Steganographic Encoding Using Tone Correction and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Not all images are suitable for digital watermarking due to factors like being too light or having high saturation, which can lead to ineffective embedding and detection of watermarks.
Innovation Solution
The method involves analyzing and modifying images to ensure they have favorable characteristics for watermarking by applying tone correction and noise reduction, ensuring a significant percentage of pixels fall within a linear region of the printer/scanner response curve, thereby enhancing the image's ability to host and detect digital watermarks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tone correction and noise reduction are applied to images, then the robustness and consistency of digital watermark detection is improved, but the device complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies tone correction and noise reduction processing to images before watermark embedding. This preliminary action prepares the image by ensuring a significant percentage of pixels fall within the linear region of the printer/scanner response curve, thereby improving watermark detection robustness without requiring complex modifications during the watermarking process itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex hardware-based image quality control with software-based image processing algorithms. By using computational methods for tone correction and noise reduction, the system achieves reliable watermark detection without requiring specialized imaging equipment or complex mechanical systems
2Measurement precision
If tone correction is applied to ensure pixels fall within linear region, then watermark detection accuracy is improved, but the image processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs tone correction as a preliminary step before watermark embedding, ensuring that images are properly conditioned in advance. This allows the watermarking process itself to proceed efficiently without repeated processing cycles, reducing overall processing time while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies tone correction by adjusting image parameters to ensure pixels fall within the linear region of the printer/scanner response curve. By optimizing these parameters in advance, the system achieves accurate watermark detection without requiring iterative processing during watermark embedding or detection phases
3Reliability
If noise reduction is applied to images, then watermark detection consistency is improved, but the loss of image detail increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies noise reduction processing selectively to improve watermark detection consistency while preserving important image details. By applying appropriate filtering techniques that distinguish between noise and meaningful image content, the system maintains local quality where it matters for both watermark embedding and image preservation
Data Source
AI summary
This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, in a watermark detector, a method of decoding auxiliary information encoded encoding in an image or video. The method includes: receiving data representing the image or video, wherein the data comprises first data corresponding to a first color channel, second data corresponding to a second color channel and third data corresponding to a third color channel; weighting the first data, the second data and the third data according to at least the following two factors: i) a color direction biased toward an anticipated embedding direction; and ii) anticipated image or video distortion introduced to the first data, second data or third data through scanning or signal processing; and determining from weighted first data, weighted second data and weighted third data, changes in an image or video attribute, in which the auxiliary information is conveyed through the changes to sample values representing the image or video. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too.