Digital image coding/decoding apparatus and method for correcting distorted data in transmitted signals that use watermarking

Claim 2

A computer program product for a digital image coding apparatus having a computer readable medium with instructions to enable the apparatus to use watermarking, the instructions comprising: a discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform a discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; a significant coefficient extraction portion of the instructions operative to extract, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; a pseudo-random number generator operative to generate pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a predetermined rule corresponding to an encryption code; and a coefficient replacement/combination portion of the instructions operative to obtain replacing location data representing the N×N replacing locations, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M, and to replace and combine coefficients corresponding to N×N replacing locations selected among M×M wavelet coefficients with N×N significant wavelet coefficients.

Claim 3

The computer program product for a digital image coding apparatus according to claim 1 , the instructions further comprising: an inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the replaced M×M wavelet coefficients to generate a combined host image; and a compression portion of the instructions operative to compress the combined host image and the encryption code.

Claim 4

The computer program product for a digital image coding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined positive integer N is smaller than or equal to 0.5M.

Claim 5

A computer program product for a digital image decoding apparatus having a computer readable medium with instructions to enable the apparatus to decode bitstreams coded using watermarking, the instructions comprising: a decompression portion of the instructions operative to decompress the compressed bitstreams to restore a host image and a predetermined encryption code; an image quality evaluation portion of the instructions operative to evaluate the quality of the restored host image and generate a first control signal if the quality of the restored host image is less than a predetermined level, and generate a second control signal if the quality of the restored host image is not less than the predetermined level; a discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform a discrete wavelet transform on the restored host image in response to the first logic state control signal to obtain M×M wavelet coefficients, M being a predetermined positive integer; a pseudo-random number generator for generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to the restored encryption code; a coefficient separating portion of the instructions operative to obtain separating location data representing the N×N replacing locations using the pseudo-random numbers, N being another predetermined integer smaller than M, and to separate N×N wavelet coefficients of the N×N separating locations from M×M wavelet coefficients; an inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform inverse discrete wavelet transform on the N×N wavelet coefficients to generate a restored signature image; an image scale conversion portion of the instructions operative to increase the scale of the restored signature image into that of the host image; and an image selection portion of the instructions operative to select a scale-increased signature image in response to the first control signal, and select the restored host image in response to the second control signal to output a selected image as a host image.

Claim 6

A computer program product for a digital image decoding apparatus having a computer readable medium with instructions to enable the apparatus to decode bitstreams coded using watermarking, the instructions comprising: a decompression portion of the instructions operative to decompress the compressed bitstreams to restore a host image and a predetermined encryption code; an image quality evaluation portion of the instructions operative to evaluate the quality of the restored host image and generate a first control signal if the quality of the restored host image is less than a predetermined level, and generate a second control signal if the quality of the restored host image is not less than the predetermined level; a discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform a discrete wavelet transform on the restored host image in response to the first logic state control signal to obtain M×M wavelet coefficients, M being a predetermined positive integer; a pseudo-random number generator for generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to the restored encryption code; a coefficient separating portion of the instructions operative to obtain separating location data representing the N×N replacing locations using the pseudo-random numbers, N being another predetermined integer smaller than M, and to separate N×N wavelet coefficients of the N×N separating locations from M×M wavelet coefficients; an inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform inverse discrete wavelet transform on the N×N wavelet coefficients to generate a restored signature image; an image scale conversion portion of the instructions operative to increase the scale of the restored signature image into that of the host image; and an image selection portion of the instructions operative to select a scale-increased signature image in response to the first control signal, and select the restored host image in response to the second control signal to output a selected image as a host image.

Claim 7

The computer program product for a digital image decoding apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined positive integer N is smaller than or equal to 0.5M.

Claim 8

A computer program product for a digital image codec apparatus having a computer readable medium with instructions to enable the apparatus to use watermarking, the instructions comprising: a first discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to performing discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; a significant coefficient extraction portion of the instructions operative to extract, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; a first pseudo-random number generator operative to generate pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a predetermined rule corresponding to an encryption code; a coefficient replacement/combination portion of the instructions operative to obtaining replacing location data representing the N×N replacing locations, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M, and replace and combine coefficients corresponding to the selected N×N replacing locations among M×M wavelet coefficients with M×M significant wavelet coefficients; a first inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the replaced M×M wavelet coefficients to generate a combined host image; a compression portion of the instructions for compressing the combined host image and the encryption code; a decompression portion of the instructions for decompressing the compressed bitstreams to restore the host image and the encryption code; an image quality evaluation portion of the instructions operative to evaluate the quality of the restored host image and generate a control signal becoming a first logic state if the quality of the restored host image is less than a predetermined level, and generate a second logic state if the restored host image is not less than the predetermined level; a second discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform a discrete wavelet transform on the restored host image in response to the first logic state control signal to obtain M×M wavelet coefficients, M being a predetermined positive integer; a second pseudo-random number generator operative to generate pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to the restored encryption code; a coefficient separating portion of the instructions operative to obtain separating location data representing the N×N replacing locations using the pseudo-random numbers, N being another predetermined integer smaller than M, and separate N×N wavelet coefficients corresponding to the N×N separating locations from M×M wavelet coefficients; a second inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the N×N wavelet coefficients to generate a restored signature image; an image scale conversion portion of the instructions operative to increase the scale of the restored signature image into that of the host image; and an image selection portion of the instructions operative to select a scale-increased signal image in response to the first logic state control signal, and select the restored host image in response to the second logic state control signal to output a host image.

Claim 9

A computer program product for a digital image codec apparatus having a computer readable medium with instructions to enable the apparatus to use watermarking, the instructions comprising: a first discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to performing discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; a significant coefficient extraction portion of the instructions operative to extract, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; a first pseudo-random number generator operative to generate pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a predetermined rule corresponding to an encryption code; a coefficient replacement/combination portion of the instructions operative to obtaining replacing location data representing the N×N replacing locations, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M, and replace and combine coefficients corresponding to the selected N×N replacing locations among M×M wavelet coefficients with M×M significant wavelet coefficients; a first inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the replaced M×M wavelet coefficients to generate a combined host image; a compression portion of the instructions for compressing the combined host image and the encryption code; a decompression portion of the instructions for decompressing the compressed bitstreams to restore the host image and the encryption code; an image quality evaluation portion of the instructions operative to evaluate the quality of the restored host image and generate a control signal becoming a first logic state if the quality of the restored host image is less than a predetermined level, and generate a second logic state if the restored host image is not less than the predetermined level; a second discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform a discrete wavelet transform on the restored host image in response to the first logic state control signal to obtain M×M wavelet coefficients, M being a predetermined positive integer; a second pseudo-random number generator operative to generate pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to the restored encryption code; a coefficient separating portion of the instructions operative to obtain separating location data representing the N×N replacing locations using the pseudo-random numbers, N being another predetermined integer smaller than M, and separate N×N wavelet coefficients corresponding to the N×N separating locations from M×M wavelet coefficients; a second inverse discrete wavelet transform portion of the instructions operative to perform an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the N×N wavelet coefficients to generate a restored signature image; an image scale conversion portion of the instructions operative to increase the scale of the restored signature image into that of the host image; and an image selection portion of the instructions operative to select a scale-increased signal image in response to the first logic state control signal, and select the restored host image in response to the second logic state control signal to output a host image.

Claim 10

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image coding method using watermarking, comprising the steps of: (a) performing a discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; (b) extracting, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; (c) generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to a predetermined encryption code; and (d) obtaining replacing location data representing the replacing locations of N×N pixels, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M; and (e) replacing and combining coefficients of N×N replacing is locations selected among M×M wavelet coefficients with N×N significant wavelet coefficients.

Claim 11

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image coding method using watermarking, comprising the steps of: (a) performing a discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; (b) extracting, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; (c) generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to a predetermined encryption code; and (d) obtaining replacing location data representing the replacing locations of N×N pixels, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M; and (e) replacing and combining coefficients of N×N replacing is locations selected among M×M wavelet coefficients with N×N significant wavelet coefficients.

Claim 12

The digital image coding method according to claim 7 , further comprising the steps of: performing an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the replaced M×M wavelet coefficients to generate a combined host image; and compressing the combined host image and the N×N pixel location data.

Claim 13

The digital image coding method according to claim 7 , wherein the predetermined positive integer N is smaller than or equal to 0.5M.

Claim 14

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image decoding method for decoding bitstreams coded using watermarking, comprising the steps of: (a) evaluating the quality of a combined host image and determining whether the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to a predetermined level; (b) setting the combined host image as a host image if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to the predetermined level; and (c) setting as a host image a signature image embedded in the combined host image in secrecy if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is lower than the predetermined level.

Claim 15

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image decoding method for decoding bitstreams coded using watermarking, comprising the steps of: (a) evaluating the quality of a combined host image and determining whether the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to a predetermined level; (b) setting the combined host image as a host image if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to the predetermined level; and (c) setting as a host image a signature image embedded in the combined host image in secrecy if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is lower than the predetermined level.

Claim 16

The digital image decoding method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of decompressing the compressed bitstreams to restore a combined host image and a predetermined encryption code.

Claim 17

The digital image decoding method according to claim 10 , wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of: performing discrete wavelet transform on the restored host image to obtain M×M wavelet coefficients, M being a predetermined positive integer; generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a predetermined rule corresponding to the restored encryption code; obtaining separating location data representing the N×N replacing locations using the pseudo-random numbers, N being another predetermined integer smaller than M; separating N×N wavelet coefficients corresponding to the N×N separating locations from M×M wavelet coefficients; performing inverse discrete wavelet transform on the N×N wavelet coefficients to generate a restored signature image; converting the scale of the restored signature image into that of the host image; and setting the scale-converted signature image as a host image.

Claim 18

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image coding method using watermarking, the method comprising the steps of: (a) performing a discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; (b) extracting, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; (c) generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to a predetermined encryption code; and (d) obtaining replacing location data representing the replacing locations of N×N pixels, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M; and (e) replacing and combining coefficients of N×N replacing locations selected among M×M wavelet coefficients with N×N significant wavelet coefficients.

Claim 19

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image coding method using watermarking, the method comprising the steps of: (a) performing a discrete wavelet transform on a host image to be transmitted thereon, thereby outputting M×M discrete wavelet coefficients where M is a predetermined positive integer; (b) extracting, in order of significance, a predetermined percentile of the M×M wavelet coefficients, beginning with the most significant coefficient; (c) generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a rule corresponding to a predetermined encryption code; and (d) obtaining replacing location data representing the replacing locations of N×N pixels, where N is a predetermined positive integer smaller than M; and (e) replacing and combining coefficients of N×N replacing locations selected among M×M wavelet coefficients with N×N significant wavelet coefficients.

Claim 20

The digital image coding method as recited in claim 13 wherein the digital image coding method further comprising the steps of: performing an inverse discrete wavelet transform on the replaced M×M wavelet coefficients to generate a combined host image; and compressing the combined host image and the N×N pixel location data.

Claim 21

The digital image coding method as recited in claim 13 , wherein according to the digital image coding method the predetermined positive integer N is smaller than or equal to 0.5M.

Claim 22

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image decoding method for decoding bitstreams coded using watermarking, the method comprising the steps of: (a) evaluating the quality of a combined host image and determining whether the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to a predetermined level; (b) setting the combined host image as a host image if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to a predetermined level; and (c) setting as a host image a signature image embedded in the combined host image in secrecy if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is lower than the predetermined level.

Claim 23

A computer readable medium including program codes executable by a computer to perform a digital image decoding method for decoding bitstreams coded using watermarking, the method comprising the steps of: (a) evaluating the quality of a combined host image and determining whether the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to a predetermined level; (b) setting the combined host image as a host image if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is greater than or equal to a predetermined level; and (c) setting as a host image a signature image embedded in the combined host image in secrecy if it is determined in step (a) that the quality of the combined host image is lower than the predetermined level.

Claim 24

The digital image coding method as recited in claim 16 wherein the decompressing the compressed bitstreams to restore a combined host image and a predetermined encryption code.

Claim 25

The digital image coding method as recited in claim 16 wherein the digital image decoding method step (c) comprises the steps of: performing discrete wavelet transform on the restored host image to obtain M×M wavelet coefficients, M being a predetermined positive integer; generating pseudo-random numbers in accordance with a predetermined rule corresponding to the restored encryption code; obtaining separating location data representing the N×N replacing locations using the pseudo-random numbers, N being another predetermined integer smaller than M; separating N×N wavelet coefficients corresponding to the N×N separating locations from M×M wavelet coefficients; performing inverse discrete wavelet transform on the N×N wavelet coefficients to generate a restored signature image; converting the scale of the restored signature image into that of the host image; and setting the scale-converted signature image as a host image.