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.