Quantization-Based Image Watermarking by Using a Normalization Scheme in the Wavelet Domain

• Published in: Information (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 8; p. 194
• Main Authors: Liu, Jinhua, Tu, Qiu, Xu, Xinye
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 30.07.2018
• Subjects: Algorithms; Copyright; Decomposition; entropy; False alarms; image watermarking; Mathematical analysis; Measurement; Methods; Multimedia; normalization scheme; Parameter modification; quantization index modulation; Robustness; Spread spectrum; Visibility; Visual perception; Watermarking; wavelet transform; Wavelet transforms
• ISSN: 2078-2489; 2078-2489
• DOI: 10.3390/info9080194

To improve the invisibility and robustness of quantization-based image watermarking algorithms, we developed an improved quantization image watermarking method based on the wavelet transform and normalization strategy used in this study. In the process of watermark encoding, the sorting strategy of wavelet coefficients is used to calculate the quantization step size. Its robustness lies in the normalization-based watermark embedding and the control of its amount of modification on each wavelet coefficient by utilizing the proper quantization parameter in a high entropy image region. In watermark detection, the original unmarked image is not required, and the probability of false alarms and the probability of detection are discussed through experimental simulation. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed watermarking. Furthermore, the proposed method has stronger robustness than the alternative quantization-based watermarking algorithm.