1. A method of extracting data from a video stream, said method being executed by at least one processor and comprising: establishing, based on a training video sequence including a plurality of training images and adapted for training image processing software, a reference image representative of a statistical model of a background scene in a first image, wherein the statistical model includes a range of background color values within the first image; locating a foreground region in the first image by comparing the reference image with the first image; and automatically characterizing said foreground region as representative of a first object, said first object being one of a plurality of pre-selected objects.