The study on alternative combination rules in Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) when evidences are in conflict has emerged again recently as an interesting topic, especially in data/information fusion applications. The earlier researches have mainly focused on investigating the alternative which would be appropriate for the conflicting situation, under the assumption that a conflict is identified. However, the current research shows that not only the combination rule but also the classical conflict coefficient in DST are not correct to determine the conflict degree between two pieces of evidences. Most existing methods of measuring conflict do not consider the open world situation, whose frame of discernment is incomplete. To solve this problem, a new conflict representation model to determine the conflict degree between evidences is proposed in the generalized power space, which contains two parameters: the conflict distance and the conflict coefficient of inconsistent evidences. This paper argues that only when the conflict measure value in the new representation model is high, it is safe to say the evidences are in conflict. Experiments illustrate the efficiency of the proposed conflict representation model.
The case when the source of information provides precise belief function/mass,within the generalized power space,has been studied by many people.However,in many decision situa-tions,the precise belief structure is not always available.In this case,an interval-valued belief degree rather than a precise one may be provided.So,the probabilistic transformation of impre-cise belief function/mass in the generalized power space including Dezert-Smarandache(DSm) model from scalar transformation to sub-unitary interval transformation and,more generally,to any set of sub-unitary interval transformation is provided.Different from the existing probabilistic transformation algorithms that redistribute an ignorance mass to the singletons involved in that ignorance pro-portionally with respect to the precise belief function or probability function of singleton,the new algorithm provides an optimization idea to transform any type of imprecise belief assignment which may be represented by the union of several sub-unitary(half-) open intervals,(half-) closed intervals and/or sets of points belonging to [0,1].Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the detailed implementation process of the new probabilistic transformation approach as well as its validity and wide applicability.
