2012 IEEE International Conference on Granular Computing
Knowledge Approximations and Representations in
Binary Granular Computing
Zehua Chen Tsau young Lin
Department ofAutomation, Department of Computer
Taiyuan Univ. of Technology, Science, San Jose State Univer­
Taiyuan, Shanxi, China sity, San Jose, CA, USA
email : chenzehua@tyut. edu.cn email : tylin@cs. s;su. edu
Abstract-The primary goal of this paper is to develop
knowledge approximations and representations on binary
relation from the view of granular computing (GrC). In
rough sets (RS), approximations can be defined by two
equivalent views, topology and elementary knowledge.
The latter view does not behave well mathematically, so
in GrC, topology has often been adopted. Unfortunately,
such approximations, called closure and interior, can not
be interpreted elementary knowledge. In this paper, we
show that they can be interpreted by central knowledge.
and based on which knowledge representation is devel­
oped. Many examples are used to illustrate the idea.
Keywords-approximation; rough set; binary granular
computing
I. INTRODUCTION
Approximation is a most important concept in
Rough Set (RS) theory. Prof. Pawlak defined it in two
equivalent ways[l1, from view of elementary set and
from topological space. Most RS concepts were based
on the set definition.
There are many studies focus on generalized RS and
Granular Computing [2.3.41.
Lin suggested Granular Computing (GrC) to follow
Zadeh's Granular Mathematicsrs1. In 1989, He firstly
studies database from view of neighborhood system [21.
Now he has established 9 GrC mathematical models[71.
In this paper we mainly study the knowledge approxi­
mation and representation theories of binary/3rd GrC
model_ the binary relation based Grc. Firstly, binary
relation and binary neighborhood system[21 were intro­
duced. Then, center set and central knowledge are de­
fined. The third, binary knowledge representation sys­
tem (B-KRS) was built. Different from knowledge
representation system in RS, the information in B-KRS
is lost compared with original binary knowledge base.
However, once the B-KRS is built, knowledge reduc­
tion and association rule discovery for binary know­
ledge base can be done. At last, approximations in bi­
nary granular computing were defined by closure and
interior, which can be interpreted as approximation of
central knowledge instead of the elementary know-
978-1-4673-2311-6/12/$31.00 ©2012 IEEE
Gang Xie
Department ofAutomation,
Taiyuan Univ. of Technology,
Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
email : xiegang@tyut. edu. cn
ledge. Some examples are given to illustrate all the
definitions mentioned above.
II. BINARY GRANULAR COMPUTING
A. Binary Relation and Binary Neighborhood System
Definition}: binary relation and equivalent relation
Let B<;;; VxU be a binary relation, XE V is B-related
to y E U if ( X,Y)E B , denoted by xBy. If V= U, then
say B is a binary relation over U.
B is an equivalent relation marked as E if B satisfies:
(1) Reflectivity: VXE U, ( X,X)E B;
(2) Symmetric: VX,YE U,if(x,Y)E B, then( y,x)E B;
(3) Transitivity:
VX,y,zE U,if(X,Y)E B, ( y,Z)E B, then ( X,Z)E B
X is E-related to y if (x,y) E E, denoted by xEy.
Definition2: binary neighborhood system and partition
Let B be a binary relation over U, for each object
pE u, U={l,2, oo. p, oo. n}, 1:::; P:::; n, we associate a
binary subset NB(p) <;;; U
NB(p)={UE UI(p,U)E B} (1)
NB (P) is consist of elements u that related to p by B,
Ns(P) is called the right neighborhood of p, corres­
pondingly, left neighborhood can be defined, in this
paper, we just mentioned right neighborhood system,
for simplicity, just call it neighborhood in short.
The set {Ns(P)[P E U} for all the points p E U is de­
fined as the binary neighborhood system (BNS)[61.
Let E be an equivalent relation over U, for each ob­
ject pE U , we associate a subset NE(p) <;;; U , where
NE(P) =[P]E={uE U I(p,U)E E} is consist of elements u
that related to p by E , fp]E represents the equivalent
class of p. Binary neighborhood system {fp]E[P E U}
form a partition over U, marked as 1[E'
B. Quotient Set and Quotient Structure
Definition 3 to 9 can be traced back to [2,6,7,8,9].
Definition 7 is defined in this paper to express upper
and lower approximation of binary relation from view
of center set and topology.
Definition 3: derived partition and center set
For a given binary relation B, let U,PE U, an
equivalent relation EB is defmed by:
(U,p)E EB ¢:::} NB(u)=NB(p)
It is easy to prove that EB is an equivalent relation
derived by B. Correspondingly, the partition ?rE gener-
B
ated by EB is defined as derived partition[7], shown as
equation 3:
(3)
Where
[ plEB ={u 1 NB(p)= NB(u),U,pE U}
C(p)=[ plBE (5)
In equation 5, C(P)is defined as Center Set.
When we give center set a meaningful name, the
center set will turn into central knowledge.
In RS, equivalent relation E is a special case of bi­
nary relation B, and ?rE become?rE•
B
[7 ]
Definition4: Quotient Set and Quotient Structure .
In Binary Granular Computing, Quotient Set Q is
generated by equivalent relation EB.
In quotient set, equivalent class [ plE is turned into a
B terpretation for topological defmition.
point qp.
Intuitively, [ plE is white box, and qp, the black box.
B
There exists a natural project P: U --t Q or pH q ,
where pE U, qpE Q.
Derived partition ?rE is composed of [ plE or C (P)
B B
(white boxes, subset), and the quotient set Q, by qp
(black box, points). We express white box with {*},
and black box, [{*}]. So, q =[[ PlE l, P(P)= qp ;
p B
q" =[[u lEJ P(u)= q ll'
Let q",q E Q, a binary relation B Q over Q will in­
p qE C(q),C (q) S;;; U{C(p) 1 pE U , NB(p) e X}
duce quotient structure, it is defined by binary relation
over V:
where, iE [uh ' kE [ ph , quotient structure
fined by equation 7.
NB(qp ) = NB([[P hB]) = {fluhB 11 ([[p lEB l,[[u hB]) E B} (7)
= {P(u) I(p, U) E B} = {P(u) IUE NB(p)}
C. Binary Knowledge Representation System (B-KRS)
Definition 5: Binary Knowledge Base and B-KRS
Let B-K=(U,B) be a binary knowledge base, U is
universe, B is a family of binary relation.
Let B-KRS=(U,B,Q,f,c), where U is the universe, B
a family of binary relation, Q the quotient set./is nam­
ing function or information function, and C, the set of
concept. In this paper, / is originally act on
point qp E Q , and then Q become knowledge Set Qk.
/oP:U --t C also map the elements of U into C.
Quite different from knowledge representation in
(2)
RS, binary knowledge representation system has lost
some information in binary knowledge base. How to
continue knowledge discovery on binary knowledge
representation system should attract more attention.
D. Approximations in Binary Granular Computing
Definition 6: approximations by topology
(4) Let X be an arbitrary subset over U, p an arbitrary
point in U. If NB (P) is none empty and NB (P)s;;;X, then
p is an interior of X.
From topological space, X. and X· are defined as
(8)
X.={pE UINB(p)1'¢,NB(p)s;;;X}
· (9)
x ={pE U 1 NB(p) * ¢,NB(p) n X * ¢}
The topological definition here is different from that
in RS, and it also has no knowledge explanation. In
this section, we redefine it by Center Set, just as shown
in definition 7, it will provide artificial intelligent in­
Definition 7: approximations by Center Sets
Center Set can be used to define upper and lower
p
approximation with artificial intelligent explanation.
x. =U{C(p) 1 pE U,NB(p) * ¢,NB(p) S;;; X} (10)
X· = U{C(p) 1 pE u, VNB(p) * ¢,::iyE NB(p) n X * ¢} (11)
Proof (1):
(La) If xE C (P), then NB(P)=NB(x) eX, from definition
5, we have xE X" so U C(P)s;;;X'o
(1. b) If qE X" for any none empty subset NB(q) s;;;X,
so q E U {C(P)I p E u, NB(P) S;;; X} and thus
X .s;;;UC(p).
(6)
Proof (2):
is de­
'
(2. a) VPE X', pE C(p), so x s;;; UC(p).
(2.b) Let qE C(p) , then NB(P)=NB(q), from definition 5,
qE X· , for q is an arbitrary set in C(P),
so C(p) S;;; x' , and thus UC(p) S;;; x' .
Attention Please: 1. The points with empty neigh­
borhoods were not included in upper and lower ap­
proximation of any subset X. 2. The topological ap­
proximation in binary relation has different meaning
compared with that in RS.
From definition 6 and 7, it's easy to get definition8.
Definition 8: Center Set definition for RS
If B is equivalent relation E, we have:
X.={xIC(x)=[ xl£ <:;;; X} =U{ [ xh I[ xl£ <:;;; X} ( 12)
X' ={xlC(X)=[X]Enx;t:¢}
( 13 )
=U{[x]EI[x]EEPEB and [x]Enx;t:¢}
Definition 8 is as same as Prof. Pawlak's two defini­
tions in RS, it is obviously that approximation in RS is
a special case for that of Binary Grc. Two definitions
of approximations in RS can be united by Center Set.
III. EXAMPLES FOR BINARY GRC
In this section, 5 examples will be given to illustrate
all the basic definitions in binary GrC, especially for
center set-based approximation definitions.
A. Binary Relation and Binary Neighborhood System
Egl: Let U={l,2,3,4,5},B<:;;;UxU :
B={(1,l), (1,2), (1,3), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,3), (3,4),
(3,5), (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (5,3), (5,4), (5,5)}
Please find neighborhood system generated by B.
3 4 5U
Fig 1 BNS for a given binary relation
From definition 2:
NB(p)={uE UI(p,U)E B}
Whenp=l, NB(I)={uE UI(I,u)E B}
According to B={(l,l), (1,2), (1,3), (2,1), (2,2),
(2,3), (3,3), (3,4), (3,5), (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (5,3), (5,4),
(5,5)}
(I,U)E B, when u=l, u=2, and u=3
So we have:
Ns(1)={1,2,3};
For the same reason:
Ns(2)={1,2,3};
Ns(3)={3,4,5};
Ns(4)={3,4,5};
Ns(5)={3,4,5}.
And thus, neighborhood system is as follows:
NBS={ Ns(1), Ns(2), Ns(3), Ns(4), Ns(5)}
Fig 1 can be got directly from binary relation B, and
the "crosses" in the lattice point represent B over U. It
can also be observed from Fig1 that all the vertical
coordination of these "crosses" in each column form
the binary neighborhood of the corresponding point in
the horizontal axis. For example, for point 1 in hori­
zontal axis, its binary neighborhood includes all the
vertical coordination of the "crosses" in this column,
such as 1,2 and 3 , we circle and mark it by Ns(1). All
circles in Fig1 form the binary neighborhood system.
Binary relation B realizes the mapping from a point
to a binary neighborhood and from universe to a binary
UU
neighborhood system. B:p � Ns(P); U � 2 .
Fig 1 directly describe we can use binary neighbor­
hood system to study binary relation.
E. Quotient Set and Quotient Structure
Eg2: Let U={1,2,3,4,5},B<:;;;UxU,
B={(1,l), (1,2), (1,3), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,3), (3,4),
(3,5), (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (5,3), (5,4), (5,5)}
Please fmd its quotient set and quotient structure.
(1) Find quotient set.
From Eg1, it can be seen:
Ns(1)= Ns(2)={1,2,3}; Ns(3)= Ns(4)= Ns(5)={3,4,5}
According to defmition 3, the derived partition is:
lC£B ={{l,2},{3,4,5}}, and the Center Set:
C(1)=C(2)={1,2}; C(3)=C(4)=C(5)={3,4,5}
Let[ {1,2}]= q" [{3,4,5}]}=q2 ,then quotient set
Q={q" q2}
For a natural mapping P: U --t Q
P (1)= P (2)= q" P (3)= P (4)= P (5)= q2
(2) Find the quotient structure.
From definition 4
NB Q(q)={P(U)IUE NB(p) U,PE U} , qE Q ={ qb q2}.
q=a, p={1,2} Ns(1)=Ns(2)={l,2,3}
u =l, IE Ns(l) P(1)= q, ;
u =2, 2E Ns(l) P(2)= q,;
u =3, 3E Ns(l) P(3)= q2;
u =4, 4e Ns(1) P(4)= q2
u =5, 5e Ns(l) P(5)= q2
So, NB Q(ql)={ql,qJ.
For the same reason: NB Q(q2)={qJ, So, the quo­
tient structure is {( q" q,),( q" q2),( q2, q2)}'
C. Binary Knowledge Representation System
Naming a meaningful name c for each point qp in Q,
this step is realized by map: j(q)=c. f is naming func­
tion and C={c}, the set of concept. In this paper f is
originally defmed on the point in quotient set, howev­
er,fo P: U --t C can also map the elements of U into C.
 Eg3: Let U={ 1,2,3,4,5}, B c:;;; Ux U ,
B={(1,I), (1,2), (1,3), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,3),
(3,4), (3,5), (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (5,3), (5,4), (5,5)}
Please build binary knowledge representation sys­
tem.
Attention please: under binary relation, each ele­
ments in V may be included in different neighborhood,
for example, "3" in the universe belongs to Ns(1),
Ns(2), Ns(3), Ns(4), Ns(5) at the same time. This is
quite different from that under equivalent relation in
RS. However, each element just belongs to one center
set.
According to Eg2, we have:
P (1)= P (2)= q"
P (3)= P (4)= P (5)= q2
Let f(q,)=a; j(q2)=b
By naming function:
f pel) = f P(2) = a;
0 0
D. Approximations in Binary Granular Computing
Just as mentioned above, Prof. Pawlak defined two
equivalent knowledge approximations. In binary gra­
nular computing, the approximation definitions from
view of set theory can't get satisfied result especially
ror partial order relation[81, here an example will be
given to illustrate this idea.
Eg4: Given a binary relation "less than «)" on real
line (-00,+00) .
Please find the upper and lower approximations for
X=(100. 5, 199.85)
By equation 1.
NB(p)={UE U l(p,U)E B}
In this example B is "<", the neighborhood of an ar­
bitrary point p in V is as follows.
NAp)={UE UI(p,U)E "<" }
Usually, such as, in Calulus calls, we re-write the

equations above as follows:

f oP (3) = f oP (4) = f oP (5) = b NAp)={UE Ulp<u} = ( p,oo ) (14)
Then quotient set Q={q" q2} turns to knowledge set Now, for X=(100. 5, 199.85), the low approximation
Qk={a, b} . is: Recall from definition 6
This will result Table I. It has abundant information. X.={pE UINB(p)"# ¢,NB(p) c:;;; X}
In Table I, Es is equivalent relation generated by B on From equation (14), N« p) is a half line, it can not
V. It generates derived partition: be subset of finite interval, so X.=¢ .
lCEB ={{l,2},{3,4,5}}. Next, we shall find the upper approximation. To be
B-KRS=(U,B,Q.f,c) can't totally reflect B-K=(U,B) specific, Let p = 51.
NA5l)=(5 1,+00)
because B and B Q are not one to one correspondence.
(51,+00) n (100.5,199.85) "# ¢
Table I has the same form with Knowledge represen­
·
tation system in RS, however, the two tables are totally SO 51E X
different. The concept in the B-KRS has quotient struc­ Now, let us examine the general case. Let p be arbi­
trary point p E (-00, +00) .
ture
Now, let us ask what kind of p will satisfy the condi­
NBQ(a)={a,b} ; NBQ(b)={b}
tion:
In RST, a, b totally has no relation. ( p,oo )nx;t: q),
TALBE I B-KRS Obviously all the points that are less than 199.85
will have non-empty intersection with X.
· ·
V Es Observe that 199.85 is not in the X , The X is
open right half line.
·
1 a X = (-00,199.85)
This kind of approximation is not interesting. Be­
2 a cause for any interval of the following form
( p,199.85) for all p < 199.85, will have the
- ex:

3 b
same upper approximation and lower approximation:
·
4 b X = (-00,199.85)
X.=¢
5 b This point based/topological approximations, called
closure and interior.
Observe that equivalence classes in RS are called
elementary sets. Hence generalized equivalence classes
in Generalized RS, such as neighborhoods in this paper,
are often also called elementary sets. The knowledge
represented by such elementary sets have been called
elementary knowledge.
We have called the knowledge represented by de­
rived partition the central knowledge; note that the
equivalence class in the derived partition has been
called center set.
Observe that such point based approximations have
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This work was partially supported by National Natu­
ral Science Foundation of China (60975032), Natural
Science Foundation for Young Scientists of Shanxi
Province (2010021016-1).
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no interpretations in elementary knowledge, but has

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·
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pp I- II
is a little different with commonsense.

IV. CONCLUSION

Center Set is the key concept in this paper, based on

which, the approximations for binary granular compu­
ting is studied in detail from view of knowledge engi­
neering. Binary representation system is also built to
express binary knowledge base. Once the Binary
knowledge representation system is built, knowledge
dependency and knowledge reduction can be done, and
it can be connected with gragh theory. This will help
for the study for social network computing. Further
study is still going on.