The coded circular fringe has zero-phase in the center of fringe image, which can be used as a reference for the subsequent calculation of absolute phase and unwrapping. However, the carrier frequency phase provided by circular fringes is nonlinear. When it is used to measure three-dimensional surface shape, the method for obtaining object height information is different from that of projecting single frequency straight fringes. The calculation method of object height information in phase-shifting profilometry are studied based on circular fringe projection. The calculation method of coordinate displacement is discussed caused by height in detail. The corresponding error analysis is completed. Computer simulation and experimental verification show that the method can directly obtain the absolute phase of out of plane object, which can be used to reconstruct the three-dimensional shape of the object.