Inference for nonlinear mapping with sparse fuzzy rules based on multi-level interpolation

An inference method is proposed for sparse fuzzy rules on the basis of interpolations at a number of points determined by α-cuts of given facts. The proposed method can perform nonlinear mapping even with sparse rule bases when each given fact activates a number of fuzzy rules which represent nonlinear relations. The operations for the nonlinear mapping are exactly the same as for the case when given facts activate no fuzzy rules due to the sparseness of rule bases. Such nonlinear mapping cannot be provided by conventional methods for sparse fuzzy rules. In evaluating the proposed method, mean square errors are adopted to indicate difference between deduced consequences and fuzzy sets transformed by nonlinear fuzzy-valued functions to be represented with sparse fuzzy rules. Simulation results show that the proposed method can follow the nonlinear fuzzy-valued functions. The proposedmethod contributes to both reducing the number of fuzzy rules and providing nonlinear mapping with sparse rule bases.