Abstract: A kind of measurement of image segmentation based on the principle of optical interference is presented and realized by simulation in computer. A uniform coherent light source, a filter and a receiving screen are designed in computer. The pseud phase distribution, which is translated from intensity distribution of the image by a conversion rule, is shown on this given filter. The interference pattern is produced when the filter is illuminated with the light source, and sampled on a receiving screen. Choosing a proper threshold segments the interference pattern and the edge of the input image can be obtained. Numerical simulation shows the effect of this segmentation method is equivalent to that of Sobel operator.Contrast between simulated results and experimental results is analyzed. It in