Method and Apparatus Utilizing Augmented Reality for Design Collaboration

A method of displaying an augmented reality design file, comprising:

• accessing instructions from one or more physical memory devices for execution by one or more processors;
• executing the instructions accessed from said one or more physical memory devices by the one or more processors;
• the accessed instructions to display the augmented reality design file;
• and
• wherein executing the accessed instructions further comprising:
• receiving, at a mobile communication device, the augmented reality design file, the augmented reality design file including a geolocation parameter for a structure;
• activating a geolocation mode of an architecture software application;
• reading the geolocation parameter of the received augmented reality design file;
• and
• as the mobile communication device reaches a predetermined distance from a structure location associated with the augmented reality design file, switching to a surface viewing mode of the architecture software application.

A method of managing design files for a design professional, comprising:

• accessing instructions from one or more physical memory devices for execution by one or more processors of a computing device;
• executing the instructions accessed from said one or more physical memory devices by the one or more processors;
• the accessed instructions to allow the design professionals to manage the design files;
• and
• wherein executing the accessed instructions further comprising:
• receiving an initial design file associated with a structure;
• displaying a representation of the initial design file on a user interface of a display of the computing device;
• compressing the initial design file and converting the compressed initial design file to an augmented reality design file;
• displaying a representation of the augmented reality design file on the user interface of the display of the computing device;
• and
• generating a proprietary design file associated with the augmented reality design file, the proprietary design file including a first marker.