Fuzzy retrieval apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A fuzzy retrieval apparatus comprising:
- a data base in which a plurality of types of attribute signals with respect to an item of a plurality of items are registered in advance for each item;
means for setting signals representing a retrieval condition which comprises at least two preconditions each indicating a desired condition relating to at least one of the plurality of types of the attribute signals, and a connecting condition that connects these preconditions;
membership operating means for producing degree-of-membership signals that indicate the degrees to which an attribute signal conforms to set preconditions;
MEAN operating means for producing and outputting a signal indicating a mean value of a plurality of applied degree-of-membership signals;
MIN operating means for selecting and outputting a signal, which indicates a minimum value, from a plurality of applied degree-of-membership signals;
MAX operating means for selecting and outputting a signal, which indicates a maximum value, from a plurality of applied degree-of-membership signals, andcontrol means for applying the degree-of-membership signals obtained from the membership operating means to at least one of the MEAN operating means, MIN operating means and MAX operating means in accordance with a predetermined connecting condition, and outputting a degree-of-concurrence signal obtained from a final stage of at least one of the MEAN operating means, MIN operating means and MAX operating means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method in which it is possible to set information retrieval conditions wherein the user'"'"'s intention in performing retrieval is reflected satisfactorily, and in which fuzzy retrieval can be performed in accordance with the retrieval conditions thus set. According to the present invention, the user, in the setting of retrieval conditions, is capable of freely connecting preconditions, which represent the desired conditions with regard to attribute signals in a data base, using one or a plurality of MEAN, MIN and MAX operations. Accordingly, it is possible to set retrieval conditions that fully reflect the intentions of the user. Moreover, fuzzy retrieval processing in accordance with retrieval conditions set by the user is executed and retrieved results reflecting the intentions of the user are obtained.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A fuzzy retrieval apparatus comprising:
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a data base in which a plurality of types of attribute signals with respect to an item of a plurality of items are registered in advance for each item; means for setting signals representing a retrieval condition which comprises at least two preconditions each indicating a desired condition relating to at least one of the plurality of types of the attribute signals, and a connecting condition that connects these preconditions; membership operating means for producing degree-of-membership signals that indicate the degrees to which an attribute signal conforms to set preconditions; MEAN operating means for producing and outputting a signal indicating a mean value of a plurality of applied degree-of-membership signals; MIN operating means for selecting and outputting a signal, which indicates a minimum value, from a plurality of applied degree-of-membership signals; MAX operating means for selecting and outputting a signal, which indicates a maximum value, from a plurality of applied degree-of-membership signals, and control means for applying the degree-of-membership signals obtained from the membership operating means to at least one of the MEAN operating means, MIN operating means and MAX operating means in accordance with a predetermined connecting condition, and outputting a degree-of-concurrence signal obtained from a final stage of at least one of the MEAN operating means, MIN operating means and MAX operating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fuzzy retrieval method, comprising the steps of:
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registering, in a data base, in advance for each item of a plurality of items, a plurality of types of attribute signals with respect to an item of said plurality of items; setting signals representing a retrieval condition comprising a plurality of preconditions indicating desired conditions relating to at least one of the plurality of types of attribute signals, and a connecting condition that connects these preconditions; producing signals representing degrees of membership that indicate the degrees to which an attribute signal conforms to a predetermined precondition; executing at least one of a MEAN operation, MIN operation and MAX operation in accordance with a predetermined connecting condition and with regard to the degree-of-membership signals obtained from membership operating means, wherein the MEAN operation is for producing a signal indicating a mean value of the degree-of-membership signals, the MIN operation is for selecting a signal, which indicates a minimum value, from the degree of membership signals, and the MAX operation is for selecting a signal, which indicates a maximum value, from the degree-of-membership signals, and outputting a signal representing the degree of concurrence obtained by executing the operation.
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Specification