2012 IEEE Symposium on Electrical

&

Electronics Engineering (EEESYM)

Grayscale Image Digital Watermarking Technology Based on Wavelet Analysis

Qing Liu

Jun Ying

School of Physics & Information Science

Tianshui Normal University
Tianshui,Gansu,741001,China
xdlq@163.com

School of Computer and Information

Hefei University of Technology
Hefei, 230009, China
yingjun1314@163.com

Abstract-Aim

at

the

grayscale

image

Digital watermarking generally falls into the visible

watermarking technology and hidden watermarking
technology [3]. In addition, according to the watermarking
embedding process can be divided into two categories, one
kind algorithm directly changes some pixel image grey
value to join watermarking spatial domain, such as, Least
significant bits and spread spectrum method [4, 5], etc;
Another type of method is to make one transform of image
and then add to Watermarking transform domain, such as
DWT, Radon transform moments [6, 7]. Spatial domain
algorithm can hide large amounts of data, but the robustness
of the algorithm is Poor performance and can severely
damage the watermarking, compared with the spatial
domain watermarking algorithm, transform domain
watermarking algorithm has high hidden, strong robustness,
good compatibility [8]. At present, the transform domain
watermarking algorithm is the mainstream algorithm for
watermarking; there are many of the problems to be solved
for transform domain algorithm: current algorithms can not
be good to coordinate the relationship between transparency,
robustness and capacity. In addition, the algorithm to extract
the watermarking is not high complexity using human visual
mask to select embedding position, it is easy to crack and
not conducive to the use of secure communication. These
shortcomings limit the application of the wavelet algorithm
[9].
In-depth analysis on the basis of principle of the
watermarking algorithm, an adaptive image watermarking
algorithm based on wavelet transform is proposed for the
current lack of wavelet watermarking algorithm. First,
spread spectrum technology is introduced to generate a
watermarking in the watermarking embedding process, the
watermarking embedding area and strength is dynamically
selected according to the characteristics of the original
image, and then the watermarking can be blindly extracted
in the watermarking detection process.

watermarking

embedding and detection, on the basis of introduction of digital

watermarking principle and wavelet multiresolution analysis,
adaptive blind grayscale image watermarking algorithm based
on wavelet analysis is put forward. Firstly, the embedded
watermarking
technology,

signal

is

secondly,

processed

the

by

location

of

spread

spectrum

the

embedded

watermarking and strength is automatically adjust according

to the characteristics of the original image, and watermarking
is

adaptively

added

to

the

watermarking

signal

is

blindly

grayscale

images,

extracted

finally,

without

the

information of the original image. Experimental results show

that

the

proposed

algorithm

enhances

the

anti-

attack

capability and the hidden nature of the image, improve the

security

of

robustness

the
to

watermarking
random

noise

detection,
attack,

and

has

higher

cutting

and

JPEG

compression.

Keywords- Grayscale image; wavele analysis; watermarking

embedding and detection; spread spectrum technology;
1.

INTRODUCTION

The human life is changed by the rapid development of

computer network technology and multimedia technology in
many ways; many creation and production are stored and
transmitted as digital message. In recent years, more and
more digital products have spread convenient, easy to copy,
etc; it provides a great convenience to access and exchange
information, but also causes increasingly prominent issue of
copyright protection. Traditional copyright protection means
uses password protection technology and can not fully
resolved version, digital signature; digital fingerprints,
digital watermarking and so many kinds of technology were
introduced since the end of last century. Digital
watermarking technology is a kind of information hiding
technology, is a digital image copyright protection means to
solve the digital products copyright under the network
environment, and is an effective way to solve the problem of
digital products copyright protection [1]. This technique
determines the ownership of the digital works or checkouts
the primitivism of the digital content through embedded
watermarking information in the digital works. It makes up
that the decrypted data can not provide further protection
shortage using encryption technology, and solves the
limitations of the digital signature can not embed large
amounts of information in the original data [2].

978-1-1673-2365-9/12/$31.00 2012 IEEE

II.

A.

WATERMARKING PRINCIPLE AND WAVELET

MULTIRESOLUTION ANALYSIS

The basic principle of watermarking

From the perspective of signal processing, watermarking

signal can be seen as a weak signal superimposed in strong
background. If watermarking signal strength is lower than
the contrast threshold of the human visual system, then the

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2012 IEEE Symposium on Electrical

&

Electronics Engineering (EEESYM)

Figure I.

human visual system can not sense the existing signal. The
human visual system is limited by time, space and
frequency characters, which can be adjusted according to
carries objects, so some information are embed to encrypt
the image in the case of people do not perceive.
Watermarking signal can be expressed as the following

Digital image watermarking embedding.

Watermark( or
original image)
Watermark
or
Key

comparison

(1)

of credibility

d
W

Test image

is the watermarking signal domain with d dimension,

d represents the watermarking in the sound, stationary
images and video, its value is an integer of 1 to 3.
Watermarking system can be defined as the following
function

Figure 2.

B.
Y={ I,W,K,G,E,D }

Image wavelet multiresolution decomposition

Wavelet analysis is a new technology of the time - scale

analysis and multiresolution analysis, its basic idea is partly
frequency separation to signal, that is multi-resolution
decomposition. The image signal is two-dimensional signal,
wavelet transform for image analysis is image multi
resolution decomposition, the image is decomposed into a
different space, different frequency sub-image. Through
wavelet transform, image is split into horizontal, vertical,
diagonal, and low frequency four bands. Low frequency part
is called the approximation sub-image; the remaining three
parts are called the detail sub-image. 2 level wavelet
decomposition process of the image shown in figure 3, HL,
LH, HH are the horizontal high frequency, the vertical high
frequency and the diagonal high frequency part, LL is the
approximation low frequency part.

(2)

1 is to protect digital products, K

indicates the
watermarking key, G,E,D is watermarking generation
algorithm,
watermarking embedding algorithm and
watermarking detection algorithm, respectively. G,E,D can
be expressed as follows
G: (JeK) W, W =G(J,K)

(3)

(4)

(5)
"

"represents the interaction relationship,

1w

LL

HL

LH

HH

is the

watermarked product.
In general, digital watermarking system consists of the
watermarking embedding and watermarking extraction
(detection) process. Firstly, the watermarking signal is pre
processed (this step can be omitted), then a certain
watermarking technology combined with the key or public
key is selected and embedded into the original image, finally,
the watermarked image is gotten in the digital image
watermarking embedding process. The embedding process is
shown in figure 1

Figure 3.

2 level Image wavelet decomposition diagram.

Wavelet image data generated by the image after wavelet

transform equals to the total amount of the original image
data; wavelet image has different characteristics with the
original image. The low frequency part concentrates most of
the energy of the image and represents an important
component in the feel; it can also continue to carry out the
decomposition. The energy of the high-frequency part is less,
which respectively represent horizontal, vertical and
diagonal part of the detailed information of the original
image, such as the edge, texture, etc.

Digital watennark

Key

Digital image watermarking detection.

Watermarked

III.

image

A.

Original image

IMAGE WATERMARKING EMBEDDING AND

DETECTION

Watermark embedding

The original image is processed as multiresolution

decomposition using 3 level wavelet transform, HL3, LH3,

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2012 IEEE Symposium on Electrical

&

HH3 of the detail sub-band images and the approximation

sub-band image LL3 can be obtained. Most of energy of the
image is concentrated in LL3 of the low frequency part. In
order both to hide the embedded watermarking, and to
achieve the requirements of robustness, the watermarking
should not be embedded in the high frequency part and the
low frequency part of the image. In order to satisfY the
requirements of the above requirements, the watermarking is
embedded into the intermediate frequency parts inspired by
the literature [10], namely, watermarking is embedded in the
second sub-band. The distribution of the sub-band coefficient
will affect the robustness of the watermarking, Sub-band
coefficient variance the greater; the coefficient distribution is
the sparser. When the watermarking is embedded in different
detail part at the same sub-band, it will produce different
robustness, this part of the coefficient change is more, and
watermarking detection is susceptible with been attacks such
as compression, filtering.
In order to improve the robustness of the watermarking in
the embedding process, the spread spectrum principle is
introduced. We assume that the watermarking is a random
binary value sequence of length L, embedded in every bits
no times repeatedly, the embedded watermarking capacity

Electronics Engineering (EEESYM)

V(m,n)

{V(m,n)-rem,n)+

{J,

V(m,n)+ r(m,n)-{J,

V(m,n)? 0
V(m,n) < 0

(8)

a, {J is selected parameters related with 8

B.

Watermarking detection

Watermarking blind extraction can be achieved without

the original image in the watermarking detection process.
The watermarked image is decomposed with 3-level wavelet
transform, the coefficients of variance of 2-level sub-band
are calculated, and the smallest coefficient part is found, this
is the region of embedded watermarking.
The detection watermarking is W'(m,n) at detect the

(m,n) , r'(m,n) is calculated using

r'(m,n) 1 V(m,n)1 mod 8(m,n) . Detection watermarking

location

point

expression can be described as follows becomes

W'(m,n)

I,

0,

r'(m,n)? (a+{J)/2
r'(m,n) < (a+{J)/2

(9)

is no xL. The original image size is M x N, its gray value

is f(m,n) at any point (m,n) , the binary sequence signal is

Finally, the robustness and the invisibility of the

watermarking are measured through PSNR, the peak signal
to noise ratio.

introduced as an embedded watermarking in this algorithm,

and V(m,n) is the wavelet transforms coefficients of the
embedded watermarking. Therefore, the following function
can be defined

y(m,n) IV(m,n)1
=

mod

8(m,n)

IV.

In order to verifY the efficiency of the algorithm, some

grayscale images are selected to experiment. In the
experiment, 500 group pseudo-random sequence of normal
distribution N(O,l) are used as the candidate watermarking
signal, each random sequence length is 256, and the 250th

(6)

. The choice of the parameter 8(m,n) is very critical for the

watermarking robustness and image quality. If the global
8(m,n) is small, the robustness of the watermarking will be
more affected; otherwise,

8(m,n)

group random sequence is picked to embed the image, and

used 6 times in image watermarking adjacent position,
repeatedly. The original images are decomposed with 3 level
wavelet transform, the each detail variance of 2 level sub
bands is calculated, and the smallest region is chosen to
embed watermarking. PSNR is used to objectively evaluate
the quality of the watermarked image.
In the case of the watermarked image to maintain a
higher PSNR, the Watermarked image is imposed by noise,
filtering attack, cutting attack, rotation attack and JPEG
compression. Figure 4 (a) is the Watermarked image
(PSNR=43.12) of 256x 256 G irl image with 256 gray and
figure 4 (b) is the watermarking signal; figure 5 (a) is the
watermarking image with strength 0.03 Pepper & Salt noise
pollution and figure 5 (b) is detection response of figure 5 (a);
figure 5 (c) is median filtering result of figure 5 (a) and
figure 5 (d) is detection response of figure 5 (c); figure 5 (e)
is lower right comer cutting (25%) image of figure 4 (a) and
figure 5 (f) is detection response of figure 5 (e); figure 5 (g)
is JPEG compression (80%) image and figure 5 (h) is
detection response of figure 5 (g).

will cause a serious

decrease in image quality. An adaptive method of adjusting

and estimating 8 is selected according to the characteristics
of the image pixel neighborhood, that is, the coefficients
8(m,n) of the watermarking embedding position is replaced
by the
average coefficients of around watermarking
embedding position.
V(m,n) is corrected according to the watermarking
signal
When

W(m,n)
W(m,n)

V(m,n)

Otherwise,

in the embedding watermarking processing.

=

1 ,can be written as

{V(m,n)-r(m,n)+a,

V(m,n)+ r(m,n)-a,

W(m,n)

V(m,n)? 0
V(m,n) < 0

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

(7)

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2012 IEEE Symposium on Electrical

&

indicates that the watermarking signal is also correctly

detected using median filtering for the watermarking image
with pepper and salt noise pollution. The watermarking
signal can still correctly detected when cut off 25 percent of
the image from figure 5 (e) and (t). At the same time,
different detection is implemented using the proposed
algorithm to different JPEG compression watermarking
image. The watermarking signal is still correctly detected
when the quality factor is 30.

08
06
04
02

o J1WI!t

Figure 4.

(b) watermarking signal

(a) watermarked image

Electronics Engineering (EEESYM)

Watermarked image and its detection response.

In short, the proposed algorithm has a good robustness to

anti-noise pollution, filtering, cutting attack and compression
of interference for the watermarking image.

0 8,-----------------,
06

V.

(a) watermarked image

with pepper & salt (0.04)

An adaptive wavelet grayscale image watermarking

algorithm is brought forward. In order to improve the
robustness of the watermarking, the spread spectrum
principle is introduced in the watermarking embedding and
detection. Under the premise of image quality, this algorithm
can realize the blind watermarking extraction and detection,
and has a good robustness to random noise attack, cutting,
noise pollution and JPEG compression.

(b) detection response of Fig. Sea)

05,---------
003
02

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

01

This work is supported by Natural Science Foundation of

Gansu Province (101 ORJZE028) and "QingLan" Talent
Engineering Funds by Tianshui Normal University

01

(c) median filtering of Fig. S(a)

CONCLUSIONS

(d) detection response of Fig. S(c)

REFERENCES
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Introductory Review," Journal of Image and Graphics, vol. 6(A),
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( e ) lower right comer

cutting of Fig A (a)

(1) detection response of Fig. See)

[2]

D.S. Xiang, G.L.

Yang,YS. Xiong, "Survey of Digital
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[3]

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oa,-------__,
o.
04

(g) JPEG compression (80%)

Figure 5.

(h) detection response of Fig. 5(g)

Attacked watermarking image and detection response.

From the experimental results of figure 4 (a) can be seen

that the watermarked image has good objective quality, it is
very consistent with the original image and is difficult to feel
the traces of the watermarking and achieved the visibility
requirements of the watermarking from subjective visual
point of view. Figure 5 (a) and (b) shows that the
watermarking signal is correctly detected at the interference
of the salt and pepper noise density of 0.03. Figure (c) and (d)

621

[10] DJ. Fleet, D. l Heeger, "Embedding invisible information in color

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