Study of weak fuzzy automaton homomorphisms

on single input fuzzy automata

S.S.Dhure
Department of Mathematics and Statistics,
Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai
Maharashtra, India-400020
ssdhure@rediffmail.com

Abstract
In this paper we have defined input-connected fuzzy automaton and
established that in an input connected fuzzy automaton, element of an
orbit maps to an element of the orbit under the weak fuzzy automaton
endomorphism. Further, if an input x is unicore in the fuzzy automaton,
then the number of weak fuzzy automaton endomorphisms of A(x) is equal
to the number of states.

Key Words: Weak fuzzy automaton homomorphism(isomorphism), unicore

input, input connected fuzzy automaton.

1 Introduction
In([2],[3]) Fleck has studied homomorphisms and isomorphisms of crisp au-
tomata especially for strongly connected automata. Many researchers have
worked on number of isomorphisms of crisp as well as fuzzy automaton. But
the problem of finding the number of homomorphisms of fuzzy automaton is
still unanswered. In this paper we make an attempt to find the number of weak
fuzzy automaton for fuzzy automaton with single input. We used the idea of
orbits and hands to find this number. We have defined input-connected fuzzy
automaton and discussed some properties such as an element of an orbit maps
to an element of the orbit under the weak fuzzy automaton endomorphism. The
number of weak fuzzy automaton endomorphisms of A(x) equals the number of
states of A, if x is an unicore input in A.

1
2 Preliminaries
Preliminary definitions and notations are presented in this section. Recall that,
ifA and B are two sets, then the fuzzy relation from A to B is a fuzzy subset
µ of A × B i.e.µ : A × B → [0, 1]. The number µ(a, b) denotes the degree to
which a is related to b.

Definition 2.1. A fuzzy relation µ from A to B is said to be complete, if for

each a ∈ A, there exists b ∈ B such that µ(a, b) > 0. A complete fuzzy relation
µ is said to be fuzzy function, if for each a ∈ A, there is unique b ∈ B such
that µ(a, b) > 0.

Definition 2.2. [4] A fuzzy automaton is a triplet A = (Q, Σ, µ), where Q

is a nonempty finite set called set of states, Σ is a nonempty finite set called
set of inputs and µ is a fuzzy function from Q × Σ to Q called state transition
function.

If A = (Q, Σ, µ) is a fuzzy automaton, then the fuzzy function µ is extended

to a fuzzy function µ∗ from (Q × Σ∗ ) to Q as : for all p, q ∈ Q, a ∈ Σ, x ∈
Σ∗ , µ∗ (p, ax, q) = µ(p, a, r) ∧ µ∗ (r, x, q), r ∈ Q.
Here onwards in this paper we write µ for both µ and µ∗ without any am-
biguity.

Definition 2.3. Let A1 = (Q1 , Σ1 , µ1 ) and A2 = (Q2 , Σ2 , µ2 ) be two fuzzy

automata. A a pair (f, g) of maps where f : Q1 → Q2 , g : Σ1 → Σ2 , is called
fuzzy automaton homomorphism from A1 to A2 , i.e. (f, g) : A1 → A2 , if
∀(p, x, q) ∈ Q1 × Σ∗1 × Q1 , µ2 (f (p), g(x), f (q)) = µ1 (p, x, q).

In case of an identity function g on Σ ,we shall denote the homomorphism

by f : A1 → A2 .

Definition 2.4. A pair of maps (f, g) : A1 → A2 is said to be weak fuzzy au-

tomaton homomorphism if ∀(p, x, q) ∈ Q1 × Σ∗1 × Q1 ,we have µ1 (p, x, q) >
0 ⇒ µ2 (f (p), g(x), f (q)) > 0.

A (weak) fuzzy automaton homomorphism (f, g) from A1 to A2 is said to

be (weak) fuzzy automaton isomorphism, if both f and g are bijective
functions. We shall adopt the following notations throughout the paper

N1 : H F (A → B) denotes the set of all fuzzy automaton homomorphisms from

A to B and W H F (A → B) denotes the set of all weak fuzzy automaton
homomorphisms from A to B

2
N2 : IsF (A → B) denotes the set of all fuzzy automaton isomorphisms from
A to B and W IsF (A → B) denotes the set of all weak fuzzy automaton
isomorphisms from A to B

N3 : E F (A) denotes the set of all fuzzy automaton endomorphisms on A and

W E F (A) denotes the set of all weak fuzzy automaton endomorphisms on
A

N4 : GF (A) denotes the set of all fuzzy automaton automorphisms on A and

W GF (A) denotes the set of all weak fuzzy automaton automorphisms on
A

Let A = (Q, Σ, µ) be a fuzzy automaton and M ⊆ Q. Then the successor

of M is the set S(M ) = {p ∈ Q|µ(q, x, p) > 0, for some (q, x) ∈ M × Σ∗ } and
x-successor of M is the set Sx (M ) = {p ∈ Q|µ(q, xk , p) > 0, for some q ∈
M and k ∈ N ∪ {0}}, where x0 = . We denote the successor of {q} by S(q) and
the x-successor of {q} by Sx (q).

Definition 2.5. A fuzzy automaton B = (R, Σ, λ) is called a subautomaton

of automaton A = (Q, Σ, µ), if R ⊆ Q, S(R) = R and µ|R×Σ×R = λ
This subautomaton is called seperated if S(Q − R) ∩ R = ∅

Definition 2.6. A fuzzy automaton A = (Q, Σ, µ) is said to be connected, if

A has no proper seperated subautmaton.

Definition 2.7. Let A = (Q, Σ, µ) be any fuzzy automaton, q ∈ Q, x ∈ Σ∗ .

The x-path of q is the subautomaton Ox (q) = (Sx (q), {x}, µ0 ), where µ0 is the
restriction of µ to Sx (q) × {x} × Sx (q).

Definition 2.8. The x circle of q is the subautomaton Cx (q) = (Sxc (q), {x}, µ0 ),
where Sxc (q) = {t ∈ Sx (q) : µ(q, xk , t) > 0 and µ(q, xm , t) > 0, for some integer
m > k} and µ0 is the restriction of µ to Sxc (q) × {x} × Sxc (q) .

The x - path of q, Ox (q) is said to be orbit, if Ox (q) = Cx (q).

3 Weak fuzzy automaton endomorphisms

Definition 3.1. [6] Let A = (q, Σ, µ) be a fuzzy automaton and R ⊆ Q. The
core of R, µ(R) , is the set µ(R) = {q ∈ R|D(q) ⊆ R}.
We shall denote µ({p}) by µ(p).

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 Note that for any q ∈ Q, µ(q) = φ or µ(q) = {q}. Let A(x) be a fuzzy
automaton. Then the core number of x, core (x), is the number of q ∈ Q such
that µ(q) = {q}. If core(x)= 1, then x is called an unicore in A.
Let C(x) be a component of A(x) and Co (x) be orbit in C(x). We call an orbit
Co (x) a self-loop, if |Co (x)| = 1.

Example 3.1. Consider Q = {q1 , q2 , q3 , q4 }, Σ = {x, y} and µ is defined as

follows.

y, 0.2

y, 0.9
q1 q4

y, 0.4
x, 0.4 x, 0.1 x, 0.3 x, 0.1

q2 q3
y, 0.6

Figure 1: Fuzzy automaton

In this automaton we have core(y) =2, core(x) = 0. A(x) is not connected, it

has 2 components (both are orbits), whereas A(y) is connected. Further, Co (y)
is a self-loop.

Theorem 3.1. (i) If A(x) is connected, then A(x) contain only one orbit.
(ii) If A(x) is not connected, then each component of A(x) contain only one
orbit.

If p ∈ Q is a state in the component C(x) (or orbit Co (x)), then for the ease,
we shall write it as p ∈ C(x) (or p ∈ Co (x)).

Lemma 3.2. Let p ∈ Co (x) and µ(p, xk , q) > 0, for some k ∈ N and q ∈ Q.
Then q ∈ Co (x).

Proof. Suppose q 6∈ Co (x). Then there is a r ∈ Co (x) such that µ(r, x, q1 ) > 0
and µ(r, x, q2 ) > 0 with q1 6= q2 . This is impossible.

4
Theorem 3.3. Let A(x) be a connected fuzzy automaton and Co (x) be an
orbit in A(x). Then Co (x) is a self-loop if and only if there is a constant weak
fuzzy automaton homomorphism on A(x).

Proof. Let h ∈ W E F (A(x)) be such that h is constant. Suppose Co (x) is not a

self-loop. Then |Co (x)| > 1.

x, 0.1
q

x, 0.3

x, 0.1 x, 0.4
q1 q2 p
x, 0.4

Figure 2:

Let p, q ∈ Co (x), p 6= q and µ(p, x, q) > 0. Then µ(p, xk , p) > 0 with k > 1.
Thus µ(h(p), x, h(q)) > 0 and µ(h(p), xk , h(q)) > 0. i.e. µ(r, x, r) > 0 and
µ(r, xk , r) > 0, where h(p) = h(q) = r. By uniqueness of orbit in A(x), we
have p = q = r. Which is a contradiction. Conversely, suppose that Co (x) is
a self-loop and q ∈ Co (x). Then the map p ,→ q,∀p ∈ Q is the required weak
fuzzy automaton homomorphism on A(x).

Corollary 3.3.1. Let Ci (x), i = 1, 2, . . . , n be n components of A(x). If h ∈

W E F (A(x)) such that h is constant, then the orbit Coi (x) in Ci (x) is a loop,
for some i = 1, 2, . . . , n.

Theorem 3.4. Let A(x) be a connected fuzzy automaton and h ∈ W E F (A(x)).

If p ∈ Co (x), then h(p) ∈ Co (x).

Proof. Let k ∈ N such that µ(p, xk , p) > 0. Then µ(h(p), xk , h(p)) > 0. There-
fore, h(p) ∈ Co (x).

Corollary 3.4.1. Let h ∈ W E F (A(x)) and Ci (x), i = 1, 2, . . . , n be components

of A(x) and let Coi (x) be an orbit in Ci (x). If p ∈ Coi (x), for some i, then
h(p) ∈ Coj (x), for some j.

Definition 3.2. Let A = (Q, Σ, µ) be fuzzy automaton and x ∈ Σ. Then A is

said to be x-connected, if A(x) is connected.

5
 Clearly every x-connected fuzzy automaton is a connected fuzzy automaton,
but not conversely.

Definition 3.3. Let C(x) be a component of A(x) and q 6∈ Co (x). The hand,
Hx (q), of C(x) beginning at q with end HxE (q) ∈ Co (x) is a fuzzy automaton
Hx (q) = (Z, {x}, µ0 ), where µ0 = µ|Z×{x}×Z , Z = (Sx (q) − Co (x)) ∪ {HxE (q)}
and HxE (q) is a state p ∈ Co (x) such that µ(q, xk , p) > 0 with least nonnegative
integer k. In this case the value k is called the length of the hand Hx (q). We
shall write it as k = L(Hx (q)).

A component C(x) of a fuzzy automaton A is said to be circular, if it does

not have any hand. i.e. C(x) = Co (x).
Note that core(x) is the number of hands in A(x).

Definition 3.4. Let r ∈ Hx (q). Then the distance of r from Co (x) is defined
to be the least positive integer l such that µ(r, xl , HxE (q)) > 0. We denote it as
LHx (r) = l. We also take LHx (r) = 0, if r ∈ Co (x).

For the sake of convenience, we shall write Hx (qn ) = {HxE (qn ), q1 , q2 , . . . , qn },

where q1 , q2 , . . . , qn are numbered in such a way that LHx (qi ) = i, i = 1, 2, . . . , n.
For simplicity, we write H(q) for Hx (q) and LH (r) for LHx (r) when there is no
ambiguity.
If H1 and H2 are two hands, then we define their union and intersection as
follows, H1 ∪ H2 = (QH1 ∪ QH2 , {x}, µ0 ), where µ0 = µ|QH1 ∪QH2 ×{x}×QH1 ∪QH2
and H1 ∩ H2 = (QH1 ∩ QH2 , {x}, µ0 ), where µ0 = µ|QH1 ∩QH2 ×{x}×QH1 ∩QH2 .
We may order the hands Hi (qimi ) ≥ Hj (qjmj ) for i ≥ j (by numbering), if
|Hi (qimi )| ≥ |Hj (qjmj )|, here |Hi (qimi )| denotes the number of states in the
hand Hi (qimi ).

Example 3.2. Consider Q = {o0 , o1 , o2 , o3 , 04 , q11 , q12 , q21 , q22 , q31 , q32 , q33 , q42 , q43 , q44 },
Σ = {x} and µ is defined as follows.

6
 q33
q22

x, 0.2
x, 0.1
q32

q21 x, 0.5
q31
x, 0.8
q44
x, 0.9
x, 0.3
o2
x, 0.3 x, 0.9
q43
x, 0.7
o1 o3
q42
x, 0.6 x, 0.5 x, 0.7

x, 0.5 x, 0.1
q12 q11 o0 o4

x, 0.1

Figure 3: x-connected

Here, H1 = H1 (q12 ) = {o0 , q11 , q12 }, H1E = o0 ,L(H1 ) = 2, |H1 | = 3

H2 = H2 (q22 ) = {o2 , q21 , q22 }, H2E = o2 ,L(H2 ) = 2, |H2 | = 3
H3 = H3 (q33 ) = {o2 , q31 , q32 , q33 }, H3E = o2 ,L(H3 ) = 3, |H3 | = 4
H4 = H4 (q44 ) = {o0 , q11 , q42 , q43 , q44 }, H4E = o0 ,L(H4 ) = 4, |H4 | = 5
H1 ∩ H4 = automaton with state set {o0 , q11 }, H2 ∪ H3 = automaton with state
set {o2 , q21 , q22 , q31 , q32 , q33 }.
LH1 (q11 ) = 1, LH4 (q43 ) = 3, LH2 (o2 ) = 0, Do (H1 , H4 ) = 0, Do (H2 , H1 ) = 3
and so on.

Example 3.3. Consider Q = {o10 , o11 , o20 , o21 , 022 , q111 , q112 , q211 , q212 , q221 , q222 , q223 , q121 ,
q122 , q123 }, Σ = {x} and µ is defined as follows.

7
 q123
x, 0.4 q223

q122 x, 0.1
x, 0.7 q212 q222
x, 0.3
q121 x, 0.5
x, 0.6 q211 q221
x, 0.5
o11 x, 0.6
o21
x, 0.9 x, 0.7
x, 0.8 x, 0.6

x, 0.5 x, 0.1
q112 q111 o10 o20 o22

x, 0.9

Figure 4: Fuzzy automaton not x-connected

There are 2 components C1 and C2 with Co1 = {o10 , o11 } and Co2 =
{o20 , o21 , o22 } For any hand Hx (q), if HxE (q) ∈ Co (x) then we say Hx (q) is
a hand corresponding to the orbit Co (x).

Lemma 3.5. Let H1 and H2 be two hands corresponding to an orbit Co (x) of

A(x). If q1 ∈ H1 − Co (x) and q2 ∈ H2 − Co (x), then µ(q1 , xk , q2 ) = 0, for any
integers k ≥ 0.
k
Theorem 3.6. Let h ∈ W E F (A(x)). If h(r) = s, for r, s ∈
S
Hi (qi ). Then
i=1
LHi (r) ≥ LHj (s).

Proof. Let LHi (r) = mi , LHj (r) = mj and |Co (x)| = n. Then µ(r, xmi , HiE ) >
0. Therefore µ(s, xmi , h(HiE )) > 0 and hence due to Theorem 3.4, h(HiE ) ∈
Co (x). This is possible only if mi ≥ mj .

Theorem 3.7. If x is an unicore in the fuzzy automaton A, then |W E F (A(x))| =

|Q|.

Proof. Let {q1 , q2 , . . . , qn } be the state set of Co (x) and {qn , qn+1 , . . . , qn+k } be
state set of H(qn+k ).
Let S = {h1 , h2 , . . . , hn+k }, where hi (qn+k ) = qi and h(q) = p, if µ(qn+k , xm , q)∧

8
µ(qi , xm , p) > 0. Clearly (by definition) S ⊆ W E F (A(x)).
Let h ∈ W E F (A(x)) and h(qn+k ) = qj . Let q ∈ Q with µ(qn+k , xm , q) > 0.
Then µ(qj , xm , h(q)) > 0. Also µ(qj , xm , hj (q)) > 0. Therefore h(q) = hj (q),
which implies that h = hj .

4 Conclusion
1. If A(x) is connected, then A(x) contain only one orbit.

2. In an input connected fuzzy automaton, element of an orbit maps to an

element of the orbit under the weak fuzzy automaton endomorphism.

3. If an input x is unicore in the fuzzy automaton, then the number of weak

fuzzy automaton endomorphisms of A(x) is equal to the number of states.

References
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tomata,J. ACM 15(1),135-158, (Jan.1968).

[2] Fleck A.C., Isomorphism Groups of Automata, J. ACM 9(4),469-476,

(Oct.1962).

[3] Fleck A.C., On the Automorphism Group of an Automaton, J. ACM

12(4),566-569, (Oct.1965).

[4] Kumbhojkar H. V. and Chaudhari S. R. , On Proper Fuzzificztion of Finite

State Machine, Int. Journal of Fuzzy Mathematics,8(4),1019-1027, Decem-
ber 2000.

[5] Mordeson J. N. and Malik D. S.(2002), Fuzzy Automata and Languages:

Theory and Applications ,Chapman and Hall / CRC, Boca Raton, London.

[6] Srivastava A. K. and Tiwari S. P., On another decomposition of fuzzy

automata, Journal of Uncertain Systems, 5(1), pp 33-37, (2011).