The diameter of a fuzzy set

This paper proposes definitions of intrinsic and extrinsic diameter for fuzzy subsets which reduce to the ordinary definitions when the subsets are crisp and height and width for a fuzzy subset are defined.

Abstract

In pattern recognition one often wants to measure geometric properties of imprecisely defined subsets of an image. This paper proposes definitions of intrinsic and extrinsic diameter for fuzzy subsets which reduce to the ordinary definitions when the subsets are crisp. We also define height and width for a fuzzy subset and show how they relate to the area (i.e., integral of membership). For convex fuzzy subsets the intrinsic diameter cannot exceed the extrinsic diameter, but it can be smaller. Finally, for piecewise constant convex fuzzy subsets the intrinsic diameter cannot exceed half the fuzzy perimeter, but this need not be true in the nonconvex case.