MDP optimal control under temporal logic constraints
Files
Accepted manuscript
Date
2011-01-01
Authors
Ding, Xu Chu
Belta, Calin
Rus, Daniela
Smith, Stephen L.
Version
OA Version
Citation
Xu Chu Ding, Stephen L Smith, Calin Belta, Daniela Rus. 2011. "MDP Optimal Control under Temporal Logic Constraints." 2011 50TH IEEE CONFERENCE ON DECISION AND CONTROL AND EUROPEAN CONTROL CONFERENCE (CDC-ECC), pp. 532 - 538 (7).
Abstract
In this paper, we develop a method to automatically generate a control policy for a dynamical system modeled as a Markov Decision Process (MDP). The control specification is given as a Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) formula over a set of propositions defined on the states of the MDP. We synthesize a control policy such that the MDP satisfies the given specification almost surely, if such a policy exists. In addition, we designate an “optimizing proposition” to be repeatedly satisfied, and we formulate a novel optimization criterion in terms of minimizing the expected cost in between satisfactions of this proposition. We propose a sufficient condition for a policy to be optimal, and develop a dynamic programming algorithm that synthesizes a policy that is optimal under some conditions, and sub-optimal otherwise. This problem is motivated by robotic applications requiring persistent tasks, such as environmental monitoring or data gathering, to be performed.