Apparatus for sharing objects of interest and associated methods

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

with respect to first virtual reality content and second virtual reality content, each configured to provide imagery for a respective first virtual reality space and a second virtual reality space for viewing in virtual reality, and

based on first-user-viewing-experience information defining an appearance of an object of interest that appears in the first virtual reality content as viewed, in virtual reality, by a first user, the first-user-viewing-experience information comprising information that at least defines a time-variant point of view in the first virtual reality space relative to the object of interest from which the first user viewed the object of interest over a duration of time,

provide for display to a second user, the second user provided with a virtual reality view of the second virtual reality content, of imagery of the object of interest superimposed into the virtual reality space of the second virtual reality content such that the second user is able, while viewing the second virtual reality content, to witness the object of interest as it was viewed by the first user at least in terms of the imagery of the object of interest being provided for display with an appearance consistent with the information that defines the time-variant point of view for at least a portion of the duration of time.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for display of the object of interest with an appearance consistent with the information that defines the time-variant point of view by at least one of:

movement of a point of view of a virtual reality view provided to the second user equivalent to the time-variant point of view of the first user; or

image manipulation of the imagery of the object of interest based on the time-variant point of view such that the image manipulation of the object of interest creates an equivalent change in appearance of the object of interest so that the view of the object of interest is substantially the same to both the first and second users.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the imagery of the object of interest is provided by a virtual 3-dimensional model of the object of interest rendered in the second virtual reality space based on the information that defines the time-variant point of view to thereby enable the second user to witness the object of interest as it was viewed by the first user.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for modulation of one or more of:

movement of the point of view of the virtual reality view provided to the second user; or

movement of the imagery of the object of interest;

in accordance with user input of the second user, the user input configured to change one or more of a viewing direction of virtual reality view or a point of view of the virtual reality view in the virtual reality space.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the imagery of the object of interest is isolated from background imagery appearing around the object of interest in the first virtual reality content as viewed by the first user.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information includes pose information defining the orientation of the object of interest in the virtual reality space of the first virtual reality content; and

wherein the appearance of the object provided for display to the second user is defined by the pose information.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information further defines movement of the object of interest in the first virtual reality space at the time it was viewed by the first user over the time; and

wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for corresponding movement, in the second virtual reality space, of the superimposed imagery of the object of interest.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information further defines object-appearance changes of the object of interest over the time, the object-appearance comprising changes to one or more of the shape, size, color, outline, texture or configuration; and

wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for corresponding object-appearance changes of the superimposed imagery of the object of interest.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the object of interest comprises is associated with a 3-dimensional model and the imagery of the object of interest superimposed in the second virtual reality space comprises one or more of:

a 2-dimensionsal image generated from the 3-dimensional model of the object of interest based on the information defining the time-variant point of view of the first user at the time the first user viewed the object of interest; or

a 3-dimensional model oriented in the second virtual reality space in accordance with the information defining the time-variant point of view such that the second user views the object of interest from the same point of view as the first user.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information includes information to at least identify a 3-dimensional model of the object of interest and visual information indicative of one or more of:

a configuration of a mesh that defines the 3-dimensional model;

one or more graphical textures comprises images that are rendered over a surface of the 3-dimensional model; or

lighting information comprising information of how the 3-dimensional model of the object of interest was illuminated in the first virtual reality space;

and wherein the imagery of the object of interest provided for display to the second user is provided by a 3-dimensional model displayed in accordance with the visual information.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the imagery of the object of interest is provided for display to the second user the apparatus is caused to provide for a visual effect to be applied such that one or more of:

a colour color of the imagery of the object of interest is different to how it was presented to the first user;

shading of the imagery of the object of interest is different to how it was presented to the first user;

an outline of the imagery of the object of interest is different to how it was presented to the first user; or

the virtual reality view of the second virtual reality content surrounding the imagery of the object of interest is displayed differently to how it was presented prior to display of the imagery of the object of interest;

to thereby distinguish between the second user viewing the second virtual reality content without the imagery of the object of interest and with the imagery of the object of interest.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information is generated based on one or more of:

the first user providing a user input to share how they viewed the object of interest; or

a selection, by the first user, of the object of interest from one or more objects that are visible to them in the first virtual reality content.

13. A method, the method comprising

with respect to first virtual reality content and second virtual reality content, each configured to provide imagery for a respective first virtual reality space and a second virtual reality space for viewing in virtual reality, and

based on first-user-viewing-experience information defining an appearance of an object of interest that appears in the first virtual reality content as viewed, in virtual reality, by a first user, the first-user-viewing-experience information comprising information that at least defines a time-variant point of view in the first virtual reality space relative to the object of interest from which the first user viewed the object of interest over a duration of time,

providing for display to a second user, the second user provided with a virtual reality view of the second virtual reality content, of imagery of the object of interest superimposed into the virtual reality space of the second virtual reality content such that the second user is able, while viewing the second virtual reality content, to witness the object of interest as it was viewed by the first user at least in terms of the imagery of the object of interest being provided for display with an appearance consistent with the information that defines the time-variant point of view for at least a portion of the duration of time.

14. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for display of the object of interest with an appearance consistent with the information that defines the time-variant point of view by at least one of:

movement of a point of view of a virtual reality view provided to the second user equivalent to the time-variant point of view of the first user; or

image manipulation of the imagery of the object of interest based on the time-variant point of view such that the image manipulation of the object of interest creates an equivalent change in appearance of the object of interest so that the view of the object of interest is substantially the same to both the first and second users.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the imagery of the object of interest is provided by a virtual 3-dimensional model of the object of interest rendered in the second virtual reality space based on the information that defines the time-variant point of view to thereby enable the second user to witness the object of interest as it was viewed by the first user.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for modulation of one or more of:

movement of the point of view of the virtual reality view provided to the second user; or

movement of the imagery of the object of interest;

wherein, in accordance with user input of the second user, the user input is configured to change one or more of a viewing direction of the virtual reality view or a point of view of the virtual reality view in the virtual reality space.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the imagery of the object of interest is isolated from background imagery appearing around the object of interest in the first virtual reality content as viewed by the first user.

18. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information includes pose information defining the orientation of the object of interest in the virtual reality space of the first virtual reality content; and

wherein the appearance of the object provided for display to the second user is defined by the pose information.

19. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the first-user-viewing-experience information further defines movement of the object of interest in the first virtual reality space at the time it was viewed by the first user over the time; and

wherein the apparatus is caused to provide for corresponding movement, in the second virtual reality space, of the superimposed imagery of the object of interest.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for performing at least the following:

with respect to a first virtual reality content and a second virtual reality content, each configured to provide imagery for a respective first virtual reality space and a second virtual reality space for viewing in virtual reality, and

based on first-user-viewing-experience information defining an appearance of an object of interest that appears in the first virtual reality content as viewed, in virtual reality, by a first user, the first-user-viewing-experience information comprising information that at least defines a time-variant point of view in the first virtual reality space relative to the object of interest from which the first user viewed the object of interest over a duration of time,

providing for display to a second user, the second user provided with a virtual reality view of the second virtual reality content, of imagery of the object of interest superimposed into the virtual reality space of the second virtual reality content such that the second user is able, while viewing the second virtual reality content, to witness the object of interest as it was viewed by the first user at least in terms of the imagery of the object of interest being provided for display with an appearance consistent with the information that defines the time-variant point of view for at least a portion of the duration of time.