Abstract: A system for using a watermark embedded in an audio signal to remotely control a device. Various devices such as toys, computers, and appliances, equipped with an appropriate detector, detect the hidden signals, which can trigger an action, or change a state of the device. The watermarks can be used with a “time gate” device, where detection of the watermark opens a time interval within which a user is allowed to perform an action, such as pressing a button, typing in an answer, turning a key in a lock, etc.

Abstract: In this paper, an improved multiplicative image watermarking system is presented. Since human visual system is less sensitive to the image edges, watermarking is applied in the contourlet domain, which represents image edges sparsely. In the presented scheme, watermark data is embedded in directional subband with the highest energy. By modeling the contourlet coefficients with General Gaussian Distribution (GGD), the distribution of watermarked noisy coefficients is analytically calculated. The tradeoff between the transparency and robustness of the watermark data is solved in a novel fashion. At the receiver, based on the Maximum Likelihood (ML) decision rule, an optimal detector by the aid of channel side information is proposed. In the next step, a blind extension of the suggested algorithm is presented using the patchwork idea. Experimental results confirm the superiority of the proposed method against common attacks, such as Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN), JPEG compression, and rotation attacks, in comparison with the recently proposed techniques.

Abstract: In this paper, a new blind and readable H.264 compressed domain watermarking scheme is proposed in which the embedding/extracting is performed using the syntactic elements of the compressed bit stream. As a result, it is not necessary to fully decode a compressed video stream both in the embedding and extracting processes. The method also presents an inexpensive spatiotemporal analysis that selects the appropriate submacroblocks for embedding, increasing watermark robustness while reducing its impact on visual quality. Meanwhile, the proposed method prevents bit-rate increase and restricts it within an acceptable limit by selecting appropriate quantized residuals for watermark insertion. Regarding watermarking demands such as imperceptibility, bit-rate control, and appropriate level of security, a priority matrix is defined which can be adjusted based on the application requirements. The resulted flexibility expands the usability of the proposed method.

Abstract: This paper proposes an efficient, blind, and robust data hiding scheme which is resilient to both geometric distortion and the general print-scan process, based on a near uniform log-polar mapping (ULPM). In contrast to performing inverse log-polar mapping (a mapping from the log-polar system to the Cartesian system) to the watermark signal or its index as done in the prior works, we apply ULPM to the frequency index (u, v) in the Cartesian system to obtain the discrete log-polar coordinate (l 1, l 2), then embed one watermark bit w(l 1 ,l 2 ) in the corresponding discrete Fourier transform coefficient c(u,v). This mapping of index from the Cartesian system to the log-polar system but embedding the corresponding watermark directly in the Cartesian domain not only completely removes the interpolation distortion and the interference distortion introduced to the watermark signal as observed in some prior works, but also largely expands the cardinality of watermark in the log-polar mapping domain. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the proposed watermarking scheme achieves excellent robustness to geometric distortion, normal signal processing, and the general print-scan process. Compared to existing watermarking schemes, our algorithm offers significant improvement in terms of robustness against general print-scan, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) performance, and efficiency of blind resynchronization.

Abstract: The increasing popularity of the internet means that digital multimedia are transmitted more rapidly and easily. And people are very aware for media ownership. However, digital watermarking is an efficient and promising means to protect intellectual properties. Based on the intellectual property attention in the information era, how to protect the personal ownership is extremely important and a necessary scheme. In this paper, we propose an effective video watermarking method based on a pseudo-3-D discrete cosine transform (DCT) and quantization index modulation (QIM) against several attacks. The watermark is mainly inserted into the uncompressed domain by adjusting the correlation between DCT coefficients of the selected blocks, and the watermark extraction is blind. This approach consists of a pseudo-3-D DCT, watermark embedding, and extraction. A pseudo-3-D DCT, which is taken DCT transformation twice, will be first utilized to calculate the embedding factor and to obtain the useful messages. Using the QIM, we embed the watermark into the quantization regions from the successive raw frames in the uncompressed domain and record the relative information to create a secret embedding key. This secret embedding key will further apply to extraction. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can survive filtering, compressions, luminance change, and noise attacks with a good invisibility and robustness.

Abstract: This paper proposes a new robust and secure perceptual image hashing technique based on virtual watermark detection. The idea is justified by the fact that the watermark detector responds similarly to perceptually close images using a non embedded watermark. The hash values are extracted in binary form with a perfect control over the probability distribution of the hash bits. Moreover, a key is used to generate pseudo-random noise whose real values contribute to the randomness of the feature vector with a significantly increased uncertainty of the adversary, measured by mutual information, in comparison with linear correlation. Experimentally, the proposed technique has been shown to outperform related state-of-the art techniques recently proposed in the literature in terms of robustness with respect to image processing manipulations and geometric attacks.

Abstract: A robust image watermarking scheme in the ridgelet transform domain is proposed in this paper. Due to the use of the ridgelet domain, sparse representation of an image which deals with line singularities is obtained. In order to achieve more robustness and transparency, the watermark data is embedded in selected blocks of the host image by modifying the amplitude of the ridgelet coefficients which represent the most energetic direction. Since the probability distribution function of the ridgelet coefficients is not known, we propose a universally optimum decoder to perform the watermark extraction in a distribution-independent fashion. Decoder extracts the watermark data using the variance of the ridgelet coefficients of the most energetic direction in each block. Furthermore, since the decoder needs the noise variance to perform decoding, a robust noise estimation scheme is proposed. Moreover, the implementation of error correction codes on the proposed method is investigated. Analytical derivation of bit error probability is also carried out and experimental results prove its accuracy. Simulation also shows outstanding robustness of the proposed scheme against common attacks, especially additive white noise and JPEG compression.

Abstract: Content fingerprints and watermarks are combined in various ways for content identification applications. Fingerprints are used to identify content generally while watermarks provide more detailed localization of parts within the content, and vice versa. Fingerprint techniques are further used for signal synchronization and other pre-processing steps to assist in digital watermark decoding. A variety of fingerprint/watermark techniques identify characteristics of the channel of content from content samples.

Abstract: Digital watermarking is one of the most widely used techniques for protection of ownership rights of digital audio, images and video. Its commercial applications range from copyright protection to digital rights management. The success of a digital watermarking technology depends heavily on its robustness to withstand attacks that are aimed at removing or destroying the watermark from its host data. This paper provides analysis of a number of digital image watermark attacks and attempts to classify them into categories. A set of experimental results are also provided to show the effect of these attacks on watermarks produced using different watermarking techniques.

Abstract: This research paper discussed the usage of watermarking in medical images to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the image and reviewed some watermarking schemes that had been developed. A design of a reversible tamper detection and recovery watermarking scheme was then proposed. The watermarking scheme uses a 640x480x8 bits ultrasound grayscale image as a sample. The concept of ROI (Region Of Interest) and RONI (Region Of Non Interest) were applied. Watermark embedded can be used to detect tampering and recovery of the image can be done. The watermark is also reversible.

Abstract: A system and associated method for securing sensitive data in a cloud computing environment. A customer system has proprietary data as a record stored in a database. The customer system associates a hashing directive with the record prior to sending the data out to a cloud for computing services. The hashing directive classifies each data field of the record into sensitive and transactional. The hashing directive controls a mode of hashing, either one-way hashing or two-way hashing for each sensitive data field associated with the hashing directive. A cloud receives the record secured according to the hashing directive and process the record to generate a result value for a cloud process result field of the record. The customer system reconstitutes the record the record according to the mode of hashing indicated in the hashing directive.

Abstract: The last decade has witnessed an explosive use of medical images and Electronics Patient Record (EPR) in the healthcare sector for facilitating the sharing of patient information and exchange between networked hospitals and healthcare centers. To guarantee the security, authenticity and management of medical images and information through storage and distribution, the watermarking techniques are growing to protect the medical healthcare information. This paper presents a technique for embedding the EPR information in the medical image to save storage space and transmission overheads and to guarantee security of the shared data. In this paper a new method for protecting the patient information in which the information is embedded as a watermark in the discrete wavelet packet transform (DWPT) of the medical image using the hospital logo as a reference image. The patient information is coded by an error correcting code (ECC), BCH code, to enhance the robustness of the proposed method. The scheme is blind so that the EPR can be extracted from the medical image without the need of the original image. Therefore, this proposed technique is useful in telemedicine applications. Performance of the proposed method was tested using four modalities of medical images; MRA, MRI, Radiological, and CT. Experimental results showed no visible difference between the watermarked and the original image. Moreover, the proposed watermarking method is robust against a wide range of attacks such as JPEG coding, Gaussian noise addition, histogram equalization, gamma correction, contrast adjustment, and sharpen filter and rotation.

Abstract: Digital watermark technology is used to protect the legal owner's copyrights. We propose a blind watermarking algorithm combination of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). The watermark is scrambled by Arnold and embedded in a spread spectrum pattern using pseudo random. The block-based DCT transform of DWT LL sub-band is computed and the pseudo random sequence of the watermark bits are embedded in the mid frequency coefficients of the corresponding DCT blocks. Using DWT prior to DCT to provide better imperceptibility and higher robustness against signal processing attacks. Experimental evaluation results show that combining the two transforms improved the performance of the watermarking algorithm based solely on DCT transform.

Abstract: This study presents an optimisation-based audio watermarking scheme using group-amplitude quantisation. To enhance the robustness, the watermark is embedded in the lowest-frequency coefficients in discrete wavelet transform (DWT). The performance of this watermarking scheme is analysed in terms of audio quality (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)) and robustness (bit error ratio (BER)). As there is a tradeoff relationship between the audio quality and robustness, this study presents an optimisation-based group-amplitude quantisation scheme for audio watermarking. First, SNR is rewritten as a watermarking cost function in matrix form. Then an equation connecting the watermarking cost function and the group-amplitude quantisation equation is proposed. Second, the Lagrange principle is used to derive the optimisation solution. The optimal results are then applied to embed the watermark. Finally, the performance of the proposed scheme is tested. Experimental results show that the hidden data are robust against most common attacks, such as re-sampling, MP3 compression, low-pass filtering and amplitude scaling.

Abstract: Digital watermarking is the process of embedding information into a digital signal. This work targets web applications that need to have hidden secure data within their Arabic e-text files. Many related watermarking techniques have been proposed as for text watermarking. However, most of them are suitable for English and cannot be generalized for different other languages such as Arabic. Arabic e-text watermarking is found having unique characteristics features that can be considered interestingly. In this paper, we are utilizing the extension Arabic character ‘Kashida’ to propose an improved method for Arabic e-text watermarking. We utilize all the extendable characters possibly fitted in words to represent some watermark bits. We embed bits within 'Kashida' characters in the cover text based on a secret key similar to classical cryptography. Our study showed that this watermarking scheme made the task of an attack much harder compared to previous similar and related methods. It also showed possibility to hide more secret data bits without degrading the security, which is believed to be attractive for web e-text data application such as preserving intellectual properties or copyright features.

Abstract: This paper presents a novel approach of adaptive visual tuning of a watermark in Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) domain. The proposed approach intelligently selects appropriate frequency bands as well as optimal strength of alteration. Genetic Programming (GP) is applied to structure the watermark by exploiting both the characteristics of human visual system and information pertaining to a cascade of conceivable attacks. The developed visual tuning expressions are dependent on frequency and luminance sensitivities, and contrast masking. To further enhance robustness, spread spectrum based watermarking and Bose-Chadhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) coding is employed. The combination of spread spectrum sequence, BCH coding and GP based non-linear structuring makes it extremely difficult for an attacker to gain information about the secret knowledge of the watermarking system. Experimental results show the superiority of the proposed approach against the existing approaches. Especially, the margin of improvement in robustness will be of high importance in medical and context aware related applications of watermarking.

Abstract: This study presents a audio watermarking that embeds information by energy-proportion scheme. By using normalised energy instead of probability, this study rewrites the entropy in information theory as an energy-proportion function. In order to guarantee the robustness of watermarks, low-frequency coefficients of discrete wavelet transform (DWT) are mapped into the domain of this function. Then, the characteristic curve of energy-proportion function (CCEP) is obtained. Moreover, some characteristics and properties of this function are analysed and proved. Based on CCEP and the properties of energy-proportion function, this study proposes a novel audio watermarking scheme. In addition, the proposed energy-proportion scheme can extract the watermark without original audio signal. Finally, performance of the proposed scheme is assessed by signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), mean opinion score, embedding capacity and BER. Experimental results demonstrate that the embedded data are robust against most signal processing and attacks, such as re-sampling, MP3 compression, low-pass filtering and amplitude scaling.

Abstract: A watermarking approach based on multidimensional time-frequency analysis is proposed. It represents a unified concept that can be used for different types of data such as audio, speech signals, images or video. Time-frequency analysis is employed for speech signals, while space/spatial-frequency analysis is used for images. Their combination is applied for video signals. Particularly, we focus on the 2-D case: space/spatial-frequency based image watermarking procedure that will be subsequently extended to video signal. A method that selects coefficients for watermarking by estimating the local frequency content is proposed. In order to provide watermark imperceptibility, the nonstationary filtering is used to model the watermark which corresponds to the host signal components. Furthermore, the watermark detection within the multidimensional time-frequency domain is proposed. The efficiency and robustness of the procedure in the presence of various attacks is proven experimentally.