Rotational phase unwrapping

Abstract

A phase unwrapping method for image demodulation comprises receiving a plurality of images of a fringe pattern captured by rotating the fringe pattern by a predetermined rotation angle. The method estimates a first wrapped phase value for a portion of a first image of the plurality of images and a second wrapped phase value for a corresponding portion of a second image, and establishes a first plurality of elements associated with the first wrapped phase value. For a candidate element from the first plurality of elements, the method determines a constraining element associated with the candidate element using the second wrapped phase value, where the association is established using the candidate element and the predetermined rotation angle, and unwraps the phase for the portion of at least one of the first and second images using the candidate element based on the determined constraining element.