Automated Floor Plan Generation from Building Scans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for generating 3D architectural models of older buildings are laborious and inefficient, often requiring manual measurement or tedious scanning processes to create editable 2D or 3D digital floor plans, especially when buildings have undergone multiple remodeling changes without documentation.
Innovation Solution
A method using an electronic computing device to receive a building scan, convert it into a floor plan by computing a principal axis, straightening walls, removing intersections, generating a Voronoi diagram, and refining the plan to ensure edges are parallel or perpendicular to the principal axis, allowing for user-specified angle approximations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual measurement or laser scanning is used to create 3D architectural models, then the accuracy of the floor plan is improved, but the time and labor required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses laser scanning to create a digital point cloud copy of the building's physical space, which is then processed algorithmically to generate the floor plan. This digital copying approach replaces manual measurement while maintaining accuracy, as the scan data captures precise spatial relationships automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement processes with automated computational algorithms. The processing system uses mathematical operations on scan data to automatically generate floor plans, eliminating the need for manual dimension taking and drafting while preserving measurement precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual processing of scan data is used to create floor plans, then the detail and accuracy are improved, but the complexity and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the floor plan generation process into distinct algorithmic stages: point cloud processing, wall detection, room identification, and floor plan construction. Each stage handles specific aspects of the data, making the overall complex process more manageable and automated while maintaining detail accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing system performs self-correction and refinement through automated algorithms that identify and resolve inconsistencies in the scan data without human intervention. The system autonomously handles the complex tasks of interpreting point cloud data and generating accurate floor plans.
3Productivity
If automated algorithms are used to process building scans, then the productivity is improved, but the precision and accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the processed floor plan is compared against the original scan data to verify accuracy. The system iteratively refines its output by checking consistency between the generated floor plan and the source point cloud, ensuring precision is maintained while benefiting from automated processing speed.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for generating a floor plan from a building scan of a building using an electronic computing device are presented, the method including: causing the electronic computing device to receive the building scan; converting the building scan to a floor plan; and refining the floor plan to approximate the building. In some embodiments, the causing the electronic computing device to receive the building scan further includes: extracting information from an input file to obtain a representation of a number of rooms and walls corresponding with the building scan, where the information is selected from the group consisting of: a set of vertices, a set of triangles, and a set of rooms.