Fourier fringe processing using a regressive Fourier-transform technique

Since the introduction of a fourier fringe algorithm by Takeda, it has been possible to determine the phase of a particular light source impinging on an object from one sole image. This has led to applications in many whole field optical measurement techniques such as ESPI, holography, profilometry and so on. However, the basic processing technique, in case of the 2D-Fourier transform, is subject to a major drawback. Because this technique supposes periodicity in a fringe image, the so-called leakage effects occur. This gives rise to non-negligible errors, which can be resolved by using a regressive Fourier transformation technique. In the method introduced in this article, the fringe signal is represented by a model using sines and cosines where the frequency is not fixed (which is the case for classical FFT-techniques). The coefficients of those sines and cosines together with the frequency components are then estimated locally by means of a frequency domain system identification technique. This allows the fringe pattern to be unwrapped without any distortion. This method will be applied in particular to Fourier-transform profilometry (determines object geometry using shifts of projected fringes) although it can be used in any of the techniques mentioned above. Moreover, it will be shown that the proposed method can deal with other distortions that occur in practice such as over-modulation and varying fringe visibility. The proposed technique will be validated on both simulations and on a profile measurement of a pipe section.