object by the overlap of the segment and the relevance map in the electronic image application_number US 61026106 A description a preferred embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to the figures where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements also in the figures the left most digits of each reference number corresponds to the figure in which the reference number is first used reference in the specification to u201c one embodiment u201d or to u201c an embodiment u201d means that a particular feature structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment of the invention the appearances of the phrase u201c in one embodiment u201d in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment some portions of the detailed description that follows are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory these algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art an algorithm is here and generally conceived to be a self consistent sequence of steps instructions leading to a desired result the steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities usually though not necessarily these quantities take the form of electrical magnetic or optical signals capable of being stored transferred combined compared and otherwise.