Fuzzy information retrieval based on geometric-mean averaging operators

Fuzzy sets are very useful in information retrieval. In this paper, we point out that there are some drawbacks in the existing averaging operators (i.e., P-norm operators, infinite-one operators, and Waller-Kraft operators) to deal with AND and OR operations of fuzzy information retrieval. Furthermore, we present new averaging operators based on geometric-mean averaging (GMA) operators to deal with these drawbacks. We use some examples to compare the proposed GMA operators with the existing averaging operators. We also prove some properties of the proposed GMA operators. The proposed GMA operators can overcome the drawbacks of the existing averaging operators and easily determine an appropriate value of the parameter a, where a is either 0 or 1, for handling AND and OR operations of fuzzy information retrieval. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.