Three spatial-domain-based quantum watermarking schemes (QWSs) are proposed for quantum hue, saturation, and lightness (QHSL) color model images. Among them, QWS-visible is a visible watermarking scheme in which only the copyright owner who owns both the image mask and key image can remove the visible watermark from the protected image; QWS-lossless is an invisible watermarking scheme that can embed a watermark image in some constrained areas of the image without destroying the image quality; QWS-QRcode embeds a QR code with a color pattern into a carrier image, and uses the error correction mechanism of the QR code to resist a certain degree of cropping attacks. Based on simulation experiments, the QWSs’ visual effect, security, applicability, and ability to resist cropping attacks are analyzed. The proposed watermarking schemes set the stage for advancing the research of quantum image watermarking based on the HSL color model.
Three spatial-domain-based quantum watermarking schemes (QWSs) are proposed for quantum hue, saturation, and lightness (QHSL) color model images. Among them, QWS-visible is a visible watermarking scheme in which only the copyright owner who owns both the image mask and key image can remove the visible watermark from the protected image; QWS-lossless is an invisible watermarking scheme that can embed a watermark image in some constrained areas of the image without destroying the image quality; QWS-QRcode embeds a QR code with a color pattern into a carrier image, and uses the error correction mechanism of the QR code to resist a certain degree of cropping attacks. Based on simulation experiments, the QWSs’ visual effect, security, applicability, and ability to resist cropping attacks are analyzed. The proposed watermarking schemes set the stage for advancing the research of quantum image watermarking based on the HSL color model.
Quantum watermarking technology, which is used in anti-counterfeiting and copyright protection, play an important role in the future quantum computer era. To embed more data and reduce image distortion, a novel quantum watermarking method of combining spatial domain and frequency domain is proposed. To this end, the carrier and watermark image are prepared by the novel quantum model of color digital images. The proposed quantum watermarking method is divided into two parts according to the needs of the owner and the importance of the watermarks. These two parts of watermark are embedded into the cover using the spatial and frequency domain. Analysis indicates that the complexity of the watermark separation process increases the difficulty for the attacker to reconstruct the quantum watermarking. Numerical simulation results using MATLAB software shows that this algorithm has better embedding capacity. Not only that, it also has good invisibility and can ensure the security.
Abstract Quantum image processing, which merges classical image processing techniques with quantum computing, provides exceptional storage capacity and unparalleled parallel computing power. In this study, we present a quantum color image watermarking scheme that employs quantum error correction codes to address issues such as pixel loss and image distortion during watermark embedding and extraction. By utilizing the least significant bit method to embed the color values of the watermark image into those of the carrier image, we improve the scheme’s robustness. We also address the error correction capabilities of channel coding for phase-flip errors and follow the majority principle, resulting in more accurate extraction of the watermark image’s color and enhancing the watermarking scheme’s reliability and integrity. Our experimental simulations demonstrate that the proposed watermarking scheme boasts high security, strong robustness, and excellent concealment.
Abstract Quantum watermarking is a technique to embed specific information, usually the owner’s identification, into quantum cover data such for copyright protection purposes. In this paper, a new scheme for quantum watermarking based on quantum wavelet transforms is proposed which includes scrambling, embedding and extracting procedures. The invisibility and robustness performances of the proposed watermarking method is confirmed by simulation technique. The invisibility of the scheme is examined by the peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and the histogram calculation. Furthermore the robustness of the scheme is analyzed by the Bit Error Rate (BER) and the Correlation Two-Dimensional (Corr 2-D) calculation. The simulation results indicate that the proposed watermarking scheme indicate not only acceptable visual quality but also a good resistance against different types of attack.
To address the problem that existing quantum image watermarking schemes have only a single watermarking mode with weak robustness, in this paper we propose a novel multi-modal quantum watermarking (MMQW) scheme using the generalized model of novel enhanced quantum representation. Our scheme provides four quantum watermarking modes (G_G, G_C, C_C, C_G), covering both types of grayscale and color images for the watermark and the carrier image. To enhance the robustness, we propose the Block Bit-plane Centrosymmetric Expansion (BBCE) method, which utilizes controlled quantum gates to extend the watermark, making our method resistant to noise and geometric attacks. Moreover, we propose a Brightness-based Watermarking Mechanism (BWM) for embedding and extraction. By uniform embedding, BWM not only minimizes the impact on the carrier image but also reduces the visual distortion of the extracted watermark. In the proposed MMQW, we implement three adaptive embedding strategies using controlled quantum gates, each of which is adaptively triggered according to the corresponding modalities. Detailed quantum circuits for quantum computing are provided. To evaluate imperceptibility and robustness of the MMQW, we conduct experiments using high-resolution images from the USC-SIPI dataset. The results show that PSNR of the watermarked image ranges from 36 dB to 56 dB, indicating the high visual quality. The PSNR of the extracted watermark is about 34 dB when the noise density is 0.05, while the PSNR is higher than 48 dB under common quantum rotation attacks, which indicate the high robustness against noise addition and geometric attacks. In addition, the proposed MMQW can resist to cropping attack with cropping percentage up to 55%. A comprehensive comparison with existing state-of-the-art works shows that our method has significant advantages.
Abstract This paper presents a spatial domain quantum watermarking scheme. For a quantum watermarking scheme, a feasible quantum circuit is a key to achieve it. This paper gives a feasible quantum circuit for the presented scheme. In order to give the quantum circuit, a new quantum multi-control rotation gate, which can be achieved with quantum basic gates, is designed. With this quantum circuit, our scheme can arbitrarily control the embedding position of watermark images on carrier images with the aid of auxiliary qubits. Besides reversely acting the given quantum circuit, the paper gives another watermark extracting algorithm based on quantum measurements. Moreover, this paper also gives a new quantum image scrambling method and its quantum circuit. Differ from other quantum watermarking schemes, all given quantum circuits can be implemented with basic quantum gates. Moreover, the scheme is a spatial domain watermarking scheme, and is not based on any transform algorithm on quantum images. Meanwhile, it can make sure the watermark be secure even though the watermark has been found. With the given quantum circuit, this paper implements simulation experiments for the presented scheme. The experimental result shows that the scheme does well in the visual quality and the embedding capacity.
This paper presents a spatial domain quantum watermarking scheme. For a quantum watermarking scheme,a feasible quantum circuit is a key to achieve it. This paper gives a feasible quantum circuit for the presented scheme. In order to give the quantum circuit, a new quantum multi-control rotation gate, which can be achieved with quantum basic gates, is designed. With this quantum circuit, our scheme can arbitrarily control the embedding position of watermark images on carrier images with the aid of auxiliary qubits. Besides reversely acting the given quantum circuit, the paper gives another watermark extracting algorithm based on quantum measurements. Moreover, this paper also gives a new quantum image scrambling method and its quantum circuit. Differ from other quantum watermarking schemes, all given quantum circuits can be implemented with basic quantum gates. Moreover, the scheme is a spatial domain watermarking scheme, and is not based on any transform algorithm on quantum images. Meanwhile, it can make sure the watermark be secure even though the watermark has been found. With the given quantum circuit, this paper implements simulation experiments for the presented scheme. The experimental result shows that the scheme does well in the visual quality and the embedding capacity.