System and method of one touch registration of three-dimensional scans with an augmented reality enabled mobile computing device

A method of generating a three-dimensional (3D) image of an environment, the method comprising:

• performing a first scan of the environment with a 3D scanner and determining 3D coordinates of a first collection of points in a 3D scanner coordinate frame of reference, the 3D scanner being in a first position, the 3D scanner having a first light source, a beam steering unit, a light receiver, and a first position indicator, the 3D coordinates of a first object point being determined based on emitting a light with the first light source and receiving a reflected light with the light receiver;
• receiving a first estimated location of a mobile computing device in response to the 3D scanner being in contact with the mobile computing device at the first location, the first estimated location of the mobile device in a mobile computing device tracking frame, wherein the mobile computing device moves between locations in the environment independently of the 3D scanner while the 3D scanner is performing the first scan of the environment;
• performing a second scan of the environment with the 3D scanner and determining 3D coordinates of a second collection of points in the 3D scanner coordinate frame of reference, the 3D scanner being in a second position;
• and
• receiving a second estimated location of the mobile computing device in response to the 3D scanner being in contact with the mobile computing device at the second location, the second estimated location of the mobile device in a mobile computing device tracking frame, wherein the mobile computing device moves between locations in the environment independently of the 3D scanner while the 3D scanner is performing the second scan of the environment;
• and
• wherein a registration of the first collection of points and the second collection of points in a joint coordinate system is performed automatically based at least in part on the first estimated location of the mobile computing device and the second estimated location of the mobile computing device,
• wherein the mobile computing device is a smartphone, the first and second estimated locations are 3D pose estimations that are received from an augmented reality application executing on the mobile computing device, and the registration is in a mobile computing device frame of reference.

A system of generating a three-dimensional (3D) image of an environment, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a 3D scanner having a light source, a beam steering unit, a light receiver, and a position indicator, the 3D scanner being operable to cooperate with the one or more processors to determine 3D coordinates of a first object point based on emitting a light with the light source and receiving a reflected light with the light receiver, the 3D scanner being movable from a first position to a second position;
• wherein the one or more processors are responsive to executable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors:
• cause the 3D scanner at the first position to determine 3D coordinates of a first collection of points on object surfaces in the environment and to receive a first estimated location of a mobile computing device in response to the 3D scanner being in contact with the mobile computing device at the first location, wherein the mobile computing device moves between locations in the environment independently of the 3D scanner while the 3D scanner is determining 3D coordinates of the first collection of points on object surfaces in the environment;
• cause the 3D scanner at the second position to determine 3D coordinates of a second collection of points on object surfaces in environment and to receive a second estimated location of the mobile computing device in response to the 3D scanner being in contact with the mobile computing device at the second location, wherein the mobile computing device moves between locations in the environment independently of the 3D scanner while the 3D scanner is determining 3D coordinates of the second collection of points on object surfaces in the environment,
• wherein a registration of the first collection of points and the second collection of points in a joint coordinate system is performed automatically based at least in part on the first estimated location of the mobile computing device and the second estimated location of the mobile computing device,
• wherein the mobile computing device is a smartphone, the first and second estimated locations are 3D pose estimations that are received from an augmented reality application executing on the mobile computing device, and the registration is in a mobile computing device frame of reference.