Adaptive,scalable and robust watermarking for wavelet-based progressive image transmission

Abstract

Image watermarking refers to the process of embedding an authentication message, called watermark, into the host image to uniquely identify the ownership. In this paper, an adaptive, scalable, blind and robust wavelet-based watermarking approach is proposed. The proposed approach enables scalable watermark detection and provides robustness against progressive wavelet image compression. A multiresolution decomposition of the binary watermark is inserted into the selected coefficients of the wavelet-decomposed image that represent the high activity regions of the image. The watermark insertion is started from the lowest frequency sub-band of the decomposed image and each decomposed watermark sub-band is inserted into its counterpart sub-band of the decomposed image. In the lowest frequency sub-band, coefficients with maximum local variance and in the higher frequency sub-bands, coefficients with maximum magnitude are selected. The watermarked test images are transparent according to the human vision system characteristics and do not show any perceptual degradation. The experimental results very efficiently prove the robustness of the approach against progressive wavelet image coding even at very low bit rates. The watermark extraction process is completely blind and multiple spatial resolutions of the watermark are progressively detectable from the compressed watermarked image. This approach is a suitable candidate for providing efficient authentication for progressive image transmission applications especially over heterogeneous networks, such as the Internet.     

A colour image retrieval scheme based on Z-scanning technique

Abstract

This paper proposes a new colour image retrieval scheme using Z-scanning technique for content-based image retrieval (CBIR). In recent years, the CBIR is a popular research topic for image retrieval. This paper proposes a scheme which employs the Z-scanning technique to extract directional intensity features for measuring the similarity between query and database images. In the multiple channel images, each colour channel can be processed individually or combined into a grey channel Y. In order to extract the features by Z-scanning technique from all images, each channel of all images must be divided into several N×N blocks. In each block, F pairs of pixels are scanned by a ‘Z’ direction to obtain the texture features. Each colour channel can be obtained an M×M Z-scanning co-occurrence matrix (ZSCM) for storing the probability of each relationship of all closest blocks. At the similarity measure stage, the ZSCMs of query image and database images are compared to measure their similarity. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme is beneficial for image retrieval when the images include the same texture or object. On the other hand, the proposed scheme also can get better retrieval results and more efficiency than colour correlogram (CC) technique for colour texture images. Another technique uses motif co-occurrence matrix (MCM) as the feature in similarity measurement. The experimental results show the proposed ZSCM can get better retrieval results and higher recall and precision values than the CC and MCM techniques for public image databases.     

3‐D spatiotemporal subband decomposition of image sequences by mathematical morphology

Abstract

An efficient 3‐D spatiotemporal image sequence decomposition method using mathematical morphology is described in this paper. The method can be used to decompose the spectrum of the input signal into 8 and 4 spatiotemporal subband images. It does this using two different sets of structuring elements. After decomposition, each band image can be decimated and coded for data transmission. This subband pyramid scheme preserves the number of pixels which existed in the original image, has an efficient hierarchical data structure, and allows parallel implementation. Therefore, this scheme has great potential for High Definition Television (HDTV) coding, multimedium video compression, etc. As regards filtering, the unique advantages of morphology over the linear filtering approach are: 1) it utilizes direct geometric interpretations; and 2) it is simple and efficient when used in conjunction with parallel/pipelining hardware. Some image sequence examples are given to show the effectiveness of this approach.     

A high dynamic range vector quantisation for compressing 2DGE images of different exposures

Abstract

Currently, retrieving information from photographed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE) images are sometimes insufficient for continuing pathogenic investigation. In this paper, we proposed a scheme to store multi-exposure copies of 2DGE images in a high dynamic range vector quantisation (HDRVQ) compressed file. 2DGE images can be retrieved for different exposures or a new exposure not of the original image. The high dynamic range concept was used to compost a detailed 2DGE image from neighbouring images. Results showed that 2DGE images can be retrieved from the HDRVQ compressed file for any exposure between the starting and ending exposures. Furthermore, the retrieved image of a new exposure can also display protein details that were not of the original images. The results of this research may be used by biologist to decide whether a new batch of gel culture was needed for further pathogenic investigation. A new batch is not only expensive but also very time consuming.     

Hierarchical secret image sharing using phase modulation based on the Fresnel transform

ABSTRACT

In idealized secret image sharing (SIS), all of the shared images (shadows) play the same role, but in real life, the shared images are often hierarchical. This paper proposes a hierarchical secret image sharing (HSIS) method by means of optical imaging. To implement the scheme, a generalized single-phase modulation algorithm is proposed in Fresnel transform domain. Its features that multiple secret images can be recovered through combination of some shared images though each participant only holds one share of images. Theoretically, the secret images are divided into multiple phase encodings (shared images) by phase modulation, each secret image can be directly captured by the intensity detector when illuminating some of the shared images orderly displayed with parallel light. Experimental simulation shows that the shared images and the restored secret images do not have any size distortion, and further verifies the feasibility of the proposed scheme.     

Lossless compression-based progressive image transmission scheme

Abstract

The lossless compression of images is widely used in medical imaging and remote sensing applications. Also, progressive transmission of images is often desirable because it can reduce the transmission bits of an image. Therefore, combining the features of lossless compression and progressive transmission of images has been intensely researched. The bitplane method (BPM) is the simplest way to implement a lossless progressive image transmission system. In the present paper, a new block-based scheme for lossless progressive image transmission is proposed. This scheme will reduce the transmission load and improve the image quality of BPM. This method first performs a quantization operation upon the blocks of an image. Next, these blocks are encoded with fewer bits, and the bits are then transmitted phase by phase. The experimental results show that the image quality of this method is better than those in the BPM and improved BPM in related traditional works under the same transmission load. Moreover, during the first phase, the difference in peak signal-to-noise ratio between the present method and BPM is exactly equal up to 8.85 dB. This method is therefore effective for lossless progressive image transmission.     

Multiple-image encryption scheme with a single-pixel detector

Abstract

A multiple-image encryption (MIE) scheme with a single-pixel detector has been proposed according to the principle of ghost imaging. In this scheme, each of the spatially coherent laser beams is modified by a set of phase-mask keys and illuminates on a secret image. All of the transmitted lights are recorded together by a single-pixel (bucket) detector to obtain a ciphertext, but anyone of the secret images can be decrypted from the ciphertext independently without any mutually overlapped despite some noise in them. The MIE scheme will bring convenience for data storage and transmission, especially in the case that different secret images need to be distributed to different authorized users, because the ciphertext is a real-valued function and this scheme can effectively avoid the secret images being extracted mutually. The basic principle of the MIE scheme is described theoretically and verified by computer simulations. Finally, the feasibility, robustness and encryption capacity are also tested numerically.     

A chaos-based image encryption algorithm based on multiresolution singular value decomposition and a symmetric attractor

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes a new image cryptosystem using multiple chaotic maps and multiresolution singular value decomposition (MR-SVD). The encryption process starts with implementing the MR-SVD to decompose the original image into the four fundamental sub-bands, i.e., Approximation (A), Vertical (V), Horizontal (H), Diagonal (D) sub-bands respectively. Since the approximation part gives the most information about the image, this sub-band is selected to perform permutation and diffusion. The permutation of all the four sub-bands is done by deploying the Baker map. The diffusion of pixels in the permuted approximation part is done by our neighbourhood diffusion scheme that uses the numerical solution of the chaotic Thomas' cyclically symmetric attractor. The final cipher is obtained by combining all the four (A, H, V, D) partial ciphers by performing inverse MR-SVD. The experimental results of our proposed scheme on various benchmarks tests indicate that the algorithm is highly secure and can withstand various attacks.     

Colour image coding scheme using absolute moment block truncation coding and block prediction technique

Abstract

A predictive colour image compression scheme based on absolute moment block truncation coding is proposed. In this scheme, the high correlations among neighbouring image blocks are exploited by using the similar block prediction technique. In addition, the bit plane omission technique and the coding of quantisation levels are used to cut down the storage cost of smooth blocks and complex blocks respectively. According to the experimental results, the proposed scheme provides better performance than the comparative schemes based on block truncation coding. It provides better image qualities of compressed images at low bit rates. Meanwhile, it consumes very little computational cost. In other words, the proposed scheme is quite suitable for real time multimedia applications.     

A study of the feature‐based digital image stabilization system

Abstract

This article presents a digital image stabilization scheme that uses image processing techniques to compensate for undesirable image jitter due to vehicle or platform vibration to obtain a stabilized image display. The developed digital image stabilization system is based on the image combination approach combined with advanced image selection, feature detection, feature matching and pre‐rotation processing to produce crisp images. Using the Sobel edge detector, we calculate the magnitude of edge response as the judgment criteria for image transformation. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed technique, experimental results are given for some synthetic images.     

Augmenting security of biometric with watermarking

This paper presents a new blind biometric watermarking scheme based on discrete wavelet transform for biometric template protection. We are using fingerprint feature and iris feature as multiple watermarks instead of randomly generated Gaussian noise type watermark. Watermark embedding locations are selected by measuring power level of each coefficient which gives sensibility of human eye to local image perturbations. Though biometric features are embedded sequentially, care is taken that most significant features are embedded to those locations whose power level is maximum which provides more robustness. We embed watermark into mid-frequency sub-band by modifying the amplitude of selected coefficient based on comparison between original and estimated values. Estimated value of coefficient is calculated from average sub-band of the same resolution level of the cover image. A reliable watermark extraction scheme is developed for the extraction of watermark from distorted image. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the proposed scheme is able to withstand a variety of attacks. We show that the proposed scheme also gives adjustability to the user for selecting P percentage of retained wavelet coefficients.     

A Study of Errors due to Reconstruction Filters in Computed Tomography

Abstract

In the summation convolution backprojection method of image reconstruction in computed tomography, the final image accuracy depends on the convolution filter used. Filters are designed to attenuate high spatial frequencies when noisy projection data are used. This paper explores the differences between the images reconstructed using a range of filters, and compares the results with the case of the ramp filter that provides the “best” image for ideal, noise-free, projection data. It is shown that systematic errors between these images and the best image exist, and that these errors are related to the second differential of the reconstruction filter with respect to spatial frequency. This error determination may be used to correct computed tomography images that have been reconstructed using inappropriate filters, and this theory is tested using noise-free projection data from two computer simulated images. It is shown that the corrected images are far closer to the original images.     

Hybrid retinal image registration using phase correlation

Abstract

This paper deals with registration of retinal images, which were taken by high-resolution digital colour fundus cameras. The proposed method describes successful application of phase correlation method. It combines several basic steps — global correction of shift, rotation and scaling, detection of landmarks, their correspondences and finally image registration using second-order polynomial model. The method is tested on two sets of images. The first set contains images from the diabetic patients where many retinal pathologies can disturb the registration process. The second set contains images from healthy subjects, which were acquired by different illumination conditions. The method was evaluated using four different criteria - tree objective and one subjective. These criteria are also compared. The achieved registration accuracy of the landmarks position error is 1·13 and 0·93 pixels for respective image sets. Finally, the simple scheme for retinal pathology visualisation of registered fundus pairs is presented.     

Cryptanalysis of Chen et al.’s multi-secret visual cryptography scheme

Abstract

In a (k, n) visual cryptographic scheme (VCS), a secret image is encrypted into n shadow images in such way that any k or more shadows can be superimposed to visually decode the secret, and less than k shadows cannot obtain any information on the secret image. Most VCSs only share one secret image. A (k, n, s) multi-secret VCS (MVCS) is a (k, n)-VCS, which can share s secret images. Recently, Chen et al. introduced a novel (2, 2, 4)-MVCS. However, their scheme is insecure. The threshold property of Chen et al.’s (2, 2, 4)-MVCS is compromised. In this paper, we show how an attacker retrieves the secret information of Chen et al.’s (2, 2, 4)-MVCS from one shadow image.     

Recognition for 3‐D objects based on the determination of the position and the orientation from a noisy single perspective view

Abstract

Recognizing 3‐D objects from 2‐D images has been an important area of research in computer vision. In this paper, an efficient method is developed to determine the position and the orientation of a 3‐D polyhedron in a noisy image. This method assumes that the direction of a straight line on an image can be determined from noisy data. A set of linear equations are used to determine the orientation of an object. In cases where there are not enough straight lines of an image presented, the constraint equations can be introduced and the iterative process is applied. However the iterative process is simple and the divergence is not a problem. After the orientation is determined, the straight lines, corresponding to the visible edges of the object, are used to determine the intersection points. From the intersections and the corresponding corners of the polyhedron, another set of linear equations are used to obtain the position of the object.

If the sum of the perpendicular distances, between the endpoints of the image projection of each model line and the corresponding image line, divided by the number of end‐points is less than a threshold, then the matching process is passed. It is shown, in this paper, that we cannot distinguish between geometrically similar objects without texture analysis from a single perspective view. Thus, the threshold, ?_i , which is determined by a scheme developed here, of model i is used to check whether the candidate model is accepted. Finally, all the concepts, presented in this paper, are illustrated through several examples given in this paper.     

Imaging Hilbert-Transformed Ultrasonic Data

Abstract

Automatic or semiautomatic ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation systems usually scan objects for defects by the B-scan or C-scan method. B-scan or C-scan images are used to evaluate the quality of the object. Complex ultrasonic images can be quickly and easily produced using the Hilbert transform method. Simultaneous real-time displays of the complex and C-scan images is also possible. Some characteristics of the echoes reflected from the defects do not show up clearly in C-scan images but can be easily observed in the complex ultrasonic images.

Two specimens, one with a blind hole and the other with 16 blind holes, were scanned. The C-scan image and complex images were displayed simultaneously in order to compare the resolution of the images. The experimental results showed that the attributes of instantaneous amplitude can enhance the weak events, but the resolution of the image is apparently not improved. The advantage of the instantaneous phase and instantaneous frequency attributes are that they are very sensitive to the boundaries of the holes. Though the images may look noisy, they really offer an opportunity to show the holes that C-scan image cannot.     

Image retrieval using wavelet-based salient regions

Abstract

A content-based image retrieval system normally returns the retrieval results according to the similarity between features extracted from the query image and candidate images. In certain circumstances, however, users may concern more about salient regions in an image of their interest and only wish to retrieve images containing the relevant salient regions while ignoring those irrelevant (such as the background or other regions and objects). Although how to represent the local image properties is still one of the most active research issues, much previous work on image retrieval does not examine salient regions in an image. In this paper, we propose an improved salient point detector based on wavelet transform; it can extract salient points in an image more accurately. Then salient points are segmented into different salient regions according to their spatial distribution. Colour moments and Gabor features of these different salient regions are computed and form a feature vector to index the image. We test the proposed scheme using a wide range of image samples from the Corel Image Library. The experimental results indicate that the method has produced promising results.     

Progressive image transmission using a prefilter and a modified difference pyramid structure

Abstract

Pyramid data structures have played an important role in progressive image transmission. Over the years, the reduced difference pyramid (RDP) has been found to be one of the best data structure. The RDP takes the differences between the neighboring nodes at the same level. The new modified difference pyramid (MDP) data structure, developed in this paper, takes the differences between successive levels. Simulation results show that both the bit rate and the complexity of the receiver for the MDP structure are lower than those for the RDP structure at the same quality.

An MDP coding process which incorporates a prefilter is also proposed in this paper. Simulation results show it can provide good quality (in a subjective sense) reconstructed images at a lower bit rate than the unfiltered scheme can. Also, acceptable intermediate images are interpolated via the repetition method and via the cubic convolution method to get images which are the same size as the original. Results are compared.     

Pixel expansion-free grey-scale image sharing method

Abstract

In recent years, many visual secret sharing technologies have been proposed to protect the security of secret images (black and white, grey scale or colour images). In 2005, Lukac and Plataniotis used the concept of the Naor–Shamir method to propose a visual secret sharing technology for sharing secret grey-scale images based on bit-plane decomposition. Although their method can avoid pixel-value cutting problem, it still suffers from the pixel expansion problem. In this paper, we propose a new secret grey-scale image sharing method to improve this situation. In the proposed sharing image creation phase, two sharing images (one is grey-scale and the other is binary) are created and later shared by two protectors. The original secret image can be easily reconstructed if both sharing images are obtained. However, one cannot obtain the original secret image from each of the sharing images. Experimental results also show that the proposed method can effectively solve the pixel expansion problem.