Associating a point cloud image with a piping line drawing and applying dimensions regarding the same

1. A computer-based method for creating a piping isometric line drawing, representing a pre-existing facility that includes components and piping, using distance data obtained from a point cloud, of the pre-existing facility, with coordinate data in three dimensions, the method comprising:

displaying, using a display device, the point cloud of the pre-existing facility, each location in the point cloud having coordinate data in three dimensions;

displaying, using the display device, a user interface alongside the point cloud;

forming a 2D piping isometric line drawing in the user interface, based on the point cloud of the pre-existing facility, by

receiving, from one or more users, selections of two locations in two dimensions on the user interface, and

creating a new 2D line in the piping isometric line drawing, corresponding to a pipe displayed in the point cloud, between the two selected locations; and

after creating the new line in the piping isometric line drawing:

transferring distance data, using a processor, from the point cloud to the piping isometric line drawing, the distance data being distance in three dimensions between the two selected locations, by

receiving, from the one or more users, a selection of a location in the point cloud on the user interface corresponding to one end of a pipe and a subsequent selection of a location in the piping isometric line drawing on the user interface corresponding to one end of the formed line;

associating, using a processor, the selected locations in the point cloud and the piping isometric line drawing by associating coordinate data in three dimensions of the selected location on the point cloud with coordinate data in two dimensions of the selected location on the piping isometric line drawing;

receiving, from the one or more users, a further selection of a location in the point cloud on the user interface corresponding to the other end of the pipe and a subsequent further selection of a location in the piping isometric line drawing on the user interface corresponding to the other end of the formed line;

associating, using a processor, the further selected locations in the point cloud and the piping isometric line drawing by associating coordinate data in three dimensions of the further selected location on the point cloud with coordinate data in two dimensions of the further selected location on the piping isometric line drawing;

receiving, from the one or more users on the user interface, an instruction to apply distance data regarding the selected locations in the point cloud to the formed line in the piping isometric line drawing;

defining, using a processor, a distance based on coordinate data in three dimensions for the selected locations on the point cloud; and

storing, using a processor, the distance in association with the 2D line on the piping isometric line drawing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new line formed between the two locations on the user interface for the piping isometric line drawing is not to scale with respect to a pipe located between the selected locations on the point cloud.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

forming the piping isometric line drawing comprises forming the new line in a first window of the user interface; and

displaying the point cloud comprises displaying the point cloud in a second window of the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the selection of the location on the point cloud further comprises:

determining an axis of a component associated with the selected location on the point cloud; and

constraining user selection of a further location on the point cloud to locations on the axis.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an update to the further selected location on the point cloud;

updating the distance between the selected locations on the point cloud; and

applying the updated distance to the new line on the piping isometric line drawing.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing using at least the distance applied to the piping isometric line drawing; and

overlaying the scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing on the point cloud.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving, from the one or more users, an instruction to change at least one of the selected locations, or the distance between the selected locations on the piping isometric line drawing; and

adjusting the scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing based on the input.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the point cloud further depicts valves.

9. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer code thereon, the computer code executable on a computer for creating a piping isometric line drawing, representing a pre-existing facility that includes components and piping, using distance data obtained from a point cloud, of the pre-existing facility, with coordinate data in three dimensions, the computer code comprising:

program code for displaying, on a display device of a computer, the point cloud of the pre-existing facility, each location in the point cloud having coordinate data in three dimensions;

program code for displaying a user interface alongside the point cloud on the display device;

program code for creating a new 2D piping isometric line drawing in the user interface, based on the point cloud of the pre-existing facility, by

receiving, from one or more users, selections of two locations in two dimensions on the user interface, and

forming a 2D line in the piping isometric line drawing, corresponding to a pipe displayed in the point cloud, between the two selected locations; and

program code for transferring, after creation of the new piping isometric line drawing, distance data from the point cloud to the piping isometric line drawing, the distance data being distance in three dimensions between the two selected locations, by

receiving, from the one or more users, a selection on the user interface of a location in the point cloud corresponding to one end of a pipe and a subsequent selection on the user interface of a location in the piping isometric line drawing corresponding to one end of the formed line;

associating the selected locations in the point cloud and the piping isometric line drawing by associating coordinate data in three dimensions of the selected location on the point cloud with coordinate data in two dimensions of the selected location on the piping isometric line drawing;

receiving, from the one or more users, a further selection on the user interface of a location in the point cloud corresponding to the other end of the pipe and a subsequent further selection on the user interface of a location in the piping isometric line drawing corresponding to the other end of the formed line;

associating the further selected locations in the point cloud and the piping isometric line drawing by program code for associating coordinate data in three dimensions of the further selected location on the point cloud with coordinate data in two dimensions of the further selected location on the piping isometric line drawing;

receiving, from the one or more users on the user interface, an instruction to apply distance data regarding the selected locations in the point cloud to the formed line in the piping isometric line drawing;

defining a distance based on coordinate data in three dimensions for the selected locations on the point cloud; and

storing the distance in association with the 2D line on the piping isometric line drawing.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , further comprising:

program code for forming the line in a first window of the user interface; and

program code for displaying the point cloud in a second window of the user interface.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the program code for receiving the selection of the location on the point cloud further comprises:

program code for determining an axis of a component associated with the selected location on the point cloud; and

program code for constraining user selection of a further location on the point cloud to locations on the axis.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , further comprising:

program code for receiving an update to the further selected location on the point cloud;

program code for updating the distance between the selected locations on the point cloud; and

program code for applying the updated distance to the line on the piping isometric line drawing.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the program code further comprises:

program code for creating a scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing using at least the distance applied to the piping isometric line drawing; and

program code for overlaying the scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing on the point cloud.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program code further comprising:

program code for receiving, from the one or more users, an instruction to change at least one of the selected locations, or the distance between the selected locations on the piping isometric line drawing; and

program code for adjusting the scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing based on the input.

15. A computer apparatus for creating a piping isometric line drawing, representing a pre-existing facility that includes components and piping, using distance data obtained from a point cloud, of the pre-existing facility, with coordinate data in three dimensions, the apparatus comprising:

a display device for:

(1) displaying the point cloud of the pre-existing facility, each location in the point cloud having coordinate data in three dimensions, and

(2) displaying a user interface alongside the point cloud;

a line drawing input for:

(1) receiving, from one or more users, selections of two locations on the user interface, to create a new 2D line on the piping isometric line drawing, the new 2D line corresponding to a pipe displayed in the point cloud, between the two locations, and after creating the new line on the piping isometric line drawing:

(2) receiving, from the one or more users, selections of locations in two dimensions on the user interface corresponding to ends of the new 2D line in the piping isometric line drawing;

a point cloud input for:

receiving, from the one or more users, selections on the user interface of locations on the point cloud corresponding to ends of the pipe; and

a correlator operatively coupled with the line drawing input and point cloud input, the correlator being configured to:

(1) determine a distance in three dimensions between the selected locations on the point cloud based on coordinate data in three dimensions for the selected locations,

(2) after creating the new line on the piping isometric line drawing, apply the distance in three dimensions to the new 2D line on the piping isometric line drawing in response to an instruction from the one or more users, and

(3) associate coordinate data in three dimensions of the selected locations on the point cloud with respective coordinate data in two dimensions of the selected locations on the piping isometric line drawing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the display device displays the piping isometric line drawing in a first window of the user interface and displays the point cloud in a second window of the user interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the correlator associates coordinate data in three dimensions of the selected locations on the point cloud with coordinate data in two dimensions of the locations corresponding to the ends of the new line on the piping isometric line drawing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the point cloud input

determines an axis of a component associated with a selected location on the point cloud; and

constrains user selection of a further location on the point cloud to locations on the axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the point cloud input receives an update to one of the selected locations on the point cloud; and

the correlator updates the distance between the selected locations on the point cloud, and applies the updated distance to the new line on the piping isometric line drawing.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the line drawing input creates a scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing using at least the distance applied to the piping isometric line drawing, and

the point cloud input overlays the scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing on the point cloud.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the line drawing input receives an input to change at least one of selected locations, or the distance between the selected locations on the piping isometric line drawing; and adjusts the scaled representation of the piping isometric line drawing based on the input.