Methods and apparatus to facilitate 3d object visualization and manipulation across multiple devices

A method comprising:

• determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a viewpoint location of a viewpoint corresponding to a viewing device, the viewpoint location being in a reference frame of a three-dimensional model;
• determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a visible shard set of the three-dimensional model based on the viewpoint location;
• and
• generating, by executing an instruction with the processor, a two-dimensional image associated with the reference frame of the determined viewpoint location of the three-dimensional model, wherein the generated two-dimensional image is based on the visible shard set of the three-dimensional model, and the three-dimensional model existed prior to the generation of the two-dimensional image.

A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

• determine a viewpoint location of a viewpoint corresponding to a viewing device, the viewpoint location being in a reference frame of a three-dimensional model;
• determine a visible shard set of the three-dimensional model based on the viewpoint location;
• and
• generate a two-dimensional image of the visible shard set associated with the reference frame of the determined viewpoint location of the three-dimensional model, wherein the three-dimensional model existed prior to the generation of the two-dimensional image.