Fuzzy inference apparatus

A fuzzy inference engine for performing fuzzy inference in accordance with a plurality of preset rules, each rule including at least one antecedent and a consequent, comprising:

• a plurality of inference sections respectively associated with said plurality of preset rules, each inference section comprising at least one:
• membership function element for outputting, in accordance with an antecedent of each said rule, a signal representing a membership function value corresponding to each input signal supplied thereto;
• first operation means for each preset rule for performing a first predetermined operation relating to the antecedent of the rule, on signals outputted from the membership function elements of the rule to produce a first signal;
• setting means for each preset rule for generating a center signal corresponding to a value representing a center position of a membership function of the consequent of each said rule;
• first arithmetic means for combining said first signal and said center signal to produce a second signal representing the product, for each said rule, of a value represented by said second signal and the value representing the center position set by said setting means, wherein said first arithmetic means comprises a multiplier;
• second arithmetic means for summing the second signals for each of said inference sections to produce a third signal, wherein said second arithmetic means comprises an adder;
• third arithmetic means for summing the second signals for each of said interference sections to produce a fourth signal, wherein said third arithmetic means comprises an adder;
• and
• fourth arithmetic means for dividing said third signal by said fourth signal to produce an output signal representing the result of the performance of the fuzzy inference, wherein said fourth arithmetic means comprises a divider.

A fuzzy inference engine for performing fuzzy inference in accordance with a plurality of preset rules, each rule including at least one antecedent and a consequent, comprising

• a plurality of inference sections respectively associated with said plurality of preset rules, each inference section comprising at least one:
• membership function element for outputting, in accordance with an antecedent of each said rule, a signal representing a membership function value corresponding to each input signal supplied thereto;
• first operation means for each preset rule for performing a first predetermined operation relating to the antecedent of the rule, on signals outputted from the membership function elements of the rule to produce a first signal;
• setting means for each preset rule for generating a center signal corresponding to a value representing a center position of a membership function of the consequent of each said rule;
• first arithmetic means for combining said first signal and said center signal to produce a second signal representing the product, for each said rule, of a value represented by said second signal and the value representing the center position set by said setting means;
• second arithmetic means for summing the second signals for each of said inference sections to produce a third signal;
• third arithmetic means for summing the second signals for each of said interference sections to produce a fourth signal;
• fourth arithmetic means for dividing said third signal by said fourth signal to produce an output signal representing the result of the performance of the fuzzy inference;
• and
• wherein said setting means and first arithmetic means comprise a plurality of resistors connected in parallel and a selector for selectively connecting one of said resistors to said first operating means and to said second arithmetic means in accordance with the consequent of a preset rule.