A Novel Optimized Semi-Blind Scheme for Color Image Watermarking

Abstract

Image watermarking is a robust solution for solving key issues like copyright protection and proof of ownership of digital data. Existing schemes of image watermarking mostly used grayscale or binary images as embedded watermarks, while only a few watermarking schemes are developed for color images. In this paper, we propose a novel robust semi-blind image watermarking scheme based on finite ridgelet transform (FRT), discrete wavelet transform (DWT), singular value decomposition (SVD), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and Arnold transform to protect copyright and verify the authenticity of color images. Firstly, the color image is converted from RGB to YCbCr color space, and the luminance component (Y) is taken into account to insert the watermark data. In this study, the principal component (PC) of the watermark image is directly inserted into the corresponding singular value of the cover image by the scaling factor to avoid the false positive problem (FPP). To further improve security, Arnold transform is applied to process the Y channel of the watermark image before inserting it in the cover image. Besides, PSO optimizes the embedding factor matrices. The qualitative evaluation factors like peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM) are used to assess the visual quality, while normalized correlation coefficient (NCC) is used to assess the resemblance between the watermarked and the restored watermarked images. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated using geometric, non-geometric, and combinational attacks, and its comparison is performed with different image watermarking schemes to prove its robustness.

A Robust Discrete Wavelet Transform Based Adaptive Watermarking Scheme in YCbCr Color Space against Camcorder Recording in Cinema/Movie Theates

“…A researcher recommends the LACF (local autocorrelation function)-based technique to protect against the camcorder recording in the theater. [5] The embedded watermark is extracted by eliminating geometric distortion parameters using the LACF after the watermark pattern is restored. However, it is hard to use the LACF peaks, since the peaks are not visible after a number of signal processing attacks.…”

“…5) where Wab is the Arnold transformed basic watermark and Wb is the basic watermark.Step3: Get the scrambled periodic watermark (Pab) after tilling the Wab as per host video frame size.Step 4: Extract frames from video.Step 5: Repeat step 6 to 12, Mf time, where Mf is number frame in host video.Step 6: Convert frame to image (Fh to Ih), where Fh represents the host frame and Ih represents the host image. Step 7: Apply RGB to YCbCr using Equation 6 on the host image (Ih) and consider Y part only for further processing.…”

Towards the development of an effective image watermarking system

“…Another semi-blind color image watermarking technique is proposed based on DWT, SVD, FRT (finite ridgelet transform), PSO, and Arnold transform for protecting copyright information. 43 The watermark-embedding factor is optimized by using PSO. Experimental results show that the method is robust against various attacks.…”

An Improved Hybrid DCT-DWT Blind Watermarking Technique for Securing Multimedia Images

“…During extraction process, classification of the watermarking schemes is based on how the original image is used. If the original image is required during the extraction process, then it is termed as non-blind watermarking [5]. On the other hand, if the original image is made unavailable during the extraction of the watermark, it is termed as blind watermarking.…”