Digital image watermarking scheme based on histogram in DWT domain

A robust and geometric invariant digital watermarking scheme for gray-level images is proposed in this paper. The scheme carries out watermark embedding and extraction based on histogram in DWT domain. For watermark embedding, the original image is decomposed into the approximation and details sub-bands. Pixels of the approximation sub-band are grouped into m blocks, each of which has the same number of intensity-levels, thus the block histogram is generated; with the block histogram, pixels are moved to form a specific pattern in the intensity-level histogram distribution, indicating the watermark. For watermark extraction, the watermarked image is decomposed into the approximation and details sub-bands; then the pixels in the approximation sub-band are grouped into blocks in the similar manner. According to the histogram distribution in each block, the watermark is extracted. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme is highly robust against JPEG compression, geometric attacks and some common signal processing.