Binary encoding method to encrypt Fourier-transformed information of digital images

An encoding method is used to encrypt the Fourier-transformed information of a hidden (covert) digital image in an overt image, while the Fourier-transformed information must be encoded with binary codes. All of the pixels in an overt image are classified into five groups that are called identification, type, tracing, dimension, and information codes. Identification codes are used to judge if the overt image contains codes that belong to the proposed encoding method or not; type codes are used to judge the encoding type; tracing codes are used to judge the encoding trace; dimension codes are used to judge the size of the hidden information; and information codes are used to decode the hidden information. Applying the proposed encoding method is rather easy, and host images corresponding to overt images are not needed for decoding work. The experiment has demonstrated four types of encoding for the proposed encoding method to reconstruct covert images without any distortion or only with a little distortion.