A hybrid descent method for solving a convex constrained optimization problem with applications

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a hybrid descent algorithm for finding a common point in fixed‐point sets of quasi‐nonexpansive mappings and solution sets of variational inequality problems. In the framework of Hilbert spaces, the strong convergence of the hybrid descent algorithm is established. Numerical experiments for the bandwidth allocation, which demonstrate the effectiveness, performance, and convergence of the proposed algorithm, are provided.     

Bilevel aggregator-prosumers' optimization problem in real-time: A convex optimization approach

This paper proposes a Real-Time Market (RTM) platform for an aggregator and its corresponding prosumers to participate in the electricity wholesale market. The proposed energy market platform is modeled as a bilevel optimization problem where the aggregator and the prosumers are considered as self-interested agents. We present a convex optimization problem which can capture a subset of the set of global optima of the bilevel problem as its optimal solution.     

A general iterative scheme with applications to convex optimization and related fields

A general iterative scheme including relaxation and a corresponding problem class are presented. Some global convergence results are given. The acceleration of convergence is discussed, The scheme comprises a lot of known iterative methods such as subgradient methods and methods of successive orthogonal projections with relaxation. Applications to convex optimization, convex feasibility problems, systems of convex inequalities, variational inequalities, operator equations and systems of linear equations are given.     

A solution to anisotropic suboptimal filtering problem by convex optimization

This paper considers a robust filtering problem for a linear discrete time invariant system with measured and estimated outputs. The system is exposed to random disturbances with imprecisely known distributions generated by an unknown stable shaping filter from the Gaussian white noise. The stochastic uncertainty of the input disturbance is measured by the mean anisotropy functional. The estimation error is quantified by the anisotropic norm which is a stochastic analogue of the H _∞ norm. A sufficient condition for an estimator to exist and ensure that the error is less than a given threshold value is derived in form of a convex inequality on the determinant of a positive definite matrix and two linear matrix inequalities. The suboptimal problem setting results to a set of the estimators ensuring the anisotropic norm of the error to be strictly bounded thereby providing some additional degree of freedom to impose some additional constraints on the estimator performance specification.     

A continuous knapsack problem with separable convex utilities: Approximation algorithms and applications

We study a continuous knapsack problem with separable convex utilities. We show that the problem is NP-hard, and provide two simple algorithms that have worst-case performance guarantees. We consider as an application a novel subsidy allocation problem in the presence of market competition, subject to a budget constraint and upper bounds on the amount allocated to each firm, where the objective is to minimize the market price of a good.     

New results in subdifferential calculus with applications to convex optimization

Chain and addition rules of subdifferential calculus are revisited in the paper and new proofs, providing local necessary and sufficient conditions for their validity, are presented. A new product rule pertaining to the composition of a convex functional and a Young function is also established and applied to obtain a proof of Kuhn-Tucker conditions in convex optimization under minimal assumptions on the data. Applications to plasticity theory are briefly outlined in the concluding remarks.The financial support of the Italian Ministry for University and Scientific and Technological Research is gratefully acknowledged.     

Generalized weak sharp minima in cone-constrained convex optimization with applications

In this paper, we consider convex optimization problems with cone constraints (CPC in short). We study generalized weak sharp minima properties for (CPC) in the Banach space and Hilbert space settings, respectively. Some criteria and characterizations for the solution set to be a set of generalized weak sharp minima for (CPC) are derived. As an application, we propose an algorithm for (CPC) in the Hilbert space setting. Convergence analysis of this algorithm is given.     

A global optimization approach for solving the convex multiplicative programming problem

We consider a convex multiplicative programming problem of the form% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9qq-f0-yqaqVeLsFr0-vr% 0-vr0db8meaabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacaGG7bGaam% OzamaaBaaaleaacaaIXaaabeaakiaacIcacaWG4bGaaiykaiabgwSi% xlaadAgadaWgaaWcbaGaaGOmaaqabaGccaGGOaGaamiEaiaacMcaca% GG6aGaamiEaiabgIGiolaadIfacaGG9baaaa!4A08!\[\{ f_1 (x) \cdot f_2 (x):x \in X\} \]where X is a compact convex set of ⁿ and f ₁, f ₂ are convex functions which have nonnegative values over X.Using two additional variables we transform this problem into a problem with a special structure in which the objective function depends only on two of the (n+2) variables. Following a decomposition concept in global optimization we then reduce this problem to a master problem of minimizing a quasi-concave function over a convex set in ² ₂. This master problem can be solved by an outer approximation method which requires performing a sequence of simplex tableau pivoting operations. The proposed algorithm is finite when the functions f _i, (i=1, 2) are affine-linear and X is a polytope and it is convergent for the general convex case.Partly supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Project CONMIN.     

Generalized convex relations with applications to optimization and models of economic dynamics

We examine a notion of generalized convex set-valued mapping, extending the notions of a convex relation and a convex process. Under general conditions, we establish duality results for composite set-valued mappings and for convex programming problems involving convex set-valued mappings. We also present applications to the study of economic dynamical systems, by obtaining the characteristics of optimal paths generated by convex processes, and to optimization problems of a certain class of positively homogeneous increasing functions.     

The complexity of a special convex programming problem connected with nonlinear optimization

In this paper, an algorithm for solving a special convex programming problem (CPP) is proposed. We consider a CPP with an objective function whose values and gradients are not easy to calculate. Algorithm for infinite feasible sets is developed.     

The gap function of a convex multicriteria optimization problem

We generalize the concept of a gap function previously defined for a convex (scalar) optimization problem to a convex multicriteria optimization problem and study its various properties.     

Optimal subgradient algorithms for large-scale convex optimization in simple domains

This paper describes two optimal subgradient algorithms for solving structured large-scale convex constrained optimization. More specifically, the first algorithm is optimal for smooth problems with Lipschitz continuous gradients and for Lipschitz continuous nonsmooth problems, and the second algorithm is optimal for Lipschitz continuous nonsmooth problems. In addition, we consider two classes of problems: (i) a convex objective with a simple closed convex domain, where the orthogonal projection onto this feasible domain is efficiently available; and (ii) a convex objective with a simple convex functional constraint. If we equip our algorithms with an appropriate prox-function, then the associated subproblem can be solved either in a closed form or by a simple iterative scheme, which is especially important for large-scale problems. We report numerical results for some applications to show the efficiency of the proposed schemes.     

A problem on convex functions

A conjecture is made on convex functions. It leads to the problem of characterizing a class of convex functions, which is of interest both from the theoretical point of view and in the field of minimization methods.     

A unified vector optimization problem: complete scalarizations and applications

The aim of this article is to introduce and analyse a general vector optimization problem in a unified framework. Using a well-known nonlinear scalarizing function defined by a solid set, we present complete scalarizations of the solution set to the vector problem without any convexity assumptions. As applications of our results we obtain new optimality conditions for several classical optimization problems by characterizing their solution set.     

可分离凸优化问题的非精确平行分裂算法

针对一类可分离凸优化问题提出了一种非精确平行分裂算法.该算法充分利用了所求解问题的可分离结构,并对子问题进行非精确求解.在适当的条件下,证明了所提出的非精确平行分裂算法的全局收敛性,初步的数值实验说明了算法有效性.     

Sell or Hold: A simple two-stage stochastic combinatorial optimization problem

The sell or hold problem (SHP) is to sell k out of n indivisible assets over two stages, with known first-stage prices and random second-stage prices, to maximize the total expected revenue. We show that SHP is NP-hard when the second-stage prices are realized as a finite set of scenarios. We show that SHP is polynomially solvable when the number of scenarios in the second stage is constant. A max{1/2,k/n}-approximation algorithm is presented for the scenario-based SHP.     

A numerical method of nondifferentiable convex optimization with constraints

An iterative process is examined for minimizing a convex nondifferentiable functional on a convex closed set in a real Hilbert space. Convergence of the proposed process is proved. A two-sided bound on the optimal functional value is given.Translated from Vychislitel'naya i Prikladnaya Matematika, No. 57, pp. 124–131, 1985.