Feature-based image watermarking method using scale-invariant keypoints

Abstract

This paper addresses feature-based image watermarking methods for digital contents. Most previous watermarking algorithms suffer from geometric distortion attacks that desynchronize the location of the inserted watermark. In order to synchronize the watermark location, watermark synchronization should be performed. One solution for watermark synchronization is to use image features. This paper describes a feature-based watermarking method based on scale-invariant keypoints. We extract feature points from the scale-invariant keypoint extractor and then decompose feature points into a set of disjoint triangles. These triangles are watermarked by an additive spread-spectrum method on the spatial domain. We perform an intensive simulation in comparison with other feature-based watermarking methods using 100 test images. Results show that the proposed method is considerably robust against both geometric distortion attacks and signal processing attacks listed in Stirmark 3.1. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.