arXiv subjects

Ling Shi

Publications and source records attributed to Ling Shi.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Consensus-Based Distributed Filtering with Fusion Step Analysis

For consensus on measurement-based distributed filtering (CMDF), through infinite consensus fusion operations during each sampling interval, each node in the sensor network can achieve optimal filtering performance with centralized filtering. However, due to the limited communication resources in physical systems, the number of fusion steps cannot be infinite. To deal with this issue, the present paper analyzes the performance of CMDF with finite consensus fusion operations. First, by introducing a modified discrete-time algebraic Riccati equation and several novel techniques, the convergence of the estimation error covariance matrix of each sensor is guaranteed under a collective observability condition. In particular, the steady-state covariance matrix can be simplified as the solution to a discrete-time Lyapunov equation. Moreover, the performance degradation induced by reduced fusion frequency is obtained in closed form, which establishes an analytical relation between the performance of the CMDF with finite fusion steps and that of centralized filtering. Meanwhile, it provides a trade-off between the filtering performance and the communication cost. Furthermore, it is shown that the steady-state estimation error covariance matrix exponentially converges to the centralized optimal steady-state matrix with fusion operations tending to infinity during each sampling interval. Finally, the theoretical results are verified with illustrative numerical experiments.

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arXiv2022

Coverage Control for a Multi-robot Team with Heterogeneous Capabilities using Block Coordinate Descent (BCD) Method

In this paper, we propose a coverage control system for a multi-robot team with heterogeneous capabilities to patrol or monitor a bounded environment. The capability could be defined as any criterion of robots like remaining power or mobile speed, depending on the purpose. The proposed control system aims to allocate different portions of the environment to the robots according to their capabilities, i.e., the robot with higher capability takes a larger portion of the environment while the robot with lower capability takes a smaller one. We use the block coordinate descent (BCD) method to optimize the location of portions and the partitioning method alternately. A centralized machine is used to synchronize the robots and the gradient of each robot can be computed in a distributed manner. Simulation results are provided to illustrate the performance of the proposed control system.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2021

Linear Quadratic Regulator Design for Multi-input Systems with A Distributed Cooperative Strategy

In this paper, a cooperative Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) problem is investigated for multi-input systems, where each input is generated by an agent in a network. The input matrices are different and locally possessed by the corresponding agents respectively, which can be regarded as different ways for agents to control the multi-input system. By embedding a fully distributed information fusion strategy, a novel cooperative LQR-based controller is proposed. Each agent only needs to communicate with its neighbors, rather than sharing information globally in a network. Moreover, only the joint controllability is required, which allows the multi-input system to be uncontrollable for every single agent or even all its neighbors. In particular, only one-time information exchange is necessary at every control step, which significantly reduces the communication consumption. It is proved that the boundedness (convergence) of the controller gains is guaranteed for time-varying (time-invariant) systems. Furthermore, the control performance of the entire system is ensured. Generally, the proposed controller achieves a better trade-off between the control performance and the communication overhead, compared with the existing centralized/decentralized/consensus-based LQR controllers. Finally, the effectiveness of the theoretical results is illustrated by several comparative numerical examples.

cs.MA↗

arXiv2021

Simplex Initialization: A Survey of Techniques and Trends

The simplex method is one of the most fundamental technologies for solving linear programming (LP) problems and has been widely applied to different practical applications. In the past literature, how to improve and accelerate the simplex method has attracted plenty of research. One important way to achieve this goal is to find a better initialization method for the simplex. In this survey, we aim to provide an overview about the initialization methods in the primal and dual simplex, respectively. We also propose several potential future directions about how to improve the existing initialization methods with the help of advanced learning technologies.

math.OC↗

arXiv2021

Branch and Bound in Mixed Integer Linear Programming Problems: A Survey of Techniques and Trends

In this paper, we surveyed the existing literature studying different approaches and algorithms for the four critical components in the general branch and bound (B&B) algorithm, namely, branching variable selection, node selection, node pruning, and cutting-plane selection. However, the complexity of the B&B algorithm always grows exponentially with respect to the increase of the decision variable dimensions. In order to improve the speed of B&B algorithms, learning techniques have been introduced in this algorithm recently. We further surveyed how machine learning can be used to improve the four critical components in B&B algorithms. In general, a supervised learning method helps to generate a policy that mimics an expert but significantly improves the speed. An unsupervised learning method helps choose different methods based on the features. In addition, models trained with reinforcement learning can beat the expert policy, given enough training and a supervised initialization. Detailed comparisons between different algorithms have been summarized in our survey. Finally, we discussed some future research directions to accelerate and improve the algorithms further in the literature.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2021

Privacy-Preserving Push-sum Average Consensus via State Decomposition

Average consensus is extensively used in distributed networks for computation and control, where all the agents constantly communicate with each other and update their states in order to reach an agreement. Under a general average consensus algorithm, information exchanged through wireless or wired communication networks could lead to the disclosure of sensitive and private information. In this paper, we propose a privacy-preserving push-sum approach for directed networks that can protect the privacy of all agents while achieving average consensus simultaneously. Each node decomposes its initial state arbitrarily into two substates, and their average equals to the initial state, guaranteeing that the agent's state will converge to the accurate average consensus. Only one substate is exchanged by the node with its neighbours over time, and the other one is reserved. That is to say, only the exchanged substate would be visible to an adversary, preventing the initial state information from leakage. Different from the existing state-decomposition approach which only applies to undirected graphs, our proposed approach is applicable to strongly connected digraphs. In addition, in direct contrast to offset-adding based privacy-preserving push-sum algorithm, which is vulnerable to an external eavesdropper, our proposed approach can ensure privacy against both an honest-but-curious node and an external eavesdropper. A numerical simulation is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

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arXiv2021

Optimal Unbiased Linear Sensor Fusion over Multiple Lossy Channels with Collective Observability

In this paper, we consider optimal linear sensor fusion for obtaining a remote state estimate of a linear process based on the sensor data transmitted over lossy channels. There is no local observability guarantee for any of the sensors. It is assumed that the state of the linear process is collectively observable. We transform the problem of finding the optimal linear sensor fusion coefficients as a convex optimization problem which can be efficiently solved. Moreover, the closed-form expression is also derived for the optimal coefficients. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the performance of the developed algorithm.

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arXiv2021

Multi-Party Dynamic State Estimation that Preserves Data and Model Privacy

In this paper we focus on the dynamic state estimation which harnesses a vast amount of sensing data harvested by multiple parties and recognize that in many applications, to improve collaborations between parties, the estimation procedure must be designed with the awareness of protecting participants' data and model privacy, where the latter refers to the privacy of key parameters of observation models. We develop a state estimation paradigm for the scenario where multiple parties with data and model privacy concerns are involved. Multiple parties monitor a physical dynamic process by deploying their own sensor networks and update the state estimate according to the average state estimate of all the parties calculated by a cloud server and security module. The paradigm taps additively homomorphic encryption which enables the cloud server and security module to jointly fuse parties' data while preserving the data privacy. Meanwhile, all the parties collaboratively develop a stable (or optimal) fusion rule without divulging sensitive model information. For the proposed filtering paradigm, we analyze the stabilization and the optimality. First, to stabilize the multi-party state estimator while preserving observation model privacy, two stabilization design methods are proposed. For special scenarios, the parties directly design their estimator gains by the matrix norm relaxation. For general scenarios, after transforming the original design problem into a convex semi-definite programming problem, the parties collaboratively derive suitable estimator gains based on the ADMM. Second, an optimal collaborative gain design method with model privacy guarantees is provided, which results in the asymptotic MMSE state estimation. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate our design and theoretical findings.

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arXiv2020

Mean-Field Transmission Power Control in Dense Networks

We consider uplink power control in wireless communication when a large number of users compete over the channel resources. The CDMA protocol, as a supporting technology of 3G networks accommodating signal from different sources over the code domain, represents the orthogonal multiple access (OMA) techniques. With the development of 5G wireless networks, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is introduced to improve the efficiency of channel allocation. Our goal is to investigate whether the power-domain NOMA protocol can introduce performance improvement when the users interact with each other in a non-cooperative manner. It is compared with the CDMA protocol, where the fierce competition among users jeopardizes the efficiency of channel usage. In this work, we conduct analysis with an aggregative game model, and show the existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium strategy. Next, we adopt the social welfare of the population as the performance metric, which is the average utility achieved by the user population. It is shown that under the corresponding equilibrium strategies, NOMA outperforms CDMA by higher efficiency of channel access for uplink communications.

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arXiv2020

Upper Extremity Load Reduction for Lower LimbExoskeleton Trajectory Generation Using AnkleTorque Minimization

Recently, the lower limb exoskeletons which providemobility for paraplegic patients to support their daily life havedrawn much attention. However, the pilots are required to applyexcessive force through a pair of crutches to maintain balanceduring walking. This paper proposes a novel gait trajectorygeneration algorithm for exoskeleton locomotion on flat groundand stair which aims to minimize the force applied by the pilotwithout increasing the degree of freedom (DoF) of the system.First, the system is modelled as a five-link mechanism dynam-ically for torque computing. Then, an optimization approachis used to generate the trajectory minimizing the ankle torquewhich is correlated to the supporting force. Finally, experimentis conducted to compare the different gait generation algorithmsthrough measurement of ground reaction force (GRF) appliedon the crutches

cs.RO↗

arXiv2020

Variable Stiffness Control with Strict Frequency Domain Constraints for Physical Human-Robot Interaction

Variable impedance control is advantageous for physical human-robot interaction to improve safety, adaptability and many other aspects. This paper presents a gain-scheduled variable stiffness control approach under strict frequency-domain constraints. Firstly, to reduce conservativeness, we characterize and constrain the impedance rendering, actuator saturation, disturbance/noise rejection and passivity requirements into their specific frequency bands. This relaxation makes sense because of the restricted frequency properties of the interactive robots. Secondly, a gain-scheduled method is taken to regulate the controller gains with respect to the desired stiffness. Thirdly, the scheduling function is parameterized via a nonsmooth optimization method. Finally, the proposed approach is validated by simulations, experiments and comparisons with a gain-fixed passivity-based PID method.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2020

Stochastic Event-based Sensor Schedules for Remote State Estimation in Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks

We consider the problem of communication allocation for remote state estimation in a cognitive radio sensor network~(CRSN). A sensor collects measurements of a physical plant, and transmits the data to a remote estimator as a secondary user (SU) in the shared network. The existence of the primal users (PUs) brings exogenous uncertainties into the transmission scheduling process, and how to design an event-based scheduling scheme considering these uncertainties has not been addressed in the literature. In this work, we start from the formulation of a discrete-time remote estimation process in the CRSN, and then analyze the hidden information contained in the absence of data transmission. In order to achieve a better tradeoff between estimation performance and communication consumption, we propose both open-loop and closed-loop schedules using the hidden information under a Bayesian setting. The open-loop schedule does not rely on any feedback signal but only works for stable plants. For unstable plants, a closed-loop schedule is designed based on feedback signals. The parameter design problems in both schedules are efficiently solved by convex programming. Numerical simulations are included to illustrate the theoretical results.

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arXiv2020

Learning Hidden Markov Models for Linear Gaussian Systems with Applications to Event-based State Estimation

This work attempts to approximate a linear Gaussian system with a finite-state hidden Markov model (HMM), which is found useful in solving sophisticated event-based state estimation problems. An indirect modeling approach is developed, wherein a state space model (SSM) is firstly identified for a Gaussian system and the SSM is then used as an emulator for learning an HMM. In the proposed method, the training data for the HMM are obtained from the data generated by the SSM through building a quantization mapping. Parameter learning algorithms are designed to learn the parameters of the HMM, through exploiting the periodical structural characteristics of the HMM. The convergence and asymptotic properties of the proposed algorithms are analyzed. The HMM learned using the proposed algorithms is applied to event-triggered state estimation, and numerical results on model learning and state estimation demonstrate the validity of the proposed algorithms.

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arXiv2020

Deep Reinforcement Learning for Wireless Sensor Scheduling in Cyber-Physical Systems

In many Cyber-Physical Systems, we encounter the problem of remote state estimation of geographically distributed and remote physical processes. This paper studies the scheduling of sensor transmissions to estimate the states of multiple remote, dynamic processes. Information from the different sensors have to be transmitted to a central gateway over a wireless network for monitoring purposes, where typically fewer wireless channels are available than there are processes to be monitored. For effective estimation at the gateway, the sensors need to be scheduled appropriately, i.e., at each time instant one needs to decide which sensors have network access and which ones do not. To address this scheduling problem, we formulate an associated Markov decision process (MDP). This MDP is then solved using a Deep Q-Network, a recent deep reinforcement learning algorithm that is at once scalable and model-free. We compare our scheduling algorithm to popular scheduling algorithms such as round-robin and reduced-waiting-time, among others. Our algorithm is shown to significantly outperform these algorithms for many example scenarios.

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arXiv2020

Mean-Field Transmission Power Control in Dense Networks, Part II -- Social Welfare Evaluation

We consider uplink power control in wireless communication when massive users compete over the channel resources. In Part I, we have formulated massive transmission power control contest in a mean-field game framework. In this part, our goal is to investigate whether the power-domain non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) protocol can regulate the non-cooperative channel access behaviors, i.e., steering the competition among the non-cooperative users in a direction with improved efficiency and fairness. It is compared with the CDMA protocol, which drives each user to fiercely compete against the population, hence the efficiency of channel usage is sacrificed. The existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium strategy under CDMA and NOMA have already been characterized in Part I. In this paper, we adopt the social welfare of the population as the performance metric, which is defined as the expectation of utility over the distribution of different types of channel users. It is shown that under the corresponding equilibrium strategies, NOMA outperforms CDMA in the social welfare achieved, which is illustrated through simulation with different unit price for power consumption. Moreover, it can be observed from numerical results that NOMA can improve the fairness of the achieved data rates among different users.

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arXiv2020

Optimal Scheduling of Multiple Sensors over Lossy and Bandwidth Limited Channels

This work considers the sensor scheduling for multiple dynamic processes. We consider $n$ linear dynamic processes, the state of each process is measured by a sensor, which transmits their local state estimates over wireless channels to a remote estimator with certain communication costs. In each time step, only a portion of the sensors is allowed to transmit data to the remote estimator and the packet might be lost due to unreliability of the wireless channels. Our goal is to find a scheduling policy which coordinates the sensors in a centralized manner to minimize the total expected estimation error of the remote estimator and the communication costs. We formulate the problem as a Markov decision process. We develop an algorithm to check whether there exists a deterministic stationary optimal policy. We show the optimality of monotone policies, which saves computational effort of finding an optimal policy and facilitates practical implementation. Nevertheless, obtaining an exact optimal policy still suffers from curse of dimensionality when the number of processes are large. We further provide an index-based heuristics to avoid brute force computation. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate our theoretical results.

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arXiv2019

Learning Optimal Scheduling Policy for Remote State Estimation under Uncertain Channel Condition

We consider optimal sensor scheduling with unknown communication channel statistics. We formulate two types of scheduling problems with the communication rate being a soft or hard constraint, respectively. We first present some structural results on the optimal scheduling policy using dynamic programming and assuming the channel statistics is known. We prove that the Q-factor is monotonic and submodular, which leads to the threshold-like structures in both types of problems. Then we develop a stochastic approximation and parameter learning frameworks to deal with the two scheduling problems with unknown channel statistics. We utilize their structures to design specialized learning algorithms. We prove the convergence of these algorithms. Performance improvement compared with the standard Q-learning algorithm is shown through numerical examples.

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arXiv2019

Max-Min Fair Sensor Scheduling: Game-theoretic Perspective and Algorithmic Solution

We consider the design of a fair sensor schedule for a number of sensors monitoring different linear time-invariant processes. The largest average remote estimation error among all processes is to be minimized. We first consider a general setup for the max-min fair allocation problem. By reformulating the problem as its equivalent form, we transform the fair resource allocation problem into a zero-sum game between a "judge" and a resource allocator. We propose an equilibrium seeking procedure and show that there exists a unique Nash equilibrium in pure strategy for this game. We then apply the result to the sensor scheduling problem and show that the max-min fair sensor scheduling policy can be achieved.

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