Recent Progress in Reinforcement Learning and Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Advanced Control Applications

Reinforcement learning(RL) has roots in dynamic programming and it is called adaptive/approximate dynamic programming(ADP) within the control community. This paper reviews recent developments in ADP along with RL and its applications to various advanced control fields. First, the background of the development of ADP is described, emphasizing the significance of regulation and tracking control problems. Some effective offline and online algorithms for ADP/adaptive critic control are displayed, where the main results towards discrete-time systems and continuous-time systems are surveyed, respectively.Then, the research progress on adaptive critic control based on the event-triggered framework and under uncertain environment is discussed, respectively, where event-based design, robust stabilization, and game design are reviewed. Moreover, the extensions of ADP for addressing control problems under complex environment attract enormous attention. The ADP architecture is revisited under the perspective of data-driven and RL frameworks,showing how they promote ADP formulation significantly.Finally, several typical control applications with respect to RL and ADP are summarized, particularly in the fields of wastewater treatment processes and power systems, followed by some general prospects for future research. Overall, the comprehensive survey on ADP and RL for advanced control applications has d emonstrated its remarkable potential within the artificial intelligence era. In addition, it also plays a vital role in promoting environmental protection and industrial intelligence.

Adaptive Optimal Discrete-Time Output-Feedback Using an Internal Model Principle and Adaptive Dynamic Programming

In order to address the output feedback issue for linear discrete-time systems, this work suggests a brand-new adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) technique based on the internal model principle(IMP). The proposed method, termed as IMP-ADP, does not require complete state feedback-merely the measurement of input and output data. More specifically, based on the IMP, the output control problem can first be converted into a stabilization problem. We then design an observer to reproduce the full state of the system by measuring the inputs and outputs. Moreover, this technique includes both a policy iteration algorithm and a value iteration algorithm to determine the optimal feedback gain without using a dynamic system model. It is important that with this concept one does not need to solve the regulator equation. Finally, this control method was tested on an inverter system of grid-connected LCLs to demonstrate that the proposed method provides the desired performance in terms of both tracking and disturbance rejection.

Using approximate dynamic programming for multi-ESM scheduling to track ground moving targets

This paper researches the adaptive scheduling problem of multiple electronic support measures(multi-ESM) in a ground moving radar targets tracking application. It is a sequential decision-making problem in uncertain environment. For adaptive selection of appropriate ESMs, we generalize an approximate dynamic programming(ADP) framework to the dynamic case. We define the environment model and agent model, respectively. To handle the partially observable challenge, we apply the unsented Kalman filter(UKF) algorithm for belief state estimation. To reduce the computational burden, a simulation-based approach rollout with a redesigned base policy is proposed to approximate the long-term cumulative reward. Meanwhile, Monte Carlo sampling is combined into the rollout to estimate the expectation of the rewards. The experiments indicate that our method outperforms other strategies due to its better performance in larger-scale problems.

Approximate Dynamic Programming for Stochastic Resource Allocation Problems

A stochastic resource allocation model, based on the principles of Markov decision processes(MDPs), is proposed in this paper. In particular, a general-purpose framework is developed, which takes into account resource requests for both instant and future needs. The considered framework can handle two types of reservations(i.e., specified and unspecified time interval reservation requests), and implement an overbooking business strategy to further increase business revenues. The resulting dynamic pricing problems can be regarded as sequential decision-making problems under uncertainty, which is solved by means of stochastic dynamic programming(DP) based algorithms. In this regard, Bellman’s backward principle of optimality is exploited in order to provide all the implementation mechanisms for the proposed reservation pricing algorithm. The curse of dimensionality, as the inevitable issue of the DP both for instant resource requests and future resource reservations,occurs. In particular, an approximate dynamic programming(ADP) technique based on linear function approximations is applied to solve such scalability issues. Several examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Approximate Dynamic Programming for Self-Learning Control

This paper introduces a self-learning control approach based on approximate dynamic programming. Dynamic programming was introduced by Bellman in the 1950's for solving optimal control problems of nonlinear dynamical systems. Due to its high computational complexity, the applications of dynamic programming have been limited to simple and small problems. The key step in finding approximate solutions to dynamic programming is to estimate the performance index in dynamic programming. The optimal control signal can then be determined by minimizing (or maximizing) the performance index. Artificial neural networks are very efficient tools in representing the performance index in dynamic programming. This paper assumes the use of neural networks for estimating the performance index in dynamic programming and for generating optimal control signals, thus to achieve optimal control through self-learning.

A novel stable value iteration-based approximate dynamic programming algorithm for discrete-time nonlinear systems

The convergence and stability of a value-iteration-based adaptive dynamic programming （ADP） algorithm are con- sidered for discrete-time nonlinear systems accompanied by a discounted quadric performance index. More importantly than sufficing to achieve a good approximate structure, the iterative feedback control law must guarantee the closed-loop stability. Specifically, it is firstly proved that the iterative value function sequence will precisely converge to the optimum. Secondly, the necessary and sufficient condition of the optimal value function serving as a Lyapunov function is investi- gated. We prove that for the case of infinite horizon, there exists a finite horizon length of which the iterative feedback control law will provide stability, and this increases the practicability of the proposed value iteration algorithm. Neural networks （NNs） are employed to approximate the value functions and the optimal feedback control laws, and the approach allows the implementation of the algorithm without knowing the internal dynamics of the system. Finally, a simulation example is employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed optimal control method.

Two-stage robust optimization of power cost minimization problem in gunbarrel natural gas networks by approximate dynamic programming

In short-term operation of natural gas network,the impact of demand uncertainty is not negligible.To address this issue we propose a two-stage robust model for power cost minimization problem in gunbarrel natural gas networks.The demands between pipelines and compressor stations are uncertain with a budget parameter,since it is unlikely that all the uncertain demands reach the maximal deviation simultaneously.During solving the two-stage robust model we encounter a bilevel problem which is challenging to solve.We formulate it as a multi-dimensional dynamic programming problem and propose approximate dynamic programming methods to accelerate the calculation.Numerical results based on real network in China show that we obtain a speed gain of 7 times faster in average without compromising optimality compared with original dynamic programming algorithm.Numerical results also verify the advantage of robust model compared with deterministic model when facing uncertainties.These findings offer short-term operation methods for gunbarrel natural gas network management to handle with uncertainties.

Call for papers Journal of Control Theory and Applications Special issue on Approximate dynamic programming and reinforcement learning

Approximate dynamic programming (ADP) is a general and effective approach for solving optimal control and estimation problems by adapting to uncertain and nonconvex environments over time.

Event-based performance guaranteed tracking control for constrained nonlinear system via adaptive dynamic programming method

An optimal tracking control problem for a class of nonlinear systems with guaranteed performance and asymmetric input constraints is discussed in this paper.The control policy is implemented by adaptive dynamic programming(ADP)algorithm under two event-based triggering mechanisms.It is often challenging to design an optimal control law due to the system deviation caused by asymmetric input constraints.First,a prescribed performance control technique is employed to guarantee the tracking errors within predetermined boundaries.Subsequently,considering the asymmetric input constraints,a discounted non-quadratic cost function is introduced.Moreover,in order to reduce controller updates,an event-triggered control law is developed for ADP algorithm.After that,to further simplify the complexity of controller design,this work is extended to a self-triggered case for relaxing the need for continuous signal monitoring by hardware devices.By employing the Lyapunov method,the uniform ultimate boundedness of all signals is proved to be guaranteed.Finally,a simulation example on a mass–spring–damper system subject to asymmetric input constraints is provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

Optimal Constrained Self-learning Battery Sequential Management in Microgrid Via Adaptive Dynamic Programming

This paper concerns a novel optimal self-learning battery sequential control scheme for smart home energy systems.The main idea is to use the adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) technique to obtain the optimal battery sequential control iteratively. First, the battery energy management system model is established, where the power efficiency of the battery is considered. Next, considering the power constraints of the battery, a new non-quadratic form performance index function is established, which guarantees that the value of the iterative control law cannot exceed the maximum charging/discharging power of the battery to extend the service life of the battery.Then, the convergence properties of the iterative ADP algorithm are analyzed, which guarantees that the iterative value function and the iterative control law both reach the optimums. Finally,simulation and comparison results are given to illustrate the performance of the presented method.

Parallel Control for Optimal Tracking via Adaptive Dynamic Programming

This paper studies the problem of optimal parallel tracking control for continuous-time general nonlinear systems.Unlike existing optimal state feedback control,the control input of the optimal parallel control is introduced into the feedback system.However,due to the introduction of control input into the feedback system,the optimal state feedback control methods can not be applied directly.To address this problem,an augmented system and an augmented performance index function are proposed firstly.Thus,the general nonlinear system is transformed into an affine nonlinear system.The difference between the optimal parallel control and the optimal state feedback control is analyzed theoretically.It is proven that the optimal parallel control with the augmented performance index function can be seen as the suboptimal state feedback control with the traditional performance index function.Moreover,an adaptive dynamic programming(ADP)technique is utilized to implement the optimal parallel tracking control using a critic neural network(NN)to approximate the value function online.The stability analysis of the closed-loop system is performed using the Lyapunov theory,and the tracking error and NN weights errors are uniformly ultimately bounded(UUB).Also,the optimal parallel controller guarantees the continuity of the control input under the circumstance that there are finite jump discontinuities in the reference signals.Finally,the effectiveness of the developed optimal parallel control method is verified in two cases.

Optimal Control for a Class of Complex Singular System Based on Adaptive Dynamic Programming

This paper presents a new design approach to achieve decentralized optimal control of high-dimension complex singular systems with dynamic uncertainties. Based on robust adaptive dynamic programming(robust ADP) method, controllers for solving the singular systems optimal control problem are designed. The proposed algorithm can work well when the system model is not exactly known but the input and output data can be measured. The policy iteration of each controller only uses their own states and input information for learning,and do not need to know the whole system dynamics. Simulation results on the New England 10-machine 39-bus test system show the effectiveness of the designed controller.

Policy iteration optimal tracking control for chaotic systems by using an adaptive dynamic programming approach

A policy iteration algorithm of adaptive dynamic programming（ADP） is developed to solve the optimal tracking control for a class of discrete-time chaotic systems. By system transformations, the optimal tracking problem is transformed into an optimal regulation one. The policy iteration algorithm for discrete-time chaotic systems is first described. Then,the convergence and admissibility properties of the developed policy iteration algorithm are presented, which show that the transformed chaotic system can be stabilized under an arbitrary iterative control law and the iterative performance index function simultaneously converges to the optimum. By implementing the policy iteration algorithm via neural networks,the developed optimal tracking control scheme for chaotic systems is verified by a simulation.

Real-time Risk-averse Dispatch of an Integrated Electricity and Natural Gas System via Condi-tional Value-at-risk-based Lookup-table Ap-proximate Dynamic Programming

The real-time risk-averse dispatch problem of an integrated electricity and natural gas system(IEGS)is studied in this paper.It is formulated as a real-time conditional value-at-risk(CVaR)-based risk-averse dis-patch model in the Markov decision process framework.Because of its stochasticity,nonconvexity and nonlinearity,the model is difficult to analyze by traditional algorithms in an acceptable time.To address this non-deterministic polynomial-hard problem,a CVaR-based lookup-table approximate dynamic programming(CVaR-ADP)algo-rithm is proposed,and the risk-averse dispatch problem is decoupled into a series of tractable subproblems.The line pack is used as the state variable to describe the impact of one period’s decision on the future.This facilitates the reduction of load shedding and wind power curtailment.Through the proposed method,real-time decisions can be made according to the current information,while the value functions can be used to overview the whole opti-mization horizon to balance the current cost and future risk loss.Numerical simulations indicate that the pro-posed method can effectively measure and control the risk costs in extreme scenarios.Moreover,the decisions can be made within 10 s,which meets the requirement of the real-time dispatch of an IEGS.Index Terms—Integrated electricity and natural gas system,approximate dynamic programming,real-time dispatch,risk-averse,conditional value-at-risk.

基于策略迭代ADP的碳纤维角联织机张力控制

针对碳纤维角联织机经纱张力控制问题,考虑开口等不确定因素对经纱张力的影响,建立了离散非线性送经系统张力控制模型,提出了策略迭代自适应动态规划(ADP),并对ADP中评价网络设计了自适应权值更新率;证明了策略迭代ADP在离散系统的收敛性,削减了非线性及不确定因素对经纱张力的影响,实现了对经纱张力的稳定控制,提高了系统鲁棒性。仿真结果表明:相比传统ADP,策略迭代ADP可以使经纱张力在2 s内快速无波动的到达稳定状态,使系统性能指标函数收敛更优。

Approximate dynamic programming solutions with a single network adaptive critic for a class of nonlinear systems

Approximate dynamic programming(ADP) formulation implemented with an adaptive critic(AC)-based neural network(NN) structure has evolved as a powerful technique for solving the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman(HJB) equations.As interest in ADP and the AC solutions are escalating with time,there is a dire need to consider possible enabling factors for their implementations.A typical AC structure consists of two interacting NNs,which is computationally expensive.In this paper,a new architecture,called the ’cost-function-based single network adaptive critic(J-SNAC)’ is presented,which eliminates one of the networks in a typical AC structure.This approach is applicable to a wide class of nonlinear systems in engineering.In order to demonstrate the benefits and the control synthesis with the J-SNAC,two problems have been solved with the AC and the J-SNAC approaches.Results are presented,which show savings of about 50% of the computational costs by J-SNAC while having the same accuracy levels of the dual network structure in solving for optimal control.Furthermore,convergence of the J-SNAC iterations,which reduces to a least-squares problem,is discussed;for linear systems,the iterative process is shown to reduce to solving the familiar algebraic Ricatti equation.

Chaotic system optimal tracking using data-based synchronous method with unknown dynamics and disturbances

We develop an optimal tracking control method for chaotic system with unknown dynamics and disturbances. The method allows the optimal cost function and the corresponding tracking control to update synchronously. According to the tracking error and the reference dynamics, the augmented system is constructed. Then the optimal tracking control problem is defined. The policy iteration （PI） is introduced to solve the rain-max optimization problem. The off-policy adaptive dynamic programming （ADP） algorithm is then proposed to find the solution of the tracking Hamilton-Jacobi- Isaacs （HJI） equation online only using measured data and without any knowledge about the system dynamics. Critic neural network （CNN）, action neural network （ANN）, and disturbance neural network （DNN） are used to approximate the cost function, control, and disturbance. The weights of these networks compose the augmented weight matrix, and the uniformly ultimately bounded （UUB） of which is proven. The convergence of the tracking error system is also proven. Two examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed synchronous solution method for the chaotic system tracking problem.

Approximation-error-ADP-based optimal tracking control for chaotic systems with convergence proof

In this paper, an optimal tracking control scheme is proposed for a class of discrete-time chaotic systems using the approximation-error-based adaptive dynamic programming （ADP） algorithm. Via the system transformation, the optimal tracking problem is transformed into an optimal regulation problem, and then the novel optimal tracking control method is proposed. It is shown that for the iterative ADP algorithm with finite approximation error, the iterative performance index functions can converge to a finite neighborhood of the greatest lower bound of all performance index functions under some convergence conditions. Two examples are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed optimal tracking control scheme for chaotic systems.

新能源电力系统不确定优化调度方法研究现状及展望

风电场和光伏电站出力的不确定性给电力系统优化调度带来很大技术挑战。文中主要介绍了考虑新能源不确定性的电力系统优化调度方法的研究现状及后续研究方向展望。首先,重点论述了各种不确定优化调度(UOD)方法,包括随机优化方法、鲁棒优化方法、随机鲁棒优化结合方法和基于人工智能技术的方法。其中,随机优化方法包括场景法、机会约束规划法和近似动态规划法;鲁棒优化方法包括传统鲁棒优化法和分布鲁棒优化法;随机鲁棒优化结合方法包括采样鲁棒优化法和分布鲁棒机会约束规划法。然后,介绍了每一种方法的优化模型形式、模型的转化和求解原理及其优缺点。最后,对UOD的后续重点研究方向进行展望,包括兼顾多个目标的UOD问题及多目标不确定优化方法、输配系统UOD问题及分布式不确定优化方法、考虑稳定性约束的UOD问题及含常微分方程约束的不确定优化方法、考虑管道传输动态的综合能源系统UOD问题及含偏微分方程约束的不确定优化方法。