Hiding a checkered-pattern carrier-screen image in a camouflaged halftone image

Abstract

As carrier-screen images, we have developed checkered-pattern carrier-screen images, which can be physically decoded by superimposing a checkered pattern. We also proposed a decoding method by image sampling with an ordinary compact digital camera. To obtain a better decoding result, each carrier-screen image should be output at a low resolution. However, secret information can be detected when you observe the image carefully. Thus, a hiding process is an important technique. In this paper, we propose an advanced hiding method by embedding the carrier-screen image into another significant image to generate a camouflaged halftone image. The proposed embedding method can be performed through a simple sequential process of blending and halftoning.