Watermark-Based Image Reconstruction Using Embedded Compression Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lossy compression schemes in image encoding result in significant loss of image fidelity, and lossless compression alternatives do not offer sufficient space reduction, necessitating a trade-off between image quality and storage resources.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a machine-learned message embedding model to embed a message representing data lost during lossy compression into an image, which can be extracted for reconstructing the original image, thereby improving image fidelity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lossy compression scheme is used for image encoding, then storage and transmission efficiency is improved, but image fidelity is significantly lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by capturing the difference image between the original and compressed image during the encoding process, and embedding this difference information into the compressed image before storage or transmission. This preliminary capture of lost information allows for later reconstruction without requiring the original image to be stored, thus resolving the contradiction between compression efficiency and image fidelity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a difference image as a mediator between the original image and the compressed image. The difference image contains the lost information and serves as a bridge to reconstruct the original image from the compressed version, enabling both efficient storage and high fidelity when needed.
2Manufacturing precision
If lossless compression scheme is used for image encoding, then image fidelity is maintained, but storage space reduction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by isolating the essential information needed for reconstruction into a separate difference image. Instead of storing the entire original image, only the difference information is extracted and embedded in the compressed image, significantly reducing storage space while maintaining the ability to reconstruct the original image with high fidelity.
3Device complexity
If conventional image reconstruction methods are used, then processing simplicity is maintained, but reconstruction accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the embedded difference image information to correct and improve the compressed image during reconstruction. The difference image provides feedback about the lost information, enabling the reconstruction process to accurately recover the original image details, thus achieving high reconstruction accuracy while keeping the process relatively simple.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method that provides watermark-based image reconstruction to compensate for lossy encoding schemes. The method can generate a difference image describing the data loss associated with encoding an image using a lossy encoding scheme. The difference image can be encoded as a message and embedded in the encoded image using a watermark and later extracted from the encoded image. The difference image can be added to the encoded image to reconstruct the original image. As an example, an input image encoded using a lossy JPEG compression scheme can be embedded with the lost data and later reconstructed, using the embedded data, to a fidelity level that is identical or substantially similar to the original.