Generalized interval-valued fuzzy variable precision rough sets determined by fuzzy logical operators

The fuzzy rough set model and interval-valued fuzzy rough set model have been introduced to handle databases with real values and interval values, respectively. Variable precision rough set was advanced by Ziarko to overcome the shortcomings of misclassification and/or perturbation in Pawlak rough sets. By combining fuzzy rough set and variable precision rough set, a variety of fuzzy variable precision rough sets were studied, which cannot only handle numerical data, but are also less sensitive to misclassification. However, fuzzy variable precision rough sets cannot effectively handle interval-valued data-sets. Research into interval-valued fuzzy rough sets for interval-valued fuzzy data-sets has commenced; however, variable precision problems have not been considered in interval-valued fuzzy rough sets and generalized interval-valued fuzzy rough sets based on fuzzy logical operators nor have interval-valued fuzzy sets been considered in variable precision rough sets and fuzzy variable precision rough sets. These current models are incapable of wide application, especially on misclassification and/or perturbation and on interval-valued fuzzy data-sets. In this paper, these models are generalized to a more integrative approach that not only considers interval-valued fuzzy sets, but also variable precision. First, we review generalized interval-valued fuzzy rough sets based on two fuzzy logical operators: interval-valued fuzzy triangular norms and interval-valued fuzzy residual implicators. Second, we propose generalized interval-valued fuzzy variable precision rough sets based on the above two fuzzy logical operators. Finally, we confirm that some existing models, including rough sets, fuzzy variable precision rough sets, interval-valued fuzzy rough sets, generalized fuzzy rough sets and generalized interval-valued fuzzy variable precision rough sets based on fuzzy logical operators, are special cases of the proposed models.