Applications of windowed Fourier fringe analysis in optical measurement: A review

The applications of windowed Fourier fringe analysis in the past decade are reviewed. Because fringe patterns from different optical measurement systems are similar, the reviewed applications are classified according to the functions of the windowed Fourier transform being used in fringe pattern analysis: denosing exponential phase fields, demodulating carrier fringe patterns, getting phase derivatives, and utilizing local properties. From these applications, the windowed Fourier transform is shown to be effective and versatile for fringe pattern analysis.     

On window size selection in the windowed Fourier ridges algorithm: Addendum

The windowed Fourier transform is a useful technique for fringe pattern analysis. It has been shown that the proper selection of the window size is a balance between the linear phase approximation error and the influence of noise [Q. Kemao, On widow size selection in windowed Fourier ridges algorithm. Opt Lasers Eng, 2007, accepted for publication]. Since the fringe intensity and noise level usually vary spatially, the window size should also be spatially adaptive in order to reach a good balance for each pixel of the fringe pattern. This addendum first shows that the windowed Fourier transform with a spatially fixed window size (SFWS) is still practically useful and then discusses the window size competition strategies for the windowed Fourier transform with a spatially adaptive window size (SAWS). The windowed Fourier transform with a SAWS is theoretically better than that with a SFWS but it is also more challenging in use. The windowed Fourier ridges algorithm is used for analysis throughout this paper. This analysis is also applicable to the windowed Fourier filtering algorithm.     

Parallel computing for fringe pattern processing: A multicore CPU approach in MATLAB environment

In the process of measurements such as optical interferometry and fringe projection, an important stage is fringe pattern analysis. Many advanced fringe analysis algorithms have been proposed including regularized phase tracking (RPT), partial differential equation based methods, wavelet transform, Wigner–Ville distribution, and windowed Fourier transform. However, most of those algorithms are computationally expensive. MATLAB^® is a general algorithm development environment with powerful image processing and other supporting toolboxes. It is also commonly used in photomechanical data analysis. With rapid development of multicore CPU technique, using multicore computer and MATLAB^® is an intuitive and simple way to speed up the algorithms for fringe pattern analysis. The paper introduces two acceleration approaches for fringe pattern processing. The first approach is task parallelism using multicore computer and MATLAB^® parallel computing toolbox. Since some algorithms are embarrassing problems, our first approach makes use of this characteristic to parallelize these algorithms. For this approach, parallelized windowed Fourier filtering (WFF) algorithm serves as an example to show how parallel computing toolbox accelerates the algorithm. Second, data parallelism using multicore computer and MATLAB^® parallel computing toolbox is proposed. A high level parallel wrapping structure is designed, which can be used for speeding up any local processing algorithms. WFF, windowed Fourier ridges (WFR), and median filter are used as examples to illustrate the speedup. At last, the results show that the parallel versions of former sequential algorithm with simple modifications achieve the speedup up to 6.6 times.     

An improved windowed Fourier transform for fringe demodulation

A modified algorithm of windowed Fourier transform (WFT) for phase retrieval from electronic speckle-shearing fringe patterns with carriers is proposed. The algorithm is based on the introduction of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) in WFT to reduce computation time for fringe demodulation. Since boundary effects in FFT will influence the accuracy of phase retrieval, the Gerchberg method is employed to extrapolate the fringe pattern at the boundaries to reduce boundary effects. A theoretical analysis of the algorithm is presented. Both simulated and experimental results show that the proposed method has reduced the computation time significantly compared with the convolution method of WFT without sacrificing measurement accuracy.     

A simple phase unwrapping approach based on filtering by windowed Fourier transform: A note on the threshold selection

A simple phase unwrapping approach based on windowed Fourier filtering was proposed recently [K. Qian et al. A simple phase unwrapping approach based on filtering by windowed Fourier transform. Opt Laser Technol 2005;37:458–62]. The windowed Fourier filtering algorithm is an essential ingredient that suppresses the noise effectively and makes the phase unwrapping trivial. This paper adds a note on the threshold selection in the windowed Fourier filtering algorithm. A large interval can be selected as the threshold to obtain almost optimal filtering results. Once the selected threshold is suitable, it is almost optimal. This makes the threshold selection in the windowed Fourier filtering algorithm extremely easy.     

基于窗口傅里叶变换剪切干涉法波前检测

提出了一种利用二维窗口傅里叶变换从径向剪切干涉条纹中准确得到波前的重建技术。首先对剪切干涉条纹做二维窗口傅里叶变换,设置阈值和频率积分范围后,进行二维窗口傅里叶逆变换,然后对包裹相位做去载频和相位展开处理得到相位差分布,最后使用波前迭代算法从相位差中复原实际波前。模拟计算表明,使用该方法最大相位复原误差为0.82%,均方根值为0.020 9 rad,实验结果验证了该方法的有效性。同时也对窗口傅里叶变换的关键参数,如窗函数的选择、窗口大小的确定以及阈值的选取等进行了简要讨论。与传统傅里叶变换法(FFT)相比,基于窗口傅里叶变换的剪切干涉波前检测法有更高的精度和稳定性,为波前检测提供一种新的处理方法。     

三维测量中一种新的自适应窗口傅里叶相位提取法

针对多尺度窗口傅里叶变换中,窗口尺寸的自适应选取及提取基频时的频谱混叠等问题,提出基于希尔伯特-黄变换(HHT)的自适应窗口傅里叶相位提取法。对变形条纹信号进行HHT后,通过谱分析,自适应确定能够准确描述条纹信号变化情况的瞬时频率及条纹图的背景分量。根据所得的瞬时频率,给出自适应定位条纹信号局部平稳区域的步骤,进而确定窗口尺寸。不需额外计算,可有效去除背景分量以减少基频提取过程中零频频谱的干扰。与现有的用最大脊法确定窗口尺寸的方法相比,本方法不受被测相位必须线性逼近且变化缓慢的前提约束。实验证明本方法有效、可行,且对测量携带陡峭边缘或面形复杂的物体也能进行较为精确有效的测量。     

Two-dimensional multiscale windowed Fourier transform based on two-dimensional wavelet transform for fringe pattern demodulation

A two-dimensional multiscale windowed Fourier transform (2D-MWFT), based on two-dimensional Gabor wavelet transform (2D-GWT), for the phase extraction from a spatial fringe pattern in fringe projection profilometry is presented. First, the instantaneous frequencies on x and y direction of the modulated fringe pattern are determined by 2D-GWT, and then the local stationary lengths are obtained. The 2D-MWFT with different two-dimensional Gaussian windows whose width is set according to the local stationary length is preformed for each section of the modulated fringe pattern to achieve multiresolution analysis and phase demodulation. Comparing the result of the phase demodulated by 2D-GWT and two-dimensional windowed Fourier transform (2D-WFT) with that by 2D-MWFT in a numerical simulation, we show that the 2D-MWFT method is superior to these methods, especially for the local non-stationary signal with low frequency. The theory and the results of a simulation and experiment are shown.     

A simple method for phase wraps elimination or reduction in spatial fringe patterns

In this paper, we propose a simple method for processing a 2D wrapped phase map that contains a spatial carrier signal in order to completely eliminate, or greatly reduce, the number of phase wraps in the image. The 2D Fourier transform of the wrapped phase map is calculated. Then the spectrum is shifted to the origin in frequency space. After that, the inverse 2D Fourier transform is computed. Finally, a four-quadrant arctangent function is used to calculate the angle of the complex array that was produced by the inverse 2D Fourier transform. This produces a phase map with a smaller number of 2π phase jumps than the original phase map. In some cases, all of the phase wraps are eliminated and there is therefore no need to unwrap the resultant phase map. The reduction of the number of 2π phase jumps can reduce the execution time and improve the noise performance of some phase unwrapping algorithms such as the Flynn method. The validation of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated experimentally and also via computer-simulation.     

Windowed Fourier assisted two-dimensional Hilbert transform for fringes phase extraction

In this article, two-dimensional windowed Fourier assisted Hilbert transform for fringes phase extraction has been proposed. The mathematical derivations of the filtered fringes image and its Hilbert transformations are presented using windowed Fourier transform. The proposed method has been verified by calculating the wrapped and unwrapped phase of the experimental moire fringes. In comparison to the conventional fringes phase extraction methods, the proposed method is found to be effective.     

基于S变换的改进窗口傅里叶三维测量法

讨论了一维S变换在处理条纹图中的应用,推导了S变换表达式,提出一种基于S变换脊的自适应窗口傅里叶三维测量法。利用S变换对于频率的敏感性以及S变换脊思想,求得任意点的瞬时频率。推导了在相位跳变剧烈区域相位二阶导φ″(b)对S变换脊的影响,并求得去除此影响后更为准确的瞬时频率。然后将瞬时频率倒数作为经典窗口傅里叶变换(WFT)的窗口大小,解出条纹图的精确相位。最后对去除相位二阶导影响前后基于S脊的WFT进行对比仿真;实验验证其与传统基于小波脊的WFT在抗噪声、解相位精度上的优势。     

Short-time fractional Fourier methods for the time-frequency representation of chirp signals

The fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) provides a valuable tool for the analysis of linear chirp signals. This paper develops two short-time FrFT variants which are suited to the analysis of multicomponent and nonlinear chirp signals. Outputs have similar properties to the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) but show improved time-frequency resolution. The FrFT is a parameterized transform with parameter, a, related to chirp rate. The two short-time implementations differ in how the value of a is chosen. In the first, a global optimization procedure selects one value of a with reference to the entire signal. In the second, a values are selected independently for each windowed section. Comparative variance measures based on the Gaussian function are given and are shown to be consistent with the uncertainty principle in fractional domains. For appropriately chosen FrFT orders, the derived fractional domain uncertainty relationship is minimized for Gaussian windowed linear chirp signals. The two short-time FrFT algorithms have complementary strengths demonstrated by time-frequency representations for a multicomponent bat chirp, a highly nonlinear quadratic chirp, and an output pulse from a finite-difference sonar model with dispersive change. These representations illustrate the improvements obtained in using FrFT based algorithms compared to the STFT.     

基于希尔伯特变换的干涉条纹相位解调新算法

提出了一种新的应用希尔伯特变换解调干涉条纹相位的算法,可以从单幅干涉条纹图中解调出全场相位分布.在实际应用中,常借助傅里叶变换实现希尔伯特变换算法,但是会忽略负频率成分,造成相位信息的丢失.对于相位分布非单调变化的干涉条纹,提出了一种判断函数,用来计算相位信息零频率点的分布.利用相位的零频率点分布构造了一个二元模板,使用该模板对本文提出的两次希尔伯特变换法产生的包裹相位图进行修正.对修正后的包裹相位图进行解包裹处理,可以得到连续的全场相位分布.对该方法用计算机模拟进行了验证.     

Error-compensating algorithms in phase-shifting interferometry: a comparison by error analysis

In this paper, two families of phase-shifting algorithms with π/2 phase steps are studied. In family I, three new algorithms are derived by using the averaging technique based on the Surrel six-sample algorithm with phase shifts of π/2. Family II includes four well-known algorithms derived by the averaging technique based on the conventional four-sample algorithm with π/2 phase steps. A polynomial model of phase-shift errors used to describe general expressions for calculation of the correct object phase via the Fourier spectra analysing method as a function of the harmonic order in the fringe signal is presented. The error-compensating properties of the algorithms in families I and II are investigated by the Fourier spectra analysing method. It is found that the averaging technique, when used in any of the algorithm with π/2 phase steps, can improve the phase-shifting algorithm property: it is insensitive to phase-shift error when the fringe signal contains the first harmonic, but it can't be used to enhance the phase-shifting algorithm properties when the fringe signal contains higher order harmonics (n2). P–V (peak–valley) phase errors are calculated by the computer simulation and tables and plots are presented, from which the algorithms in families I and II are compared. It is shown that the algorithms in family I are more insensitive to phase-shift errors when the fringe signal contains the second harmonic and the algorithms in family II are more insensitive to phase-shift errors when the fringe signal is a sinusoidal waveform.     

Generalized three-dimensional windowed Fourier transform for fringe analysis

A 3D windowed Fourier transform is proposed for fringe sequence analysis, which processes the joint spatial and temporal information of the fringe sequence simultaneously. The 2D windowed Fourier transform in the spatial domain and the 1D windowed Fourier transform in the temporal domain are two special cases of the proposed method. The principles of windowed Fourier filtering and windowed Fourier ridges are developed. Experimental verification shows encouraging results despite a longer processing time.     

窗口傅里叶变换轮廓术中窗口尺度选取的改进

多尺度窗口傅里叶变换法根据条纹信号的瞬时频率梯度来确定信号的局域平稳长度,再由局域平稳长度来控制窗口的尺度,即窗口的尺度和局域平稳长度成正比。使用多尺度窗口傅里叶变换法来使条纹信号的频谱局域化,可以在条纹信号的频率分辨率和空间分辨率之间达到一种较佳的调和。针对多尺度窗口傅里叶变换三维形貌测量技术中局域平稳长度提取算法的不足进行了改进,使窗口尺度的选取更具合理性,对变形光栅基频提取更精确,进一步减小了位相测量的误差。给出了理论分析、计算机模拟以及实验结果。     

On window size selection in the windowed Fourier ridges algorithm

The windowed Fourier ridges (WFR) algorithm can be used to extract the frequency and phase information from an exponential or carrier fringe pattern. The selection of the window size for this algorithm is investigated in this paper. For exponential phase fringe patterns, the window size does not need to be adjusted according to the signal frequency. Hence the scaling strategy of the wavelet transform is not necessary. Instead, the window size should be selected according to the balance between the linear phase approximation error and the noise level. For carrier fringe patterns, the influence of the conjugate component should also be considered. However it can be ignored when the lowest frequency of the fringe pattern is higher than 1.5/σ (σ is used to represent the window size).     

Comparison of eight unwrapping algorithms applied to Fourier-transform profilometry

Phase unwrapping is a task common to many applications like interferometry imaging, medical magnetic resonance imaging, solid-state physics, etc. Fourier transform profilometry (FTP) values the height distribution of object, elaborating the interference between a plane reference grating and a deformed object grating. Since the height information is extracted from the phase of a complex function, the phase unwrapping is a critical step of the process. Several unwrapping algorithms are proposed in literature, but applied to measurement technologies different from FTP. The purpose of this paper is to define the performances of eight different unwrapping algorithms applied to FTP optical scan method and to define the best one. The algorithms chosen are: Goldstein's algorithm, quality guided path following method, Mask cut method, Flynn's method, multi-grid method, weighted multi-grid method, preconditioned conjugate gradient method and minimum L_p-norm method. The methods were tested on real images acquired by a FTP scanner developed and calibrated for these experiments. The objects used vary from simple geometries, like planes and cylinders, to complex shapes of common use objects. Algorithms were qualified considering the phase unwrapping errors, execution time and accuracy of the shape of objects obtained from the scan method in comparison with real ones. The results show that quality guided algorithm best fits in FTP application.     

Windowed Fourier transform applied in the wavelength domain to process the spectral interference signals

We report on processing the spectral interference signals by a new method based on a windowed Fourier transform applied in the wavelength domain. First, the numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate high precision of the phase retrieval from the spectral signal. Second, the feasibility of the method is confirmed in processing experimental data from a dispersive Michelson interferometer comprising a cube beamsplitter made of BK7 glass. From the retrieved spectral phase difference, the effective thickness of the beamsplitter is determined precisely.