Color image hiding with invisible visual cryptography

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a wavelength multiplexing image hiding system based on color invisible visual cryptography (CIVC). The image is divided into red, green, and blue channels. Each channel turns into several meaningful share images, different from the random, meaningless share images in visual cryptography (VC), and these are concealed within phase keys. The acquired single-channel share images, once synthesized into a color image and subjected to incoherent superposition, enable the extraction of the secret color image. Optical experiments are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.