High-capacity reversible data hiding with iterative dual pixel value ordering

Abstract

This paper presents an iterative dual pixel value ordering (I-DPVO) scheme for reversible data hiding (RDH), designed to enhance embedding capacity while preserving image fidelity. Unlike conventional PVO-based methods, I-DPVO introduces a recursive embedding strategy that alternates between horizontal and vertical pixel correlations, allowing it to adapt dynamically to varying capacity requirements. This iterative approach refines embedding flexibility by leveraging multi-directional pixel dependencies, reducing distortion through a structured backward embedding phase. By efficiently redistributing pixel modifications across multiple iterations, I-DPVO mitigates degradation even at higher payloads, maintaining reversibility with minimal impact on visual quality. Experimental evaluations across diverse images validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, demonstrating a more favourable rate–distortion trade-off, with increased embedding capacity and high peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) compared to existing PVO-based schemes. The adaptability and efficiency of I-DPVO make it a promising solution for applications requiring high-capacity embedding with strict fidelity constraints, such as metadata annotation, electronic record management, and tamper detection.