Pan Wenyan, Ma Wentao, Zhou Tongqing, Zhao Shan, Gu Lichuan, Shi Guolong, Xia Zhihua
IEEE Trans Neural Netw Learn Syst. 2025 Jul;36(7):12595-12605. doi: 10.1109/TNNLS.2024.3472846.
Leveraging trace-rich features within embedded spaces has been established as effective in image manipulation localization (IML). Nevertheless, the feature of manipulated traces frequently comprises substantial redundant information only loosely related to IML tasks. This complexity has hindered existing methods in fully comprehending the essence of trace features. In light of this challenge, we introduce a novel decoupling representation learning network (DRN) tailored for IML. The DRN excels at decoupling intricate multidomain information and transforming it into representations directly pertinent to IML objectives. This is achieved through a meticulously designed frequency decoupling representation learning module (FDM) and spatial decoupling representation learning module (SDM). Specifically, the FDM operates by acquiring distinct low and high-frequency components to effectively decouple redundant information. The decoupled high-frequency components are then harnessed as intricate trace complements, enhancing the overall aggregation process. In addition, the redundant information is expertly separated into authentic and manipulated representations through the use of channel activation maps in SDM. Through extensive experimentation on three public benchmarks including CASIA, NIST, and Coverage, our method consistently demonstrates superior performance and enhanced robustness compared with existing state-of-the-art methods.