Virtual environment capture

Abstract

A system and method for capturing and modeling an environment is described. A user may direct a rangefinder within an environment to capture data points and correlate the data points with predefined objects. One may also capture images of the environment to be used in the modeling environment. Using the present system, one may easily and quickly capture an environment using relatively few data points.

1 . A process for reducing errors in a rendered environment comprising the steps of: 
 modeling a first room from a first position within said first room;    modeling at least a second room connected to said first room from a second position;    returning to said first position within said first room and obtaining distance information from said first position;    determining an error value associated with the environment based on the distance information from said first position; and,    sequentially subtracting the error value from the modeling of said first and said at least second room.    
   
   
       2 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 modeling at least a third room connected to said second room.    
   
   
       3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the modeling of the first room or the at least a second room includes a process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data comprising: 
 receiving an identification of an object to be created;    receiving at least one point to be associated with said object, said at least one point identified by a rangefinder;    instantiating said object based on said at least one point.    
   
   
       4 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein the process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data further comprises: 
 obtaining additional points; and    modifying said instantiated object based on said additional points.    
   
   
       5 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein the process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data further comprises: 
 instructing a user which points of said object a user is to capture with said rangefinder.    
   
   
       6 . The process according to  claim 5 , wherein said points are from locations on a physical object in a room to be modeled.  
   
   
       7 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein the process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data further comprises: 
 capturing image information with a camera associated with said rangefinder; and    adding the image information to said object.    
   
   
       8 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said rangefinder is a laser rangefinder.  
   
   
       9 . A modeling and correction system configured to reduce errors in a rendered environment comprising: 
 a contextual data capture unit configured to receive environment data from a first position and at least a second position, said data capture unit including a rangefinder for measuring specific points selectable by a user;    a data assembly station configured to receive information from said data capture unit, and further having computer-readable instructions on a computer-readable medium that when executed model an environment based on environment data captured by said data capture unit, wherein the modeling comprises: 
 after receiving the environment data from the first position and at least the second position, receiving a second reading of environment data from the first position;  
 determining an error value associated with the environment based on the second reading from said first position; and  
 sequentially subtracting the error value from the modeling of said first position and said at least second position.  
   
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first position is in a first room and the at least second position is in a second room connected to the first room.  
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the contextual data capture unit is configured to receive environment data from at least a third position.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed further comprise a process to construct a virtual object based on actual environment data comprising: 
 receiving an identification of an object to be created;    receiving at least one point to be associated with said object, said at least one point identified by a rangefinder; and    instantiating said object based on said at least one point.    
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data further comprises: 
 obtaining additional points; and    modifying said instantiated object based on said additional points.    
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data further comprises: 
 instructing a user which points of said object a user is to capture with said rangefinder.    
   
   
       15 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein said points are from locations on a physical object in a room to be modeled.  
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the process for constructing a virtual object based on actual environment data further comprises: 
 capturing image information with a camera associated with said rangefinder; and    adding the image information to said object.    
   
   
       17 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein said rangefinder is a laser rangefinder.