VQ based data hiding method for still images by tree-structured links

In this paper, we propose a data embedding method into still images based on Vector Quantization (VQ). In recent years, several VQ-based data embedding methods have been proposed. For example, `Mean Gray-Level Embedding method (MGLE)´ are `Pair wise Nearest-Neighbor Embedding method (PNNE)´ are simple, but not sufficiently effective. Meanwhile, an efficient adaptive data hiding method called `Adaptive Clustering Embedding method (ACE)´ was proposed, but is somewhat complicated because the VQ indices have to be adaptively clustered in the embedding process. In our proposed method, output vectors are considered as nodes, and nodes are linked as a tree structure and information is embedded by using some of linked vectors. The simulation results show that our proposed method indicates higher SNR than the conventional methods under the same amounts of embedded data.