Laser scanner with target detection

A method of scanning a scan area with a three-dimensional (3D) measuring device comprising:

• placing the 3D measuring device in the scan area;
• rotating the 3D measuring device about a first axis, the 3D measuring device having a light source, a light receiver and a photogrammetry camera;
• emitting a plurality of light beams from the light source and receiving with the light receiver a plurality of reflected light beams from an object surface within the scan area;
• determining, with a processor system, 3D coordinates of a first collection of points on the object surface within a scan area based at least in part on the plurality of light beams and the plurality of reflected light beams;
• identifying potential sphere center points in the scan area by processing points identified in a single scan line, wherein potential sphere center points are identified by defining a moving window that moves along a scan line and, for each point in a middle of the moving window, determining if the point is sphere center point;
• recording locations of potential sphere center points;
• and
• comparing some or all of the recorded locations to one another to select a sphere center point.