Method and apparatus for three dimensional surface contouring and ranging using a digital video projection system

An apparatus for three dimensional surface contouring of an object having a surface defining a geometry, said apparatus comprising:

• a signal generator for generating an absolute-phase mark signal and a plurality of phase shifted digitally-interpretable fringe pattern signals, each of said signals being generated at a separate phase angle;
• a digital video projector connected to said signal generator for receiving and converting said fringe pattern signals into optical fringe patterns and projecting said fringe patterns onto said surface where said fringe patterns are distorted by said geometry of said object, said digital video projector receiving and converting said absolute-phase mark signal into an absolute-phase mark and projecting said absolute-phase mark onto said surface;
• an optical retrieval device for retrieving a reflection of said distorted fringe patterns and a reflection of said absolute-phase mark;
• and
• an image generator which combines said distorted fringe patterns to reconstruct a relative phase map of said surface of said object and translates said relative phase map to generate an absolute phase map.