Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tree group based Wavelet Watermarking using Energy Modulation and Consistency Check (WW-EMCC) for digital images

  • Published:
Multimedia Tools and Applications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wavelet tree based watermarking algorithms are generally using the energy difference among grouped wavelet coefficients for invisible watermark embedding and extraction. According to cryptanalysis of wavelet tree quantization (WTQ) scheme, the robustness of watermarking is weak if the wavelet tree group coefficients are only unilaterally modulated. Therefore, bilaterally modulated techniques like modified wavelet tree quantization (MWTQ) and wavelet tree group modulation (WTGM) improve the security since the attackers can not decipher how tree coefficients are modulated. However, MWTQ needs the wavelet tree group information as the extra information which results the method is not purely blind for watermark extraction. For that matter, a novel wavelet tree group based watermarking using energy modulation and consistency check (WW-EMCC) is proposed in this study which not only resists the cryptanalysis attacks but also provides the dual function of choices for blind (WW-EMCCB) and non-blind (WW-EMCCN) watermark embedding. The essence of WW-EMCC design is to embed the watermark in the tree group coefficients as well as the relationship between the tree groups. Such approach extends the bilateral modulation into higher dimension of modulation and increase the robustness of security. In addition, WW-EMCC can even be modified as a captioning watermarking with lossless image quality which integrates watermarking and cryptography for copyright protection. This study has performed intensive comparison for the proposed scheme with WTQ, MWTQ and WTGM under various geometric and nongeometric attacks. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed technique yields better performance with higher degree of robustness.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Al-Haj A (2007) Combined DWT-DCT digital image watermarking. J Comput Sci 3(9):740–746

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Al-Otum H-M, Samara N-A (2006) Adaptive blind wavelet-based watermarking technique using tree mutual differences. J Electron Imaging 15(4):043011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Amirgholipour SK, Naghsh-Nilchi AR (2009) Robust digital image watermarking based on joint DWT-DCT. JDCTA 3(2):42–54

    Google Scholar 

  4. An L, Gao X, Xuelong L, Tao D, Deng C, Li J (2012) Robust reversible watermarking via clustering and enhanced pixel-wise masking. IEEE Trans Image Process 21(8):3598–3611

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Bender W, Gruhl D, Morimoto N, Lu A (1996) Techniques for data hiding. IBM Syst J 35(3&4):313–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chan CS, Chang CC, Vo HP (2012) A user-friendly image sharing scheme using JPEG-LS median edge predictor. J Inf Hiding Multimed Signal Process 3(4):340–351

    Google Scholar 

  7. Chen T-H, Horng G-B, Lee W-B (2005) A publicly verifiable copyright-proving scheme resistant to malicious attacks. IEEE Trans Ind Electron 52(1):327–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cox IJ, Leighton FT, Shamoon T (1997) Secure spread spectrum watermarking for multimedia. IEEE Trans Image Process 6(12):1673–1687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Cox IJ et al (2007) Digital Watermarking and Steganography, 2nd Ed., Morgan Kaufmann Publishers

  10. Das TK, Maitra S, Mitra J (2005) Cryptanalysis of optimal differential energy watermarking (DEW) and a modified robust scheme. IEEE Trans Signal Proc 53(2):768–775

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. Das TK, Mitra S (2006) Analysis of the wavelet tree quantization watermarking strategy and a modified robust scheme. Multimed Syst 12:151–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Daubechies I, Sweldens W (1998) Factoring wavelet transforms into lifting steps. J Fourier Anal Appl 4(3):247–269

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. ECRYPT: http://bows2.ec-lille.fr/index.php?mode=VIEW&tmpl=index1

  14. Gao XB, An LL, Yuan Y, Tao DC, Li XL (2011) Lossless data embedding using generalized statistical quantity histogram. IEEE Trans Circ Syst Video Technol 21(8):1061–1070

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Gao XB, Deng C, Li XL, Tao DC (2010) Geometric distortion insensitive image watermarking in affine covariant regions. IEEE Trans Syst Man Cybern Part C Appl Rev 40(3):278–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Huang HC, Fang WC (2010) Metadata-based image watermarking for copyright protection. Simul Model Pract Theory 18(4):436–445

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Huang BB, Tang SX (2006) A contrast-sensitive visible watermarking scheme. IEEE Multimed 13(2):60–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. JPEG 2000 compression, the International standard (IS 15444–1: JPEG 2000) published from ISO/IEC, [Online]:http://www.ece.uvic.ca/mdadams/hasper/~StirMark, http://www.petitcolas.net/fabien/software/StirMarkBenchmark_4_0_129.zip

  19. Kodak Lossless True Color Image Suite: http://www.r0k.us/graphics/kodak/

  20. Kundur D, Hatzinakos D (1998) Digital watermarking, using multiresolution wavelet decomposition. Proc IEEE ICASSP 5:2869–2972

    Google Scholar 

  21. Langelaar GC, Lagendijk RL (2001) Optimal differential energy watermarking of DCT encoded images and video. IEEE Trans Image Proc 10(1):148–158

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  22. Lu C-S, Huang S-K, Sze C-J, Liao H-Y (2000) Cocktail watermarking for digital image protection. IEEE Trans Multimed 2(4):209–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Mannos JL, Sakrison DJ (1974) The effects of a visual fidelity criterion on the encoding of images. IEEE Trans Inf Theory 20(4):525–536

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  24. Podilchuk CI, Zeng W (1998) Image-adaptive watermarking using visual models. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun 16(4):525–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ritchey PC, Rego VJ (2012) A context sensitive tiling system for information hiding. J Inf Hiding Multimed Signal Process 3(3):212–226

    Google Scholar 

  26. Sedgewick R (2001) Algorithms in C, Parts 1–5: fundamentals, data structures, sorting, searching, and graph algorithms, 3rd Edition, Addison Wesley

  27. StirMark, http://www.petitcolas.net/fabien/software/StirMarkBenchmark_4_0_129.zip

  28. Tsai MJ, Lin CW (2008) Wavelet based multipurpose color image watermarking by using dual watermarks with human vision system models. IEICE E91-A(6)

  29. Tsai M-J, Shen C-H (2007) Wavelet tree group modulation (WTGM) for digital image watermarking. IEEE ICASSP 2:173–176

    Google Scholar 

  30. Tsai M-J, Shen C-H (2008) Differential energy based watermarking algorithm using Wavelet Tree Group Modulation (WTGM) and human visual system. IEICE Trans Fundam E91-A(8):1961–1973

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. USC-SIPI Image Database: http://sipi.usc.edu/database/

  32. Voloshynovskiy S et al (1999) A stochastic approach to content adaptive digital image watermarking. Proc 3rd Int Work Inf Hiding, Dresden, Germany, pp. 211–236

  33. Wang S-H, Lin Y-P (2004) Wavelet tree quantization for copyright protection watermarking. IEEE Trans Image Process 13(2):154–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Information Management, National Chiao Tung University, 1001 Ta-Hsueh Road, Hsin-Chu, 300, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Min-Jen Tsai, Jin-Sheng Yin & Imam Yuadi

Authors
  1. Min-Jen Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jin-Sheng Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Imam Yuadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Min-Jen Tsai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tsai, MJ., Yin, JS. & Yuadi, I. Tree group based Wavelet Watermarking using Energy Modulation and Consistency Check (WW-EMCC) for digital images. Multimed Tools Appl 74, 11139–11161 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-014-2222-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-014-2222-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation