and the second plurality of 3D coordinates together in a common frame of reference;
• providing a trajectory within the scene, the trajectory including a collection of trajectory points;
• generating along the trajectory a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) images at each trajectory point;
• and
• displaying the 2D image on a display device in one of a rotational display mode or a trajectory display mode in response to an input from a user, the trajectory display mode being configured to display the 2D images sequentially along the trajectory points, the rotational display mode being configured to display the 2D images at a single trajectory point from a user-defined view direction.