Our recent study showed that the phase error caused by improperly defocused binary structured patterns has a unique relationship with the depth z. Based on this finding, the depth information can be extracted without the need of triangulation. Because the measurement can be performed from the same viewing angle, this uniaxial measurement technique can overcome some limitations of a triangulation-based technique, such as measuring a deep hole. This paper will present the principle of the proposed technique and show some simulation and preliminary experimental results to verify its viability.