Patent ID: 7372393

Claim:
A computer implemented method for converting an input image of noisy wrapped phases to an output image of absolute unwrapped phases, comprising the steps of: representing noisy wrapped phases in an input image as a set of re-wrapped phases and a set of phase shifts; partitioning the set of re-wrapped phases into a first group and a second group; optimizing integer differences between the phase shifts, while holding the re-wrapped phases fixed; optimizing the first group of re-wrapped phases, while holding the integer differences between the phase shifts, and the second group of re-wrapped phases fixed; optimizing the integer differences between the phase shifts, while holding the re-wrapped phases fixed; optimizing the second group of re-wrapped phases, while holding the integer differences between the phase shifts, and the first group of re-wrapped phases fixed; and repeating the optimizing steps until the re-wrapped phases converge and outputting the converged re-wrapped phases and integer differences between the phase shifts as an output image of absolute unwrapped phases.