Robust blind image watermarking with independent component analysis: A embedding algorithm

The authors propose a new solution to the blind robust watermarking of digital images. In this approach we embed the watermark into the independent components of the image. Since independent components are related to the edges of the image, this method has a little perceptual impact on the watermarked image. Besides, we exploit the orthogonality of independent components and spread-spectrum generated watermarks in the blind extraction of the watermark. As extraction algorithm we use a simple matched filter. We also improve this novel method with standard techniques such as perceptual masking and holographic properties. Some experiments are included to illustrate the good performance of the algorithm against compression, cropping, filtering or quantization based attacks.