An optimized multi-bits blind watermarking scheme

Abstract

This paper presents a new multi-bits watermarking scheme in DCT domain based on a chaotic Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) communication system, which is combined with error correcting codes (ECC) and Human Visual System (HVS) model in spatial domain. To extract the hidden watermark from a possibly corrupted watermarked image without error, we model watermarking as a digital communication problem and apply BCH channel coding and shuffling. To ensure optimal adaptive DCT watermark, we also demonstrate how to optimally embed a watermark given the constraints imposed by the mask in the spatial domain. The robustness of the algorithm has been tested with StirMark 4.0. Without the original image during the decoding process, the algorithm allows for the recovery of 64 bits of information in a 256X256 graylevel image after a significant JPEG compression and other common signal processing attack. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.