Reversible Video Data Hiding Using Zero QDCT Coefficient-Pairs

TL;DR

This paper introduces a reversible data hiding method for H.264/AVC videos that leverages zero QDCT coefficient pairs in intra-frame macroblocks to achieve high embedding capacity with minimal distortion.

Contribution

It proposes a novel RDH technique based on zero QDCT coefficient pairing in intra-frame macroblocks of H.264/AVC videos, enhancing capacity and reducing distortion.

Findings

High embedding capacity achieved

Low distortion in embedded videos

Effective use of zero QDCT coefficients in high frequency areas

Abstract

H.264/Advanced Video Coding (AVC) is one of the most commonly used video compression standard currently. In this paper, we propose a Reversible Data Hiding (RDH) method based on H.264/AVC videos. In the proposed method, the macroblocks with intra-frame $4\times 4$ prediction modes in intra frames are first selected as embeddable blocks. Then, the last zero Quantized Discrete Cosine Transform (QDCT) coefficients in all $4\times 4$ blocks of the embeddable macroblocks are paired. In the following, a modification mapping rule based on making full use of modification directions are given. Finally, each zero coefficient-pair is changed by combining the given mapping rule with the to-be-embedded information bits. Since most of last QDCT coefficients in all $4\times 4$ blocks are zero and they are located in high frequency area. Therefore, the proposed method can obtain high embedding capacity and low distortion.