Patent ID: 7567256

Claim:
An apparatus for use in analyzing video images, comprising: a video input signal providing a video signal to be analyzed, the video input signal including at least one of successive picture frames and fields containing a video picture that changes in time; a video processor operable to produce a display of information on a display device at least partly from the video input signal, wherein the display of information comprises a repetitively composed formatted display of images that is changed over time from one mode of display of information to an other mode of display of information, as the video input signal changes in time, wherein said modes of display of the information comprise different selections of display elements, each of the different selections comprising one or more of: a full representation of the video picture contained in the video input signal, selectively presented so as to occupy at least a portion of a display area of the formatted display; a zoom image including an area of particular scrutiny in said video picture, selectively presented so as to occupy at least a portion of the display area of the formatted display; a report of video data characteristics of at least one point within said area of particular scrutiny; a subset of said full representation, said zoom image and said report; and, wherein a controller is coupled to the video processor and to at least one control input, wherein a user selects via the control input at least one selection criterion applied to the video signal to cause a change in the formatted display of images from said one mode to said other mode, and wherein the user selects via the control input a selection of the display elements to be included in the display composed by the video processor when the selection criterion is met.