Related papers: Compositional Reasoning for Interval Markov Decisi…
This paper discusses algorithms for solving Markov decision processes (MDPs) that have monotone optimal policies. We propose a two-stage alternating convex optimization scheme that can accelerate the search for an optimal policy by…
We study the problem of refining satisfiability bounds for partially-known stochastic systems against planning specifications defined using syntactically co-safe Linear Temporal Logic (scLTL). We propose an abstraction-based approach that…
Markov decision processes (MDPs) are a popular model for decision-making in the presence of uncertainty. The conventional view of MDPs in verification treats them as state transformers with probabilities defined over sequences of states and…
Given a Markov decision process (MDP) $M$ and a formula $\Phi$, the strategy synthesis problem asks if there exists a strategy $\sigma$ s.t. the resulting Markov chain $M[\sigma]$ satisfies $\Phi$. This problem is known to be undecidable…
Parametric conditional copula models allow the copula parameters to vary with a set of covariates according to an unknown calibration function. Flexible Bayesian inference for the calibration function of a bivariate conditional copula is…
Multi-objective probabilistic model checking provides a way to verify several, possibly conflicting, quantitative properties of a stochastic system. It has useful applications in controller synthesis and compositional probabilistic…
We study the computational complexity of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods for high-dimensional Bayesian linear regression under sparsity constraints. We first show that a Bayesian approach can achieve variable-selection consistency…
We consider reinforcement learning in parameterized Markov Decision Processes (MDPs), where the parameterization may induce correlation across transition probabilities or rewards. Consequently, observing a particular state transition might…
We consider Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) in which every stationary policy induces the same graph structure for the underlying Markov chain and further, the graph has the following property: if we replace each recurrent class by a node,…
We propose a parallel adaptive constraint-tightening approach to solve a linear model predictive control problem for discrete-time systems, based on inexact numerical optimization algorithms and operator splitting methods. The underlying…
Hyperproperties have shown to be a powerful tool for expressing and reasoning about information-flow security policies. In this paper, we investigate the problem of statistical model checking (SMC) for hyperproperties. Unlike exhaustive…
The Markov assumption in Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) is fundamental in reinforcement learning, influencing both theoretical research and practical applications. Existing methods that rely on the Bellman equation benefit tremendously…
In this paper, we consider a continuous-time Markov decision process (CTMDP) in Borel spaces, where the certainty equivalent with respect to the exponential utility of the total undiscounted cost is to be minimized. The cost rate is…
We synthesize shared control protocols subject to probabilistic temporal logic specifications. More specifically, we develop a framework in which a human and an autonomy protocol can issue commands to carry out a certain task. We blend…
Markov chain Monte Carlo is an inherently serial algorithm. Although likelihood calculations for individual steps can sometimes be parallelized, the serial evolution of the process is widely viewed as incompatible with parallelization,…
This work focuses on autonomous contingency planning for scientific missions by enabling rapid policy computation from any off-nominal point in the state space in the event of a delay or deviation from the nominal mission plan. Successful…
An algorithm is proposed for computing equilibrium averages of Markov chains which suffer from metastability -- the tendency to remain in one or more subsets of state space for long time intervals. The algorithm, called the parallel replica…
This work introduces a new abstraction technique for reducing the state space of large, discrete-time labelled Markov chains. The abstraction leverages the semantics of interval Markov decision processes and the existing notion of…
The main goal of this paper is to discuss several approaches to formulation of distributionally robust counterparts of Markov Decision Processes, where the transition kernels are not specified exactly but rather are assumed to be elements…
Markov decision processes (MDPs) are formal models commonly used in sequential decision-making. MDPs capture the stochasticity that may arise, for instance, from imprecise actuators via probabilities in the transition function. However, in…