Interval set clustering

摘要

Rough k-means clustering describes uncertainty by assigning some objects to more than one cluster. Rough cluster quality index based on decision theory is applicable to the evaluation of rough clustering. In this paper we analyze rough k-means clustering with respect to the selection of the threshold, the value of risk for assigning an object and uncertainty of objects. According to the analysis, clusters presented as interval sets with lower and upper approximations in rough k-means clustering are not adequate to describe clusters. This paper proposes an interval set clustering based on decision theory. Lower and upper approximations in the proposed algorithm are hierarchical and constructed as outer-level approximations and inner-level ones. Uncertainty of objects in out-level upper approximation is described by the assignment of objects among different clusters. Accordingly, ambiguity of objects in inner-level upper approximation is represented by local uniform factors of objects. In addition, interval set clustering can be improved to obtain a satisfactory clustering result with the optimal number of clusters, as well as optimal values of parameters, by taking advantage of the usefulness of rough cluster quality index in the evaluation of clustering. The experimental results on synthetic and standard data demonstrate how to construct clusters with satisfactory lower and upper approximations in the proposed algorithm. The experiments with a promotional campaign for the retail data illustrates the usefulness of interval set clustering for improving rough k-means clustering results.