Skip to main content
Book cover

Stochastic Recursive Algorithms for Optimization

Simultaneous Perturbation Methods

  • Book
  • © 2013

Overview

  • Algorithms described perform better in real-life settings than many previously described in the literature
  • Detailed mathematical treatment of the algorithms proposed is provided using both gradient- and Hessian-based methods
  • Both constrained and unconstrained optimization problems are treated with applications in service systems, traffic signal control and communication networks

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences (LNCIS, volume 434)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Introduction to Stochastic Recursive Algorithms

  2. Gradient Estimation Schemes

  3. Hessian Estimation Schemes

  4. Variations to the Basic Scheme

  5. Applications

Keywords

About this book

Stochastic Recursive Algorithms for Optimization presents algorithms for constrained and unconstrained optimization and for reinforcement learning. Efficient perturbation approaches form a thread unifying all the algorithms considered. Simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation and smooth fractional estimators for gradient- and Hessian-based methods are presented. These algorithms:
• are easily implemented;
• do not require an explicit system model; and
• work with real or simulated data.
Chapters on their application in service systems, vehicular traffic control and communications networks illustrate this point. The book is self-contained with necessary mathematical results placed in an appendix.
The text provides easy-to-use, off-the-shelf algorithms that are given detailed mathematical treatment so the material presented will be of significant interest to practitioners, academic researchers and graduate students alike. The breadth of applications makes the book appropriate for reader from similarly diverse backgrounds: workers in relevant areas of computer science, control engineering, management science, applied mathematics, industrial engineering and operations research will find the content of value.

Reviews

From the reviews:

“The book under review summarizes the recent research on simultaneously perturbation problems. … The book provides a coverage of the known material in stochastic optimizations, such that both researchers and practitioners should find it useful. The text is well understandable, the book is clearly written and impressively printed. Theorems and algorithms are emphasized in coloured frames. Therefore, the book can be used as material for lectures dedicated to master students. … There are references at the end of every chapter.” (Werner H. Schmidt, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1260, 2013)

Authors and Affiliations

  • , Department of Computer Science, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

    S. Bhatnagar, H.L. Prasad, L.A. Prashanth

About the authors

All three authors have been extensively working in the area of stochastic control and optimization. S. Bhatnagar has worked for nearly 20 years in this area and has published extensively in both journals and conferences. This book in many ways summarizes the various strands of research that S.Bhatnagar has been involved in over the last decade. H.L.Prasad and Prashanth L.A. have been working in this area for over five years now and have been actively involved in various aspects of the research reported here. The entire book, in many ways, is a collection of the various strands of the research that has been primarily carried out by the authors themselves during the course of the last several years.

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us