On singularities of value function for Bolza optimal control problem

We study the set of points of nondifferentiability, called the singular set, of the value function of a Bolza optimal control problem. The value function is a viscosity solution to an associated Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The method of characteristics associates to this equation a Hamiltonian system, that in turn can be used to study the propagation of singularities of the value function. In particular, we obtain an extension of the Rankine-Hugoniot type condition, which is well-known in the conservation law theory.     

Normality of the maximum principle for nonconvex constrained Bolza problems

We consider a Bolza optimal control problem with state constraints. It is well known that under some technical assumptions every strong local minimizer of this problem satisfies first order necessary optimality conditions in the form of a constrained maximum principle. In general, the maximum principle may be abnormal or even degenerate and so does not provide a sufficient information about optimal controls. In the recent literature some sufficient conditions were proposed to guarantee that at least one maximum principle is nondegenerate, cf. [A.V. Arutyanov, S.M. Aseev, Investigation of the degeneracy phenomenon of the maximum principle for optimal control problems with state constraints, SIAM J. Control Optim. 35 (1997) 930–952; F. Rampazzo, R.B. Vinter, A theorem on existence of neighbouring trajectories satisfying a state constraint, with applications to optimal control, IMA 16 (4) (1999) 335–351; F. Rampazzo, R.B. Vinter, Degenerate optimal control problems with state constraints, SIAM J. Control Optim. 39 (4) (2000) 989–1007]. Our aim is to show that actually conditions of a similar nature guarantee normality of every nondegenerate maximum principle. In particular we allow the initial condition to be fixed and the state constraints to be nonsmooth. To prove normality we use J. Yorke type linearization of control systems and show the existence of a solution to a linearized control system satisfying new state constraints defined, in turn, by linearization of the original set of constraints along an extremal trajectory.     

Epi-convergent discretization of the generalized Bolza problem in dynamic optimization

The paper is devoted to well-posed discrete approximations of the so-called generalized Bolza problem of minimizing variational functionals defined via extended-real-valued functions. This problem covers more conventional Bolza-type problems in the calculus of variations and optimal control of differential inclusions as well of parameterized differential equations. Our main goal is find efficient conditions ensuring an appropriate epi-convergence of discrete approximations, which plays a significant role in both the qualitative theory and numerical algorithms of optimization and optimal control. The paper seems to be the first attempt to study epi-convergent discretizations of the generalized Bolza problem; it establishes several rather general results in this direction. Research of B. S. Mordukhovich was partially supported by the USA National Science Foundation under grants DMS-0304989 and DMS-0603846 and by the Australian Research Council under grant DP-0451168. Research of T. Pennanen was supported by the Finnish Academy of Sciences under contract No. 3385.     

On differential games of evasion from many pursuers

This paper contains a survey of some results regarding differential games of evasion from many pursuers. This class of games presents special difficulties and usually cannot be treated by standard methods. The approach developed consists of constructing piecewise program strategies for the evader, based on certain maneuvers of evasion from one pursuer. These strategies satisfy one additional condition (state constraint): the evader's motion does not leave a given neighborhood of a prescribed nominal motion. An upper estimate for the number of program pieces of the evader's control and a lower estimate for the minimal distance between the evader and the pursuers are also obtained. These results are given for several types of equations of the game.Dedicated to G. Leitmann     

Lipschitzianity of optimal trajectories for the Bolza optimal control problem

In this paper we investigate Lipschitz continuity of optimal solutions for the Bolza optimal control problem under Tonelli’s type growth condition. Such regularity being a consequence of normal necessary conditions for optimality, we propose new sufficient conditions for normality of state-constrained nonsmooth maximum principles for absolutely continuous optimal trajectories. Furthermore we show that for unconstrained problems any minimizing sequence of controls can be slightly modified to get a new minimizing sequence with nice boundedness properties. Finally, we provide a sufficient condition for Lipschitzianity of optimal trajectories for Bolza optimal control problems with end point constraints and extend a result from (J. Math. Anal. Appl. 143, 301–316, 1989) on Lipschitzianity of minimizers for a classical problem of the calculus of variations with discontinuous Lagrangian to the nonautonomous case.     

Existence of value in differential games with fixed time duration

A differential game of prescribed duration with general-type phase constraints is investigated. The existence of a value in the Varaiya-Lin sense and an optimal strategy for one of the players is obtained under assumptions ensuring that the sets of all admissible trajectories for the two players are compact in the Banach space of all continuous functions. These results are next widened on more general games, examined earlier by Varaiya.The author wishes to express his thanks to an anonymous reviewer for his many valuable comments.     

Complex differential games of pursuit-evasion type with state constraints,part 1: Necessary conditions for optimal open-loop strategies

Complex pursuit-evasion games with state variable inequality constraints are investigated. Necessary conditions of the first and the second order for optimal trajectories are developed, which enable the calculation of optimal open-loop strategies. The necessary conditions on singular surfaces induced by state constraints and non-smooth data are discussed in detail. These conditions lead to multi-point boundary-value problems which can be solved very efficiently and very accurately by the multiple shooting method. A realistically modelled pursuit-evasion problem for one air-to-air missile versus one high performance aircraft in a vertical plane serves as an example. For this pursuit-evasion game, the barrier surface is investigated, which determines the firing range of the missile. The numerical method for solving this problem and extensive numerical results will be presented and discussed in Part 2 of this paper; see Ref. 1.This paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor John V. Breakwell.The authors would like to express their sincere and grateful appreciation to Professors R. Bulirsch and K. H. Well for their encouraging interest in this work.     

Uniqueness of Nash equilibrium for linear-convex stochastic differential games

The uniqueness of Nash equilibria is shown for a class of stochastic differential games where the dynamic constraints are linear in the control variables. The result is applied to an oligopoly.This paper benefitted from comments by two anonymous referees and by L. Blume and C. Simon.     

A sufficient condition for the evadability of differential evasion games

A sufficient condition for the strict evadability of nonlinear differential evasion games is obtained. The result complements, in some sense, the relevant results obtained by the author in a previous paper. An illustrative example is discussed as well. The author thanks Professor L. D. Berkovitz for some discussions.     

Statistical linear differential games: A treatment of incomplete information

A zero-sum, two-player linear differential game of fixed duration is considered in the case when the information is incomplete but a statistical structure gives both players the possibility tospy the value of an unknown parameter in the payoff. Considerations of topological vector spaces and functional analysis allow one to demonstrate, via a classical Sion's theorem, sufficient conditions for the existence of a value.The author is indebted to Professor J. Fichefet for his helpful remarks and indications.     

Approximation of an optimal value of a Bolza functional

In this article, we show that under reasonable assumptions every Lipschitz-continuous solution to a Hamilton–Jacobi inequality approximates with a priori known error the optimal value of a respective Bolza functional and that such approximation is stable. The solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi variational inequalities can be easily obtained by well-known numerical methods as approximate solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi equations resulting from related Bolza functionals. The main strength of this approach lies in the fact that both precise solution to the Hamilton–Jacobi PDE and the distance between that solution and its numerical approximation need not be known in order to solve the original Bolza problem.     

Magnus integrators for solving linear-quadratic differential games

We consider Magnus integrators to solve linear-quadratic N$N$-player differential games. These problems require to solve, backward in time, non-autonomous matrix Riccati differential equations which are coupled with the linear differential equations for the dynamic state of the game, to be integrated forward in time. We analyze different Magnus integrators which can provide either analytical or numerical approximations to the equations. They can be considered as time-averaging methods and frequently are used as exponential integrators. We show that they preserve some of the most relevant qualitative properties of the solution for the matrix Riccati differential equations as well as for the remaining equations. The analytical approximations allow us to study the problem in terms of the parameters involved. Some numerical examples are also considered which show that exponential methods are, in general, superior to standard methods.     

On the Isaacs equation of differential games of fixed duration

The conditions under which the value function of fixed-duration differential games satisfies the Isaacs equation are relaxed.The author thanks Professor L. D. Berkovitz for posing the problem.     

On a class of three-player differential games

A class of differential games consisting of three players is presented. It is assumed that two of them, forming a coalition and working together, oppose the other. Under some additional assumptions, an optimality criterion for the players who form a coalition is proposed.     

On a problem of stochastic differential games

The process of bargaining between management and union during a strike is modelled by a nonlinear stochastic differential game. It is assumed that the two sides bargain in the mood of a cooperative game. A pair of Pareto-optimal strategies is obtained.     

On the existence of value in the Varaiya-Lin sense in differential games of pursuit and evasion

This paper is strictly related to Ref. 1. A pursuit-evasion game described in part by the system and is considered. The state variablesx andy are restricted, in the sense that (x(t),t) N ₁ and (y(t),t) N ₂. The existence of a value in the sense of Varaiya and Lin is proved under the assumption that the sets of all admissible trajectories for the two players are compact and the lower value is not greater than the upper value.     

Stability,structural stability,and games: Toward a theory of differential hypergames

Differential games (DG's) are investigated from a stability point of view. Several resemblances between the theory of optimal control and that of structural stability suggest a differential game approach in which the operators have conflicting interests regarding the stability of the system only. This qualitative approach adds several interesting new features. The solution of a differential game is defined to be the equilibrium position of a dynamical system in the framework of a given stability theory: this is the differential hypergame (DHG). Three types of DHG are discussed: abstract structural DHG, Liapunov DHG, and Popov DHG. The first makes the connection between DG and the catastrophe theory of Thom; the second makes the connection between the value function approach and Liapunov theory; and the third provides invariant properties for DG's. To illustrate the fact that the theory sketched here may find interesting applications, the up-to-date problem of the world economy is outlined.This research was supported by the National Research Council of Canada.     

A class of trilinear differential games

This paper characterizes a class ofN-person, general sum differential games for which the optimal strategies only depend upon remaining playing time. Such strategies can be easily characterized and determined, and the optimal play can be easily analyzed.We acknowledge the helpful comments of G. Leitmann and an anonymous referee.     

Unique winning policies for linear differential pursuit games

We study optimal control problems which are the duals, in a specified sense, to a certain class of linear differential games. Directly verifiable conditions, in terms of the data of the game, for uniqueness of solutions of the dual problem and thus for uniqueness of winning policies for the differential game, are derived. As a byproduct, in the particular context of two-dimensional problems, a strong result concerning normality is obtained. As a second byproduct, several geometrical and topological properties of thestar difference are derived. This set operation is of paramount importance for the study of rich classes of differential and difference games extending far beyond that treated here.Notation co(P) convex hull of a setPR ⁿ - ext(P) set of extreme points ofP - [x ₁,x ₂] line segment joining the pointsx ₁,x ₂ R ⁿ - S(P, c) Supporting closed halfspace ofP with exterior normalc - H(P, c) supporting hyperplane ofP with exterior normalc - F(P, c) face of the polytopeP with exterior normalc - span(P) linear span ofP - lin(P) linear closure ofP = smallest linear manifold containingP - relbd(P) relative boundary ofP - int(P) interior ofP with respect to the topology ofR ⁿ - ri(P) relative interior ofP with respect to lin(P) - a, b inner product (inR ⁿ) ofa andb - U/W {x:x U R ⁿ andx W R ⁿ} - cl(P) closure ofP This work was done during the year 1972, when the author was a student of Prof. O. Hajek at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. The author wishes to thank Dr. Hajek for his many comments, suggestions, and critique.