Scrambling of image portions via color component interchange

An image processing apparatus to apply a discrete wavelet transform to a pixel value of each of at least one rectangular region into which image data are divided and to generate a hierarchically compressed code stream, the apparatus comprising:

• scrambling means for performing a scrambling process that includes generating index information defining a rule for interchanging code data of the compressed code stream and interchanging color difference components of the code data based on the index information, so as to create a scrambled image from which an original image may be recognizable, the interchanged color difference components including a red component, a green component, and a blue component.

An image processing method comprising:

• applying a discrete wavelet transform to a pixel value of each of a least one rectangular region into which image data are divided and generating a hierarchically compressed code stream;
• further comprising performing a scrambling process on code data of the compressed code stream, wherein the scrambling process that includes interchanging code data of at least two tiles of different color components corresponding to a same position, so as to create a scrambled image from which an original image may be recognizable, the interchanged different color components including a red component, a green component, and a blue component.

An image processing method comprising:

• applying a discrete wavelet transform to a pixel value of each of at least one rectangular region into which image data are divided and generating a hierarchically compressed code stream;
• further comprising performing a scrambling process that includes generating index information defining a rule for interchanging code data of the compressed code stream and interchanging color difference components of the code data based on the index information, so as to create a scrambled image from which an original image may be recognizable, the interchanged color difference components including a red component, a green component, and a blue component.

An article of manufacture comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform an image processing method that applies a discrete wavelet transform to a pixel value of each of a least one rectangular region into which image data are divided and generates a hierarchically compressed code stream, the image processing method comprising:

• performing a scrambling process on code data of the compressed code stream which scrambling process involves interchanging code data of at least two tiles of different color components corresponding to a same position, so as to create a scrambled image from which an original image may be recognizable, the interchanged different color components including a red component, a green component, and a blue component.

An article of manufacture comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform an image processing method that applies a discrete wavelet transform to a pixel value of each of a least one rectangular region into which image data are divided and generates a hierarchically compressed code stream, the image processing method comprising:

• performing a scrambling process that involves generating index information defining a rule for interchanging code data of the compressed code stream and interchanging color difference components of the code data based on the index information, so as to create a scrambled image from which an original image may be recognizable, the interchanged color difference components including a red component, a green component, and a blue component.