IET Image Processing - 2013 - Naskar - Histogram Bin Shifting Based Reversible Watermarking For Colour Images

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Published in IET Image Processing
Received on 18th August 2011
Revised on 24th September 2012
Accepted on 21st October 2012
doi: 10.1049/iet-ipr.2012.0232
ISSN 1751-9659
Histogram-bin-shifting-based reversible
watermarking for colour images
Ruchira Naskar, Rajat Subhra Chakraborty
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
E-mail: ruchira@cse.iitkgp.ernet.in
Abstract: Histogram-bin-shifting has been previously shown to be an effective method of reversibly watermarking greyscale
images. For colour image reversible watermarking, histogram-bin-shifting technique can be extended trivially to RGB colour
space. However, direct application of histogram-bin-shifting to the RGB colour image components, results in relatively poor
performance of the watermarking algorithm. In order to improve the performance of the algorithm in terms of embedding
capacity and distortion whereas preserving the inherent computational simplicity of the histogram-bin-shifting technique, the
authors propose a technique of shifting frequency histogram bins of transformed colour components. In this study, the authors
consider the YCbCr colour-space. Experimental results on standard test images, prove that the proposed technique achieves
high embedding capacity with considerably low distortion.
1 Introduction experimental results, there is ample scope of improving the

performance of reversible watermarking of colour images
‘Reversible digital watermarking’ [1, 2] is the act of hiding by a modification of the histogram-bin-shifting technique.
secret information (‘watermark’) into a ‘digital cover media’ Instead of considering the RGB components, we apply
which may be any multimedia contents such as image, audio, histogram modifications to the transformed colour space
video, in such a way that after the watermark is extracted, YCbCr. In addition, histogram-bin-shifting has been carried
the original cover media can be retrieved bit by bit. The out for both the pixel frequency histograms as well as error
watermark is generally a secure hash of the cover media. The histograms. We found that since the colour information
major purpose of reversible watermarking is authentication of representation by the YCbCr components of an image
the cover media as well as embedding of metadata (for requires lower bandwidth compared to its RGB
example, cover media copyright information, authentication components, the proposed technique results in very high
information etc.), into the cover media. Various techniques embedding capacity, at much lower distortion of the cover
exist in the literature for reversible watermarking [3–16] of image. However, since the colour space transformations
digital images. ‘Histogram-bin-shifting’ is one of the most need dealing with floating point numbers (vis-a-vis
computationally simple techniques of reversible watermarking. unsigned integers in the original histogram-bin-shifting
‘Pixel frequency histogram-bin-shifting’ [5–8] is among the technique), the proposed histogram-bin-shifting of
earliest techniques for reversible watermarking of digital the transformed colour space is non-trivial. Nevertheless,
images. More recent and advanced technique for the inherent computational simplicity of the
histogram-bin-shifting-based reversible watermarking of digital histogram-bin-shifting technique helps the proposed
images, is ‘histogram modification of pixel prediction errors’ (modified) method to achieve an overall low computational
[12–14]. In this technique, the image pixels are predicted from complexity.
their neighbourhood and frequency histogram of the prediction The rest of this paper has been organised as follows. In
errors, is modified in order to reversibly watermark the cover Section 2 we present the state-of-the-art. We discuss colour
image. Reversible watermarking by histogram-bin-shifting can image components and their transformations in Section
be applied to colour images by considering each of its 3. The proposed reversible watermarking algorithms for
individual R (Red), G (Green) and B (Blue) components, as colour images have been presented in details in Section
an individual greyscale image, and then watermarking each of 4. Our experimental results have been presented in Section
them separately. Finally, the three watermarked component 5. We conclude and point to the future research directions
images are combined to obtain the watermarked colour image. in Section 6.
This technique of reversible watermarking of colour images is
trivial and computationally simple. 2 State-of-the-art
In general, the performance parameters of a watermarking
algorithm refer to its embedding capacity as well as distortion In the past couple of decades, many reversible watermarking
of the cover image. However, as we would show through our algorithms [5–14] have been proposed for greyscale images.
IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110 99

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A few researchers have also proposed reversible procedure has been shown in Fig. 1. The watermark
watermarking algorithms for colour images. For example, in extraction algorithm proposed by Ni et al. [5], works in
[4] the author has proposed a reversible watermarking exactly the reverse way of the embedding algorithm.
scheme for colour images, which is based on the expansion As discussed in Section 1, histogram modification of
of spatial and spectral colour triplets. Another example is prediction errors [12–14], is a more recent and improved
[3], where the author has proposed colour image reversible technique of histogram-bin-shifting-based reversible
watermarking by ‘difference expansion’ of adjacent pixel watermarking of images. In prediction error histogram
arrays, where a generalised difference expansion technique modification techniques, some of the cover image pixels are
is proposed which is applicable to vectors of adjacent predicted based on their neighbouring pixels. Such
pixels, selected from the same colour component of the prediction gives rise to predicted pixel values as well as
cover image. prediction errors. The watermark symbols (bits) are
Reversible watermarking scheme for greyscale images, embedded into the prediction errors with frequency
utilising the frequency distribution of the greyscale pixel histogram bins close to zero. Generally, in such schemes,
values of an image to hide the watermark, was first thresholds are used to define this ‘closeness to zero’.
proposed by Ni et al. [5]. In this scheme, the statistical Watermark embedding is done by additive expansion of
‘mode’ of the distribution, that is the most frequently prediction errors, so that some of the the watermarked
occurring greyscale value, is determined from the frequency errors now occupy histogram bins away from zero because
histogram of the pixel values, and this particular pixel value of expansion. To avoid any possible overlap, the error
is called the ‘peak value’. All the greyscale values greater histogram bins which are not used for watermark
than the peak value are shifted one bin to the right, so that embedding, are a priori shifted away from zero by a
the bin just next to the peak value is now empty. Now, the constant amount. Error histogram modification during
image pixels are scanned in a sequential order. To each watermark embedding has been shown in Fig. 2. The
pixel with peak greyscale value, the next watermark bit is modified errors and the predicted pixels are combined to
added. Thus, when the watermark bit is a ‘1’, the produce the watermarked image.
watermarked pixel will occupy the bin just emptied. During extraction, in this class of algorithms, prediction
Embedding capacity in such algorithms is limited by the errors are computed from the watermarked pixels and the
number of pixels having the peak greyscale value. The watermark symbols are extracted from the errors. After
stages of histogram modification throughout the embedding watermark extraction, the errors histogram bins are shifted
Fig. 1 Pixel frequency histogram-bin-shifting of 512 × 512 greyscale Lena image

a Histogram showing frequency distribution of greyscale pixel values
b Bin just next to the peak value is emptied
c Histogram after watermark embedding
Fig. 2 Prediction error histogram-bin-shifting of 512 × 512 greyscale Lena image

a Histogram showing frequency distribution of prediction errors
b Bins just next to the error values, close to zero, are emptied
c Error histogram after watermark embedding
100 IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

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back to their original positions (towards zero). The retrieved ‘peak’ frequency), is much higher, since the number of
errors when combined with the predicted pixel values, pixels is constant for any cover image. As an example, we
restore the original cover image, bit-by-bit. have presented the histogram characteristics of the 512 ×
512 colour ‘Lena’ image, (for its various colour
3 Colour image components components), in Figs. 3 and 4. It is evident from both
Figs. 3 and 4, that, the summation of peak frequencies for
‘Luminance’ and ‘chrominance’ components are the the Y, Cb and Cr components, is much higher than the
parameters which provide information regarding brightness summation of peak frequencies for the R, G and B
and colour of an image, respectively. For example, the pixel components.
values of a greyscale image, represent the luminance or Here, we have first reversibly watermarked an image by
brightness of the image. In the RGB colour space, a colour histogram-bin-shifting of YCbCr components frequency
image is represented solely by its R (red), G (green) and B distribution. This technique involves only a few
(blue) chrominance components. YCbCr is another colour computationally simple steps to execute. However, the
space widely used for representation of colour images. The watermark embedding capacity in this technique is limited
YCbCr colour space represents a colour image with a by the peak frequencies of the Y, Cb, Cr histograms. To
combination of a luminance component (Y), and two obtain higher embedding capacity, we next embed
chrominance components (Cb and Cr). The YCbCr colour watermark into the image by histogram-bin-shifting of
space is related to the RGB colour space by the following prediction error frequency distributions, in the YCbCr
transformation [17, 18] colour space. In the following two subsections we describe
both these methods one by one.
Y = 0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B
Cb = −0.169R − 0.331G + 0.499B + 128 (1) 4.1 Reversible watermarking by frequency
histogram modification of colour components
Cr = 0.499R − 0.418G − 0.0813B + 128
In the YCbCr model, the Y component represents the
luminance of an image, whereas the Cb and Cr components
A colour image can be completely represented by its Y, Cb represent its chrominance or colour information. Since the
and Cr components. The bandwidth requirement for human visual system (HVS) is more sensitive to luminance
representation of colour of an image, in the YCbCr mode is component of an image, as compared to its chrominance
lower than that of the RGB mode of representation. component, the chrominance components, Cb and Cr, are
The RGB components of an image are positive integers (R, first watermarked for reversible watermarking of a colour
G, B [ Z+ ), whereas the YCbCr components produced by image. After complete utilisation of the embedding capacity
the set of equations (1) are positive real numbers (Y, Cb, of the Cb and Cr components, if more watermark bits are
Cr [ R+ ). The reverse transformation, from YCbCr to left, which are yet to be embedded, we embed those into
RGB colour space, is given by the image’s Y component. This technique results in
considerably reduced distortion of the cover image after
R = round(Y + 1.402(Cr − 128)) watermarking, which is proved by our results. The
G = round(Y − 0.344(Cb − 128) − 0.714(Cr − 128)) (2) embedding and extraction algorithms are presented in
details in Fig. 5 (FREQ_HIST_EMBED) and Fig. 6
B = round(Y + 1.772(Cb − 128)) (FREQ_HIST_EXTRACT), respectively.In the embedding
algorithm, the cover image is first converted from the RGB
colour space to the YCbCr colour space by transformation
The function round: R Z maps a real number r [ R to its (1). Since the YCbCr components are represented by real
nearest integer I [ Z by I = round(r). Note that numbers, before applying histogram-bin-shifting, they are
transformation (2) recovers the original RGB values separated into their integer and fractional parts. The integer
bit-by-bit. parts are obtained as
The test images we have considered in this paper are 8-bit
colour images. Each of the R, G and B values of an 8-bit ⌊Y⌋ = floor(Y); ⌊Cb⌋ = floor(Cb); ⌊Cr⌋ = floor(Cr) (3)
colour image, is represented by eight bits; hence R, G,
B, ∈[0, 255]. The YCbCr values of those images, obtained
by application of the transformation (1) to its RGB The fractional parts are obtained as
components, also lie in the range [0, 255].
Yf = (Y − ⌊Y⌋); Cbf = (Cb − ⌊Cb⌋); Crf = (Cr − ⌊Cr⌋)
4 Proposed method
(4)
As discussed previously in Section 1, the performance of the
algorithm, in terms of embedding capacity and distortion, can
be much improved if the YCbCr colour component Note that according to transformation (1), the integers ⌊Y⌋,
histograms are used, instead of direct application of the ⌊Cb⌋ and ⌊Cr⌋ fall within the range [0, 255], which is the
algorithm to the RGB component histograms of a colour valid pixel range for an 8-bit image. Therefore we apply
image. This is due to the fact that the bandwidth of histogram-bin-shifting technique to the ⌊Y⌋, ⌊Cb⌋ and ⌊Cr⌋
frequency distribution of colour components as well as components, considering each of them, to be an individual
prediction errors, are much lower in case of YCbCr greyscale image. We first find out the statistical modes of
components than the RGB components. Therefore in case their frequency distributions as peak_⌊Y⌋, peak_⌊Cb⌋ and
of the YCbCr colour space, the frequencies of histogram peak_⌊Cr⌋. For each individual component, we scan all the
bins used for watermark embedding (for example, the pixels sequentially. To all pixels with values greater than

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Fig. 3 Histograms representing the frequency distributions of

a R-component
b G-component
c B-component
d ⌊Y⌋-component
e ⌊Cb⌋-component
f ⌊Cr⌋-component; for 512 × 512 ‘Lena’ image
Fig. 4 Histograms representing the frequency distributions of 512 × 512 Lena image prediction errors for
a R-component
b G-component
c B-component
d ⌊Y⌋-component
e ⌊Cb⌋-component
f ⌊Cr⌋-component

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Fig. 5 Procedure 1: FREQ_HIST_EMBED
Fig. 6 Procedure 2: FREQ_HIST_EXTRACT
the ‘peak’, we add one, thus shifting them one bin to their back to the RGB colour space by transformation (2). Fig. 6
right. To all pixels with values equal to the ‘peak’, we add gives the final watermarked cover image.
next watermark symbol ‘0’ or ‘1’. The rest of the pixels are RGB
left unchanged. The modified integer parts are combined 1) Extraction algorithm: In the extraction algorithm, we
with the original fractional parts to obtain the watermarked again convert the watermarked cover image from RGB to
YCbCr components YCbCr colour space by transformation (1). Next we
decompose the YCbCr components into their integer and
fractional parts by (3) and (4), respectively. To extract the
Y = modified ⌊Y⌋ + Yf ; watermark symbols and retrieve the cover image losslessly,
we scan all the watermarked pixels sequentially for each
Cb = modified ⌊Cb⌋ + Cbf ; (5) component. For each components, whenever we encounter
Cr = modified ⌊Cr⌋ + Crf a pixel with value equal to ‘peak’ + 1, we extract watermark
symbol ‘1’; and whenever we encounter a pixel with value
Finally, the watermarked YCbCr components are converted equal to ‘peak’, we extract watermark symbol ‘0’. To

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retrieve the original values for each component, from all by transformation (1). We first embed into the Cb, Cr
pixels with component values greater than the ‘peak’, we components and then the Y component so that the visual
subtract one. To retrieve the original YCbCr components, distortion in the watermarked image is low. The reason
the retrieved integer parts are combined with the original behind this has been discussed in more details previously,
fractional parts by (5). Finally, the retrieved YCbCr in Section 4.1. The YCbCr components are decomposed
components are converted back to the RGB colour space by into integer (⌊Y⌋, ⌊Cb⌋, ⌊Cr⌋) and fractional parts (Yf, Cbf,
transformation (2). The watermark extraction and retrieval Crf ) by (3) and (4).
procedures are lossless. For each of the components we select some of the pixel
The above extraction algorithm retrieves the watermark as locations which are to be predicted. At those selected
well as the cover image bit-by-bit. locations, we predict the values of the components’ integral
parts. For example, let I ∈ {Cb, Cr, Y}. Then, the
4.2 Reversible watermarking by prediction error component value ⌊I⌋, at a selected pixel location (x, y) is
histogram modification of colour components predicted as
The embedding capacity of the histogram-bin-shifting-based

f I(x, y) Predict I(x, y)
reversible watermarking algorithm for colour images,
proposed in Section 4.1, is limited by the peak frequencies from I x1 , y1 , I x2 , y2 , . . . , I xk , yk (6)

of the YCbCr colour components. In this section we present where xi , yi [ Neighbourhood((x, y))∀1 ≤ i ≤ k
another reversible watermarking technique for colour
images, based on prediction error histogram modification, The ‘Predict’ function in the above equation can be varied.
where the above limitation is overcome. In the proposed Various authors have used various functions to predict a
technique, the YCbCr component values of the pixels are pixel value from its neighbours. Some examples of such
predicted from their neighbourhood, and the watermark functions are ‘mean, median, weighted mean, weighted
symbols are embedded into the prediction errors. The median’ and so on. For details of the prediction methods
prediction errors ‘close to zero’ are used for watermark for reversible image watermarking, the readers are requested
embedding. According to our need of embedding capacity, to consult the referred works such as [12–14]. For each
we can vary this ‘closeness to zero’ (thus the number of predicted value φ(⌊I(x, y)⌋), the prediction error eI(x, y) is
prediction error frequency histogram bins used for computed as
embedding), by the use of certain ‘thresholds’. Next we
describe the proposed embedding and extraction algorithms
in details (Fig. 7). eI (x, y) = I(x, y) − f I(x, y) (7)
1) Embedding algorithm: To reversibly watermark a cover
image it is first converted from RGB to YCbCr colour space Next the frequency histogram of the prediction errors is
Fig. 7 Procedure 3: ERR_HIST_EMBED

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formed and the histogram-bins are shifted in order to embed watermarked image. The proposed embedding algorithm
the watermark symbols. We define two thresholds Thi and has been presented in Fig. 7 (ERR_HIST_EMBED) (Fig. 8).
Tlo such that histogram-bins in the range [Thi, Tlo] are 2) Extraction algorithm: In the proposed extraction
assumed to be ‘close to zero’, and are used for embedding. algorithm the RGB colour components of the watermarked
Rest of the histogram-bins are shifted away from zero by a image are converted to the YCbCr components, by
constant, to avoid any possible overlap. The shifting transformation (1), which are decomposed into the integral
operations are, as follows and fractional parts by (3) and (4), respectively. During
extraction, the order of colour components chosen is Cb,
e′I (x, y) = eI (x, y) − |Tlo | − 1∀eI (x, y) , Tlo Cr, then Y, which is the same as that chosen during
embedding.
e′I (x, y) = eI (x, y) + |Thi | + 1∀eI (x, y) . Thi For each component ⌊I⌋∈{⌊Cb⌋, ⌊Cr⌋⌊Y⌋}, the pixel
(8)
e′I (x, y) = 2eI (x, y) − b∀Tlo ≤ eI (x, y) , 0 locations to be used for watermark extraction are the same
e′I (x, y) = 2eI (x, y) + b∀0 ≤ eI (x, y) ≤ Thi as the locations selected during embedding. At each such
location (x, y), we predict the component value ⌊I⌋ as φ(⌊I
(x, y)⌋) following (6), and compute the prediction error eI(x,
where b ∈ [0, 1] is the next watermark symbol. Now, each y) following (7). The prediction error frequency histogram
shifted prediction error eI′(x, y) is combined with the is formed and the watermark symbols are extracted from the
corresponding predicted component value φ(⌊I(x, y)⌋) to bins close to zero. All the bins are shifted back to their
obtain original positions, to retrieve the original component values.
The shifting operations used for this retrieval are
I ′ (x, y) = e′I (x, y) + f I(x, y) (9)
e′I (x, y) = eI (x, y) + |Tlo | + 1 ∀eI (x, y) , 2Tlo − 1
(11)
e′I (x, y) = eI (i, j) − |Thi | − 1 ∀eI (i, j) . 2Thi + 1
Finally, for each selected pixel position (x, y), the modified
integer part of each component I ∈ {Cb, Cr, Y} is b = eI (x, y)(mod 2); e′I (x, y)
combined with its original fractional part, by
eI (x, y) − b
= otherwise
2
I(x, y) = I ′ (x, y) + If (x, y) (10)
where b ∈ [0, 1] is the next watermark symbol.
Now, each retrieved prediction error e′I(x, y) is combined
to obtain the watermarked YCbCr components. The with the corresponding predicted component value φ(⌊I(x,
watermarked YCbCr components are converted to RGB y)⌋) by (9) to obtain ⌊I′(x, y)⌋. Finally, each retrieved
colour space by transformation (2), to obtain the final integer part ⌊I′(x, y)⌋ is combined with its original
Fig. 8 Procedure 4: ERR_HIST_EXTRACT

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fractional part If(x, y) by (10), to retrieve component I∈{Cb, Now, each of YW , CbW and CrW can be considered as
Cr, Y}. The retrieved YCbCr components are converted to an individual greyscale image. According to both
RGB colour space by transformation (2), to restore the histogram-bin-shifting based [5–8] and prediction error
original cover image. The proposed extraction algorithm has histogram modification based [12–14] techniques of
been presented in Fig. 8 (ERR_HIST_EXTRACT). greyscale image reversible watermarking, if Y and Z are
Next we shall prove the reversibility property of the the watermarked and the original greyscale cover images,
proposed reversible watermarking algorithms (presented in respectively, then
Sections 4.1 and 4.4), based on histogram-bin-shifting of
YCbCr colour image components. Our aim is to prove that Extract watermark by histogram modification
the original cover image is indeed reversed back to it Y−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−− −−Z
original form.
Proof of reversibility: Let the original colour image, into Here
Y
[ YW , CbW , CrW and Z [ YI ,
which the watermark is to be reversibly embedded, be CbI , CrI }.
denoted by I and its YCbCr components be denoted by Also, according to the proposed reversible watermarking
YI , CbI and CrI . Let the reversibly watermarked colour algorithm of Sections 4.1 and 4.2, the watermark is
image, obtained by the application of the proposed embedded only into the integral parts of the cover image
watermark embedding algorithm, be denoted by W and its colour (YCbCr) components; the fractional parts of the
YCbCr components be denoted by YW , CbW and CrW . Let YCbCr components remain unmodified throughout the
the colour image recovered from W, by application of the watermark embedding and extraction procedures. That is,
proposed watermark extraction algorithm be denoted by R YR = YW = YI , CbR = CbW = CbI and CrR =
CrW = CrI .
f f f f f f f
and its YCbCr components be represented by YR , CbR and f f
CrR . Symbolically
[R.H.S. = YI + YR < CbI + CbR
Embed Watermark Extract Watermark f f
I −−−−−−−− W −−−−−−−− R
< CrI + CrRf
where X = YX < CbX < CrX , ∀X [ {I , W, R}.
Here our aim is to prove that the original colour image I is = YI + YW < CbI + CbW f < CrI + CrW f
same as the recovered colour image R.
f

= YI + YI < CbI + CbI < CrI + CrI f
[To prove: I = R
f

f

= YI + YI − YI < CbI + CbI − CbI

R.H.S. = YR < CbR < CrR < CrI + CrI − CrI

= YR + YR − YR = YI < CbI < CrI

< CbR + CbR − CbR = L.H.S.(hence proved)

< CrR + CrR − CrR

= YR + YR < CbR + CbR 5 Results
f f
The proposed algorithms for reversible watermarking of
< CrR + CrR
f colour images were implemented in MATLAB and tested
on 512 × 512 8-bit standard test images, shown in Fig. 9.
= watermark extracted YW + YR The proposed algorithms of Sections 4.1 and 4.2 were
f
tested and compared with respect to the following parameters:
< watermark extracted CbW + CbR

f
† Maximum embedding capacity achieved by the algorithms,
and
< watermark extracted CrW + CrR
f † Distortion of cover image after watermark embedding.
Fig. 9 512 × 512 unsigned 8-bit colour test images

a Lena
b Zelda
c Plane
d Sailboat
e Splash
f Jellybeans
g Car
h Pepper

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Maximum embedding capacity was evaluated by the The embedding capacity characteristics of the proposed
number of watermark bits that can be embedded into the methods have been graphically depicted in Fig. 10, which
entire cover image as well as the average number of bits helps us to compare the maximum embedding capacities
that can be embedded per pixel, measured in units of bpp offered by the RGB and YCbCr colour planes in this
(‘bits-per-pixel’). Distortion of the watermarked image was respect. Fig. 10 proves the superiority of the YCbCr colour
estimated in terms of ‘Peak-signal-to-noise-ratio’ (PSNR) plane (for all test cover images) in the proposed methods.
[16]. The watermarked image distortion against embedding
Table 1 presents the maximum embedding capacity for our capacity characteristics of the proposed schemes for
eight test images (5), achieved by the proposed reversible different test images have been shown in Figs. 11 and 12,
watermarking by frequency histogram modification of in form of of ‘PSNR (in dB) against Embedded bpp’ plots.
colour components (discussed in Section 4.1). The Fig. 11 demonstrates the distortion vs. capacity
maximum embedding capacity characteristics of the characteristics of the proposed frequency histogram
proposed reversible watermarking by prediction error modification of colour components-based reversible
histogram modification of colour image components watermarking (discussed in Section 4.1). The distortion
(discussed in Section 4.2), for all eight test images have against capacity characteristics of the proposed prediction
been presented in Table 2. Results presented in Tables 1 error histogram modification-based reversible watermarking
and 2, include both RGB as well as YCbCr colour planes. (discussed in Section 4.2), has been presented in Fig. 12.
Table 1 Maximum embedding capacities achieved by frequency histogram-bin-shifting of colour image components
Colour space Parameters 512 × 512 test images
Lena Zelda Plane Sailboat Splash Jellybeans Car Pepper
YCbCr (proposed) bits 21 515 52 935 66 807 22 704 43 578 76 268 30 385 32 580
bpp 0.0821 0.2019 0.2548 0.0866 0.1663 0.2909 0.1159 0.1243
RGB bits 9890 20 067 26 217 12 409 23 802 49 922 18 240 22 264
bpp 0.0377 0.0765 0.1000 0.0473 0.0908 0.1904 0.0696 0.0849
Table 2 Maximum embedding capacity achieved by prediction-error histogram modification applied to colour image components
Colour space Parameters 512 × 512 test images
Lena Zelda Plane Sailboat Splash Jellybeans Car Pepper
YCbCr (proposed) bits 170 899 336 119 247 150 118 853 255 160 501 937 215 261 368 196
bpp 0.6519 1.2822 0.9428 0.4534 0.9734 1.9147 0.8212 1.4046
RGB bits 113 310 241 024 94 280 37 940 175 105 483 766 144 783 274 907
bpp 0.4322 0.9194 0.3596 0.1447 0.6680 1.8454 0.5523 1.0487
Fig. 10 Comparison results for maximum embedding capacities achieved by the proposed method and direct application of
histogram-bin-shifting to RGB colour space
Comparison results for
a Proposed frequency histogram modification of colour components
b Proposed prediction-error histogram modification of colour components

IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

doi: 10.1049/iet-ipr.2012.0232
Fig. 11 Distortion characteristics of proposed frequency histogram modification of colour components for test images
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f Jellybeans
d Sailboat
h Pepper
e Splash
b Zelda
c Plane
a Lena
g Car
108
109
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Fig. 12 Distortion characteristics of proposed prediction-error histogram modification of colour components for test images
IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

doi: 10.1049/iet-ipr.2012.0232
f Jellybeans
d Sailboat
h Pepper
e Splash
b Zelda
c Plane
a Lena
g Car
www.ietdl.org
We have compared the distortion against capacity 3 Alattar, A.M.: ‘Reversible watermark using the difference expansion of
characteristics of the proposed techniques with that obtained a generalized integer transform’, IEEE Trans. Image Process., 2004, 13,
(8), pp. 1147–1156
by applying histogram-bin-shifting, directly to the RGB 4 Alattar, A.M.: ‘Reversible watermark using difference expansion of
colour image components. The plots of Figs. 11 and 12 triplets’. Presented at the IEEE Conf. Image Processing, Barcelona,
prove that for both frequency histogram modification as Spain, 2003
well as prediction-error histogram modification techniques, 5 Ni, Z., Shi, Y.Q., Ansari, N., Su, W.: ‘Reversible data hiding’, IEEE
Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol., 2006, 16, (3), pp. 354–362
embedding an equal number of watermark bits into the 6 Ni, Z., Shi, Y.Q., Ansari, N., Wei, S.: ‘Reversible data hiding’. Proc. of
same cover image, produces comparatively much higher Int. Symp. on Circuits and Systems, May 2003, vol. 2, pp. II912–II915
PSNR (lower distortion) in case of YCbCr colour space 7 Vleeschouwer, C.D., Delaigle, J.E., Macq, B.: ‘Circular interpretation
than RGB colour space (used trivially for embedding). of bijective transformations in lossless watermarking for media asset
management’, IEEE Trans. Multimedia, 2003, 5, (1), pp. 97–105
8 Vleeschouwer, C.D., Delaigle, J.E., Macq, B.: ‘Circular interpretation of
histogram for reversible watermarking’. Proc. IEEE Fourth Workshop
6 Conclusion on Multimedia Signal Processing, France, October 2001, pp. 345–350
9 Tian, J.: ‘Reversible data embedding using a difference expansion’,
Histogram-bin-shifting-based reversible watermarking IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol., 2003, 13, (8), pp. 890–896
algorithms work on the principle of frequency histogram 10 Celik, M.U., Sharma, G., Tekalp, A.M., Saber, E.: ‘Lossless
generalized-LSB data embedding’, IEEE Trans. Image Process., 2005,
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pixel values, pixel prediction errors and so on. This 11 Yang, B., Schmucker, M., Funk, W., Busch, C., Sun, S.: ‘Integer
technique has been previously applied to greyscale images. DCT-based reversible Watermarking Technique for images using
In this work, we have extended it to colour images. companding technique’, Proc. SPIE, 2004, 5306, pp. 405–415
12 Kim, K.S., Lee, M.J., Lee, H.Y., Lee, H.K.: ‘Reversible data hiding
However, instead of trivial application of this technique to exploiting spatial correlation between sub-sampled images’, Pattern
the RGB colour plane, we have utilised the unique Recognit., 2009, 42, (11), pp. 3083–3096
histogram characteristics of the YCbCr colour plane. 13 Luo, L., Chen, Z., Chen, M., Zeng, X., Xiong, Z.: ‘Reversible image
Experimental results for a set of standard benchmark test watermarking using interpolation technique’, IEEE Trans. Inf.
images prove the superiority of the YCbCr colour Forensics Sec., 2010, 5, (1), pp. 187–193
14 Naskar, R., Chakraborty, R.S.: ‘Reversible image watermarking through
components-based method as compared to the RGB colour coordinate logic operation based prediction’. Proc. Seventh Int. Conf.
components. In future, reversible watermarking of the Information System Security (ICISS 11), December 2011, (LNCS,
YCbCr colour image components by other techniques 7093), pp. 190–203
would be investigated. 15 Fallahpour, M., Megias, D., Ghanbari, M.: ‘Reversible and
high-capacity data hiding in medical images’, IET Image Process.,
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7 References weighted median-based prediction’, IET Image Process., 2012, 6, (5),
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1 Cox, I.J., Miller, M.L., Bloom, J.A., Fridrich, J., Kalker, T.: ‘Digital 17 Mukherjee, J., Mitra, S.K.: ‘Enhancement of color images by scaling the
watermarking and steganography’ (Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, DCT Coefficients’, IEEE Trans. Image Process., 2008, 17, (10),
2008) pp. 1783–1794
2 Feng, J.B., Lin, I.C., Tsai, C.S., Chu, Y.P.: ‘Reversible watermarking: 18 Ahirwal, B., Khadtare, M., Mehta, R.: ‘FPGA based system for color
current status and key issues’, Int. J. Netw. Secur., 2006, 2, (3), space transformation RGB to YIQ and YCbCr’, United States Patent
pp. 161–171 6,973,195, December 2005


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1 Introduction experimental results, there is ample scope of improving the

IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110 99

Fig. 1 Pixel frequency histogram-bin-shifting of 512 × 512 greyscale Lena image

Fig. 2 Prediction error histogram-bin-shifting of 512 × 512 greyscale Lena image

100 IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110 101

Fig. 3 Histograms representing the frequency distributions of

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Fig. 5 Procedure 1: FREQ_HIST_EMBED

Fig. 6 Procedure 2: FREQ_HIST_EXTRACT

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The embedding capacity of the histogram-bin-shifting-based 

Fig. 7 Procedure 3: ERR_HIST_EMBED

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Fig. 8 Procedure 4: ERR_HIST_EXTRACT

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Fig. 9 512 × 512 unsigned 8-bit colour test images

106 IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

Lena Zelda Plane Sailboat Splash Jellybeans Car Pepper

Lena Zelda Plane Sailboat Splash Jellybeans Car Pepper

IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110 107

IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

& The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013

IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

110 IET Image Process., 2013, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 99–110

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