Abstract: This paper presents a block-based secure and robust watermarking technique for color images based on multi-resolution decomposition and de-correlation. The principal objective of the presented scheme is to simultaneously meet all the four requirements (robustness, security, imperceptibility, and capacity) of a good watermarking scheme. The contribution of this study is to basically achieve the four contradictory requirements that a good watermarking scheme must meet. To do so, different approaches are combined in a way that the four requirements are achieved. For instance, to obtain imperceptibility, the three color channels (red, green, and blue) are de-correlated using principal component analysis, and the first principal component (de-correlated red channel) is chosen for watermark embedding. Afterwards, to achieve robustness, the de-correlated channel is decomposed using a discrete wavelet transform (DWT), and the approximate band (the other three bands are kept intact to preserve the edge information) is further decomposed into distinct blocks. The random blocks are chosen based on a random generated key. The random selected blocks are further broken down into singular values and vectors. Based on the mutual dependency on singular values and vectors’ matrices, the values are modified depending on the watermarking bits, and their locations are saved and used as another key, required when the watermark is to be extracted. Consequently, two-level authentication levels ensure the security, and using both singular values and vectors increases the capacity of the presented scheme. Moreover, the involvement of both left and right singular vectors along with singular values in the watermarking embedding process strengthens the robustness of the proposed scheme. Finally, to compare the presented scheme with the state-of-the-art schemes in terms of imperceptibility (peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity index), security (with numerous fake keys), robustness (normalized correlation and bit error rate), and capacity, the Gonzalez and Kodak datasets are used. The comparison shows significant improvement of the proposed scheme over existing schemes.

一种基于多分辨率分解和去相关的模块化安全性与鲁棒性彩色图像水印方案

[1]Ali M, Ahn WC, 2014. An optimized watermarking technique based on self-adaptive DE in DWT-SVD mboxtransform mboxdomain. Signal Process, 94:545-556.

[2]Amini M, Ahmad MO, Swamy MNS, 2017a. A new mboxlocally optimum watermark detection using vector-based hidden Markov model in wavelet domain. Signal Process, 137:213-222.

[3]Amini M, Sadreazami H, Ahmad MO, et al., 2017b. A hidden Markov model-based blind detector for multiplicative watermarking. 60^th Int Midwest Symp on Circuits and Systems, p.176-179.

[4]Amini M, Sadreazami H, Ahmad MO, et al., 2017c. Multichannel color image watermark detection utilizing vector-based hidden Markov model. Int Symp on Circuits and Systems, p.1-4.

[5]Barni M, Bartolini F, Piva A, 2001. Improved wavelet-based watermarking through pixel-wise masking. IEEE Trans Image Process, 10(5):783-791.

[6]Bhagyashri SK, Joshi MY, 2011. All frequency band DWT-SVD robust watermarking technique for color images in YUV color space. IEEE Int Conf on Computer Science and Automation Engineering, p.295-299.

[7]Chang SC, Shen JJ, 2017. Features classification forest: a novel development that is adaptable to robust blind watermarking techniques. IEEE Trans Image Process, 26(8):3921-3935.

[8]Chen B, Coatrieux G, Chen G, et al., 2014. Full 4-D quaternion discrete Fourier transform based watermarking for color images. Dig Signal Process, 28:106-119.

[9]Chou HC, Liu CK, 2010. A perceptually tuned watermarking scheme for color images. IEEE Trans Image Process, 19(11):2966-2982.

[10]Dharwadkar VN, Amberker BB, Gorai A, 2011. Non-blind watermarking scheme for color images in RGB space using DWT-SVD. Int Conf on Communications and Signal Processing, p.489-493.

[11]Drew SM, Bergner S, 2008. Spatio-chromatic decorrelation for color image compression. Signal Process Image Commun, 23(8):599-609.

[12]Fazli S, Moeini M, 2016. A robust image watermarking method based on DWT, DCT, and SVD using a new technique for correction of main geometric attacks. Optik, 127(2):964-972.

[13]Gonzalez RC, Woods RE, 2008. Wavelet and multiresolution processing. In: Gonzalez RC, Woods RE (Eds.), Digital Image Processing. Prentice Hall, USA.

[14]Gunjal BL, Mali NS, 2011. Comparative performance analysis of DWT-SVD based color image watermarking technique in YUV, RGB and YIQ color spaces. Int J Comput Theory Eng, 3(6):714-717.

[15]Han S, Yang J, Wang R, et al., 2017. A novel color image watermarking algorithm based on QWT and DCT. Chinese Conf on Computer Vision, p.428-438.

[16]Hernandez MC, Miyatake MN, Meana HMP, 2005. Analysis of a DFT-based watermarking algorithm. 2^nd Int Conf on Electrical and Electronics Engineering, p.44-47. http://doi.org/

[17]Kalantari NK, Ahadi SM, Vfadust M, 2010. A robust image watermarking in the ridgelet domain using universally optimum decoder. IEEE Trans Circ Syst Video Technol, 20(3):396-406.

[18]Kodak, 2013. University of Sheffield Library. http://www.r0k.us/graphics/kodak [Accessed on Dec. 15, 2017].

[19]Lai CC, 2011a. A digital watermarking scheme based on singular value decomposition and tiny genetic algorithm. Dig Signal Process, 21(4):522-527.

[20]Lai CC, 2011b. An improved SVD-based watermarking scheme using human visual characteristics. Opt Commun, 284(4):938-944.

[21]Lai CC, Tsai CC, 2010. Digital image watermarking using discrete wavelet transform and singular value decomposition. IEEE Trans Instrum Meas, 59(11):3060-3063.

[22]Lina SD, Shieb SC, Guoa JY, 2010. Improving the robustness of DCT-based image watermarking against JPEG compression. Comput Stand Interf, 32(1-2):54-60.

[23]Liu R, Tan T, 2002. An SVD based watermarking scheme for protecting rightful ownership. IEEE Trans Multim, 4(1):121-128.

[24]Loukhaoukha K, 2013. Comments on “A digital watermarking scheme based on singular value decomposition and tiny genetic algorithm”. Dig Signal Process, 23(4):1334.

[25]Luo L, Chen Z, Chen M, et al., 2010. Reversible image watermarking using interpolation technique. IEEE Trans Inform Forens Secur, 5(1):187-193.

[26]Makbool NM, Khoo BE, 2014. A new robust and secure digital image watermarking scheme based on the integer wavelet transform and singular value decomposition. Dig Signal Process, 33:134-147.

[27]Meylan L, Susstrunk S, 2006. High dynamic range image rendering with a retinex-based adaptive filter. IEEE Trans Image Process, 15(9):2820-2830.

[28]Mohanty SP, Ranganathan N, Balakrishnan K, 2006. A dual voltage-frequency VLSI chip for image watermarking in DCT domain. IEEE Trans Circ Syst, 53(5):394-398.

[29]Mudrová M, Procházka A, 2005. Principal component analysis in image processing. MATLAB Technical Computing Conf, p.1-4.

[30]Prathap I, Natarajan V, Anitha R, 2014. Hybrid robust watermarking for color images. Comput Electr Eng, 40(3):920-930.

[31]Ranjbara S, Zargarib F, Ghanbaric M, 2013. A highly robust two-stage Countourlet-based digital image watermarking method. Signal Process Image Commun, 28(10):1526-1536.

[32]Roy A, Maiti AK, Ghosh K, 2015. A perception based color image adaptive watermarking scheme in YCbCr space. Int Conf on Signal Processing and Integrated Networks, p.537-543.

[33]Rykaczewski R, 2007. Comments on “An SVD based watermarking scheme for protecting rightful ownership”. IEEE Trans Multim, 9(2):421-423.

[34]Sadreazami H, Amini M, 2012. A robust spread spectrum based image watermarking in ridgelet domain. AEU Int J Electron Commun, 66(5):364-371.

[35]Sadreazami H, Ahmad MO, Swamy MNS, 2015. A robust multiplicative watermark detector for color images in sparse domain. IEEE Trans Circ Syst, 62(12):1159-1163.

[36]Santhi V, Thangavelu A, 2009. DWT-SVD combined full band robust watermarking technique for color images in YUV color space. Int J Comput Theory Eng, 1(4):424-429.

[37]Su Q, Niu Y, Liu X, et al., 2013. A novel blind digital watermarking algorithm for embedding color image into color imag. Optik, 124(18):3254-3259.

[38]Sun X, Bo S, 2011. A blind digital watermarking for color medical images based on PCA. Int Conf on Wireless Communications, Networking, and Information Security, p.421-427.

[39]Tarisha M, 2017. The Politics of Online Copyright Enforcement in the EU. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, USA.

[40]Vidal R, Ma Y, Sastry S, 2005. Generalized principal component analysis. IEEE Trans Patt Anal Mech Intell, 27(12):1945-1959.

[41]Vo PH, Nguyen TS, Huynh VT, et al., 2017. A robust hybrid watermarking scheme based on DCT and SVD for copyright protection of stereo images. 4^th NAFOSTED Conf on Information and Computer Science, p.331-335.

[42]Yavuz E, Telatar Z, 2013. Comments on “A digital watermarking scheme based on singular value decomposition and tiny genetic algorithm“. Dig Signal Process, 23(4):1335-1336.

[43]You X, Du L, Cheung Y, et al., 2010. A blind watermarking scheme using new non-tensor product wavelet filter banks. IEEE Trans Inform Forens Secur, 19(12):3271-3284.

[44]Zhang PX, Li K, 2005. Comments on “An SVD based watermarking scheme for protecting rightful ownership”. IEEE Trans Multim, 5(2):593-594.

[45]Zong T, Xiang Y, Natgunanathan I, et al., 2015. Robust histogram shape-based method for image watermarking. IEEE Trans Circ Syst Video Technol, 25(5):717-729.