Spatial-Perceptual Embedding with Robust Just Noticeable Difference Model for Color Image Watermarking

Kai Zhou, Yunming Zhang, Jing Li, Yantong Zhan and Wenbo Wan
Additional contact information
Kai Zhou: School of Information and Engineering, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
Yunming Zhang: School of Information and Engineering, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
Jing Li: School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shandong Management University, Jinan 250014, China
Yantong Zhan: School of Information and Engineering, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
Wenbo Wan: School of Information and Engineering, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China

Mathematics, 2020, vol. 8, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: In the robust image watermarking framework, watermarks are usually embedded in the direct current (DC) coefficients in discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain, since the DC coefficients have a larger perceptual capacity than any alternating current (AC) coefficients. However, DC coefficients are also excluded from watermark embedding with the consideration of avoiding block artifacts in watermarked images. Studies on human vision suggest that perceptual characteristics can achieve better image fidelity. With this perspective, we propose a novel spatial–perceptual embedding for a color image watermarking algorithm that includes the robust just-noticeable difference (JND) guidance. The logarithmic transform function is used for quantization embedding. Meanwhile, an adaptive quantization step is modeled by incorporating the partial AC coefficients. The novelty and effectiveness of the proposed framework are supported by JND perceptual guidance for spatial pixels. Experiments validate that the proposed watermarking algorithm produces a significantly better performance.

Keywords: perceptual embedding; robust watermarking; logarithmic transform; just-noticeable difference; cross domain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/8/9/1506/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/8/9/1506/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:8:y:2020:i:9:p:1506-:d:408924

Access Statistics for this article

Mathematics is currently edited by Ms. Emma He

More articles in Mathematics from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().