A method for labeling the pixels within a selected visual area of at least
one image frame containing that visual area from a sequence of image
frames stored in memory and operative to be displayed on an interactive
display so that a user may subsequently select the selected visual area
on a pixel accurate, frame accurate basis. To label the selected visual
area within an image frame, the scene within that image frame is
segmented to identify the selected visual area, each pixel within that
selected visual area is then labeled with an area identifier which is
unique to that selected visual area, and the pixels containing the area
identifiers are mapped into an item buffer. The item buffer is then
compressed and stored within a labeled portion of memory linked with the
stored frame image from which the item buffer was derived. When a user
subsequently selects a pixel within any frame image of the sequence of
frame images the pixel is decompressed within the labeled portion of
memory corresponding to the pixel in the selected frame image to
determine the area identifier for the selected pixel. This area
identifier is then used for a number of purposes, such as to identify an
area within the frame image corresponding to the selected pixel, or to
cause some action related to the selected pixel to be performed.