Method and device for displaying an indication of the quality of the three-dimensional data for a surface of a viewed object

1. A method for displaying an indication of the quality of the three-dimensional data for a surface of a viewed object, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an image of the surface of the viewed object with an imager;

displaying on a monitor the image of the surface of the viewed object, wherein a plurality of pixels of the image correspond to a plurality of surface points on the viewed object;

determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the plurality of surface points using a central processing unit;

determining an accuracy value for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points using the central processing unit, wherein the accuracy value is based on the predicted accuracy of the three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel;

determining for each of the plurality of pixels having an accuracy value whether the accuracy value is outside of a range of acceptable accuracy values using the central processing unit; and

displaying on the monitor an overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining an accuracy value for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points comprises determining the difference between at least one of the three-dimensional coordinates from a first set of three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel and at least one of the three-dimensional coordinates from a second set of three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of determining for each of the plurality of pixels having an accuracy value whether the accuracy value is outside of a range of acceptable accuracy values comprises determining whether the difference is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the range of acceptable accuracy values is less than a ten percent difference.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of displaying an overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values occurs when a cursor is moved over a pixel whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values is colored based on the accuracy value for that pixel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlay for all of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values is the same color.

8. A method for displaying an indication of the quality of the three-dimensional data for a surface of a viewed object, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an image of the surface of the viewed object with an imager;

displaying on a monitor the image of the surface of the viewed object, wherein a plurality of pixels of the image correspond to a plurality of surface points on the viewed object;

determining for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points whether the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are available using a central processing unit; and

displaying on the monitor a first overlay for each pixel where the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of determining for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points whether the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are available comprises:

determining the brightness level for each of the plurality of pixels;

determining for each of the plurality of pixels whether the brightness level is outside of a range of acceptable brightness values; and

determining for each of the plurality of pixels whose brightness level is outside of the range of acceptable brightness values that the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of determining for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points whether the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are available comprises:

determining the detail level for each of the plurality of pixels;

determining for each of the plurality of pixels whether the detail level is outside of a range of detail level values; and

determining for each of the plurality of pixels whose detail level is outside of the range of acceptable detail level values that the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of displaying on the monitor a first overlay for each pixel where the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available occurs when a cursor is moved over a pixel where the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first overlay for each pixel where the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available is red.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the plurality of surface points whose three-dimensional coordinates are available using the central processing unit;

determining an accuracy value for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points whose three-dimensional coordinates are available using the central processing unit, wherein the accuracy value is based on the predicted accuracy of the three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel;

determining for each of the plurality of pixels having an accuracy value whether the accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values using the central processing unit; and

displaying on the monitor a second overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of determining an accuracy value for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points whose three-dimensional coordinates are available comprises determining the difference between at least one of the three-dimensional coordinates from a first set of three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel and at least one of the three-dimensional coordinates from a second set of three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of determining for each of the plurality of pixels having an accuracy value whether the accuracy value is outside of a range of acceptable accuracy values comprises determining whether the difference is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the range of acceptable accuracy values is less than a ten percent difference.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of displaying on the monitor a second overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values occurs when a cursor is moved over a pixel whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values is colored based on the accuracy value for that pixel.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of displaying on the monitor a first overlay for each pixel whose three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available and the step of displaying second overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values occurs when either a cursor is moved over a pixel where the three-dimensional coordinates for the surface point corresponding to the pixel are not available or a cursor is moved over a pixel whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.

20. A device for displaying an indication of the quality of the three-dimensional data for a surface of a viewed object comprising:

an imager for obtaining an image of the surface of the viewed object;

wherein a plurality of pixels of the image correspond to a plurality of surface points on the viewed object;

a central processor unit for:

determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the plurality of surface points;

determining an accuracy value for each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of surface points, wherein the accuracy value is based on the predicted accuracy of the three-dimensional coordinates of the surface point corresponding to the pixel; and

determining for each of the plurality of pixels having an accuracy value whether the accuracy value is outside of a range of acceptable accuracy values; and

a monitor for displaying an image of the surface of the viewed object and an overlay for each of the plurality of pixels whose accuracy value is outside of the range of acceptable accuracy values.