分布式强化学习中用非参数贝尔曼映射,让各智能体高效协同学习。
Nonparametric Bellman Mappings for Value Iteration in Distributed Reinforcement Learning
- 各智能体基于私有数据构建非参数贝尔曼映射,用核空间表示动作价值函数。
- 在任意连通拓扑下实现线性收敛,且通信成本低于已有方法。
- 传输协方差矩阵作为基信息,显著提升学习效率,适合无中心节点的分布式场景。
本文提出一种用于分布式强化学习(DRL)值迭代的新型贝尔曼映射(B-Maps),适用于部署在无向连通图上的多个智能体,且无中央节点。每个智能体从其私有数据构建非参数化B-Map,操作于再生核希尔伯特空间中的Q函数,并可灵活选择表示基。智能体仅与直接邻居交换Q函数估计值,不同于以往仅传递Q函数的方法,该框架还允许通过协方差矩阵传递基信息,从而传达更多结构细节。无论网络拓扑如何,均证明了Q函数和协方差矩阵估计值以线性速率收敛至共识值,最优学习率由图的最小正特征值(费德勒值)与最大拉普拉斯特征值之比决定。性能分析表明,该框架能有效逼近存在中央节点时的性能。两个基准控制问题的数值测试验证了其有效性;尤其值得注意的是,尽管信息交换更丰富(通过协方差矩阵传递基信息),但累计通信开销反而更低,凸显了共享基信息在加速学习中的关键作用。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
This paper introduces novel Bellman mappings (B-Maps) for value iteration (VI) in distributed reinforcement learning (DRL), where agents are deployed over an undirected, connected graph/network with arbitrary topology -- but without a centralized node, that is, a node capable of aggregating all data and performing computations. Each agent constructs a nonparametric B-Map from its private data, operating on Q-functions represented in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space, with flexibility in choosing the basis for their representation. Agents exchange their Q-function estimates only with direct neighbors, and unlike existing DRL approaches that restrict communication to Q-functions, the proposed framework also enables the transmission of basis information in the form of covariance matrices, thereby conveying additional structural details. Linear convergence rates are established for both Q-function and covariance-matrix estimates toward their consensus values, regardless of the network topology, with optimal learning rates determined by the ratio of the smallest positive eigenvalue (the graph's Fiedler value) to the largest eigenvalue of the graph Laplacian matrix. A detailed performance analysis further shows that the proposed DRL framework effectively approximates the performance of a centralized node, had such a node existed. Numerical tests on two benchmark control problems confirm the effectiveness of the proposed nonparametric B-Maps relative to prior methods. Notably, the tests reveal a counter-intuitive outcome: although the framework involves richer information exchange -- specifically through transmitting covariance matrices as basis information -- it achieves the desired performance at a lower cumulative communication cost than existing DRL schemes, underscoring the critical role of sharing basis information in accelerating the learning process.
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