Perceptual modeling of media signals for data hiding

A method comprising:

• obtaining a media signal;
• determining characteristics of the media signal;
• based at least in part on the characteristics of the media signal, providing a map of the media signal, wherein the map identifies at least one area in the media signal in which hiding of plural-bit data should be avoided or suppressed;
• transforming at least some portions of the media signal into a transform domain;
• and
• hiding plural-bit data in at least some portions of the transformed media signal;
• wherein at least said act of transforming or said act of hiding utilizes the map of the media signal.

A method comprising:

• obtaining a media signal;
• determining characteristics of the media signal;
• based at least in part on the characteristics of the media signal, providing a map of the media signal, wherein the map identifies at least one area in the media signal in which plural-bit. data should be hidden;
• transforming at least some portions of the media signal into a transform domain;
• and
• hiding the plural-bit data in data representing at least the one area in the media signal in which the plural-bit data should be hidden, and
• wherein at least said act of transforming or said act of hiding utilizes the map of the media signal.