Object selection using hit test tracks

• US 6,219,048 B1
• Filed: 10/24/1994
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Gavin Stuart Peter, Hoffert, Eric Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/328,394
• Time in Patent Office: 2,367 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155, 395/154, 395/159, 395/152, 395/134, 395/160, 395/164, 345/118, 345/122, 345/203, 345/189, 345/202, 345/339, 345/145, 345/357, 345/302, 345/327, 345/349, 345/434, 345/356, 345/509, 345/507, 707/501
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20104 Interactive definition of region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/00 Image analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A method for labeling and subsequently identifying selected areas within images from a sequence of temporally related images represented by a plurality of tracks of image data which are operative to be displayed by a display of a computer, the computer having a memory for storing the plurality of tracks, wherein one of the plurality of tracks is operative to be displayed by the computer at the same time as a second track of the plurality of tracks, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying an area to be labeled within an image from said sequence of images;

(b) labeling every pixel within said identified area with an area identifier which is unique to said area;

(c) storing each labeled pixel in a labeled portion of memory linked to said image;

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for each identified area within each image from said sequence of images;

(e) interrogating said memory in response to a user'"'"'s selection of a pixel location within a selected area from a selected image of said images displayed on said display to locate a labeled portion of memory corresponding to said selected image, said selected area being one of said areas identified in step (a);

(f) evaluating said labeled portion corresponding to said selected image to locate an area identifier corresponding to said pixel location; and

(g) identifying said area identifier to said computer as an indication of said selected area,

wherein step (b) includes the steps of;

mapping said area into an item buffer corresponding to said image; and

assigning said area identifier to each pixel within said area to form labeled pixels within said item buffer corresponding to pixel locations within said image;

step (c) includes the steps of;

compressing said item buffer;

storing said compressed item buffer in said labeled portion of memory; and

storing an image identifier with said compressed item buffer in said labeled portion of memory to link said labeled portion of memory to said image; and

step (g) includes the step of;

decompressing a region of said item buffer surrounding said pixel location, wherein said region of said item buffer is smaller than said item buffer.

2. A method for aiding a user'"'"'s selection of areas within images represented by a set of related temporal tracks of image data stored in a memory of a computer, the computer being operative to selectively display said images on a display of the computer by accessing the temporal tracks of image data from the memory, wherein at least one of the temporal tracks of image data is operative to be displayed by the computer at the same time as a second temporal track of the temporal tracks of image data, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying an area within an image of a temporal track which could be selected by said user;

(b) labeling each pixel within said area with an area identifier which is unique to said area;

(c) storing each labeled pixel in a first labeled track in said memory, said first labeled track corresponding to a first temporal track of said set of related temporal tracks which contains said image;

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for each area within each image which could be selected by said user;

(e) searching through said memory in response to said user'"'"'s selection of a pixel location within a selected area of a selected image to locate a labeled track corresponding to said selected image;

(f) searching said labeled track for a labeled pixel corresponding to said pixel location; and

(g) retrieving said area identifier corresponding to said labeled pixel from said memory to indicate said selected area to said computer,

further comprising the steps of;

identifying a second area within said image which could be selected by said user;

labeling each pixel within said second area with a second area identifier which is unique to said second area; and

storing each labeled pixel in a second labeled track corresponding to said temporal track of said set of related temporal tracks which contains said image.

3. A method for aiding a user'"'"'s selection of areas within images represented by a set of related temporal tracks of image data stored in a memory of a computer, the computer being operative to selectively display said images on a display of the computer by accessing the temporal tracks of image data from the memory, wherein at least one of the temporal tracks of image data is operative to be displayed by the computer at the same time as a second temporal track of the temporal tracks of image data, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying an area within an image of a temporal track which could be selected by said user;

(b) labeling each pixel within said area with an area identifier which is unique to said area;

(c) storing each labeled pixel in a first labeled track in said memory, said first labeled track corresponding to a first temporal track of said set of related temporal tracks which contains said image;

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for each area within each image which could be selected by said user;

(e) searching through said memory in response to said user'"'"'s selection of a pixel location within a selected area of a selected image to locate a labeled track corresponding to said selected image;

(f) searching said labeled track for a labeled pixel corresponding to said pixel location; and

(g) retrieving said area identifier corresponding to said labeled pixel from said memory to indicate said selected area to said computer,

wherein said first labeled track contains a labeled pixel corresponding to both an image of said first temporal track and an image of a third temporal track of said set of related temporal tracks.