A multiprojection algorithm using Bregman projections in a product space

Generalized distances give rise to generalized projections into convex sets. An important question is whether or not one can use within the same projection algorithm different types of such generalized projections. This question has practical consequences in the area of signal detection and image recovery in situations that can be formulated mathematically as a convex feasibility problem. Using an extension of Pierra's product space formalism, we show here that a multiprojection algorithm converges. Our algorithm is fully simultaneous, i.e., it uses in each iterative stepall sets of the convex feasibility problem. Different multiprojection algorithms can be derived from our algorithmic scheme by a judicious choice of the Bregman functions which govern the process. As a by-product of our investigation we also obtain blockiterative schemes for certain kinds of linearly constraned optimization problems.     

Proximity Function Minimization Using Multiple Bregman Projections, with Applications to Split Feasibility and Kullback–Leibler Distance Minimization

Problems in signal detection and image recovery can sometimes be formulated as a convex feasibility problem (CFP) of finding a vector in the intersection of a finite family of closed convex sets. Algorithms for this purpose typically employ orthogonal or generalized projections onto the individual convex sets. The simultaneous multiprojection algorithm of Censor and Elfving for solving the CFP, in which different generalized projections may be used at the same time, has been shown to converge for the case of nonempty intersection; still open is the question of its convergence when the intersection of the closed convex sets is empty.Motivated by the geometric alternating minimization approach of Csiszár and Tusnády and the product space formulation of Pierra, we derive a new simultaneous multiprojection algorithm that employs generalized projections of Bregman to solve the convex feasibility problem or, in the inconsistent case, to minimize a proximity function that measures the average distance from a point to all convex sets. We assume that the Bregman distances involved are jointly convex, so that the proximity function itself is convex. When the intersection of the convex sets is empty, but the closure of the proximity function has a unique global minimizer, the sequence of iterates converges to this unique minimizer. Special cases of this algorithm include the Expectation Maximization Maximum Likelihood (EMML) method in emission tomography and a new convergence result for an algorithm that solves the split feasibility problem.     

An interior point method with Bregman functions for the variational inequality problem with paramonotone operators

We present an algorithm for the variational inequality problem on convex sets with nonempty interior. The use of Bregman functions whose zone is the convex set allows for the generation of a sequence contained in the interior, without taking explicitly into account the constraints which define the convex set. We establish full convergence to a solution with minimal conditions upon the monotone operatorF, weaker than strong monotonicity or Lipschitz continuity, for instance, and including cases where the solution needs not be unique. We apply our algorithm to several relevant classes of convex sets, including orthants, boxes, polyhedra and balls, for which Bregman functions are presented which give rise to explicit iteration formulae, up to the determination of two scalar stepsizes, which can be found through finite search procedures. © 1998 The Mathematical Programming Society, Inc. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.Corresponding author.     

Dykstras algorithm with bregman projections: A convergence proof

Dykstra’s algorithm and the method of cyclic Bregman projections are often employed to solve best approximation and convex feasibility problems, which are fundamental in mathematics and the physical sciences. Censor and Reich very recently suggested a synthesis of these methods, Dykstra’s algorithm with Bregman projections, to tackle a non-orthogonal best approximation problem, They obtained convergence when each constraint is a halfspace. It is shown here that this new algorithm works for general closed convex constraints; this complements Censor and Reich’s result and relates to a framework by Tseng. The proof rests on Boyle and Dykstra’s original work and on strong properties of Bregman distances corresponding to Legendre functions. Special cases and observations simplifying the implementation of the algorithm are aiso discussed     

Approximating a Zero of Sum of Two Monotone Operators Which Solves a Fixed Point Problem in Reflexive Banach Spaces

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an iterative method for approximating a point in the set of zeros of the sum of two monotone mappings, which is also a solution of a fixed point problem for a Bregman strongly nonexpansive mapping in a real reflexive Banach space. With our iterative technique, we state and prove a strong convergence theorem for approximating an element in the intersection of the set of solutions of a variational inclusion problem for sum of two monotone mappings and the set of solutions of a fixed point problem for Bregman strongly nonexpansive mapping. We give applications of our result to convex minimization problem, convex feasibility problem, variational inequality problem, and equilibrium problem. Our result complements and extends some recent results in literature.     

A majorization–minimization algorithm for split feasibility problems

The classical multi-set split feasibility problem seeks a point in the intersection of finitely many closed convex domain constraints, whose image under a linear mapping also lies in the intersection of finitely many closed convex range constraints. Split feasibility generalizes important inverse problems including convex feasibility, linear complementarity, and regression with constraint sets. When a feasible point does not exist, solution methods that proceed by minimizing a proximity function can be used to obtain optimal approximate solutions to the problem. We present an extension of the proximity function approach that generalizes the linear split feasibility problem to allow for non-linear mappings. Our algorithm is based on the principle of majorization–minimization, is amenable to quasi-Newton acceleration, and comes complete with convergence guarantees under mild assumptions. Furthermore, we show that the Euclidean norm appearing in the proximity function of the non-linear split feasibility problem can be replaced by arbitrary Bregman divergences. We explore several examples illustrating the merits of non-linear formulations over the linear case, with a focus on optimization for intensity-modulated radiation therapy.     

Generalized Bregman Projections in Convex Feasibility Problems

We present a method for finding common points of finitely many closed convex sets in Euclidean space. The Bregman extension of the classical method of cyclic orthogonal projections employs nonorthogonal projections induced by a convex Bregman function, whereas the Bauschke and Borwein method uses Bregman/Legendre functions. Our method works with generalized Bregman functions (B-functions) and inexact projections, which are easier to compute than the exact ones employed in other methods. We also discuss subgradient algorithms with Bregman projections.     

Stochastic mirror descent method for distributed multi-agent optimization

This paper considers a distributed optimization problem encountered in a time-varying multi-agent network, where each agent has local access to its convex objective function, and cooperatively minimizes a sum of convex objective functions of the agents over the network. Based on the mirror descent method, we develop a distributed algorithm by utilizing the subgradient information with stochastic errors. We firstly analyze the effects of stochastic errors on the convergence of the algorithm and then provide an explicit bound on the convergence rate as a function of the error bound and number of iterations. Our results show that the algorithm asymptotically converges to the optimal value of the problem within an error level, when there are stochastic errors in the subgradient evaluations. The proposed algorithm can be viewed as a generalization of the distributed subgradient projection methods since it utilizes more general Bregman divergence instead of the Euclidean squared distance. Finally, some simulation results on a regularized hinge regression problem are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.     

Distributed mirror descent method for saddle point problems over directed graphs

In this article, we consider a mini‐max multi‐agent optimization problem where multiple agents cooperatively optimize a sum of local convex–concave functions, each of which is available to one specific agent in a network. To solve the problem, we propose a distributed optimization method by extending classical mirror descent algorithms to the distributed setting. We obtain the convergence of the algorithm under wild conditions that the agent communication follows a directed graph and the related weighted matrices are row stochastic. In particular, when the weighted matrices are restricted to be doubly stochastic, we provide the explicit convergence rate of the algorithm by choosing the stepsize in a suitable way. The proposed algorithm can be viewed as a generalization of the subgradient projection methods since it utilizes a customized Bregman divergence instead of the usual Euclidean squared distance. Finally, some simulation results on a matrix game are presented to illustrate the performance of the algorithm. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 178–190, 2016     

A relaxed self-adaptive CQ algorithm for the multiple-sets split feasibility problem

The multiple-sets split feasibility problem (MSFP) is to find a point belongs to the intersection of a family of closed convex sets in one space, such that its image under a linear transformation belongs to the intersection of another family of closed convex sets in the image space. Many iterative methods can be employed to solve the MSFP. Jinling Zhao et al. proposed a modification for the CQ algorithm and a relaxation scheme for this modification to solve the MSFP. The strong convergence of these algorithms are guaranteed in finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. Recently López et al. proposed a relaxed CQ algorithm for solving split feasibility problem, this algorithm can be implemented easily since it computes projections onto half-spaces and has no need to know a priori the norm of the bounded linear operator. However, this algorithm has only weak convergence in the setting of infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. In this paper, we introduce a new relaxed self-adaptive CQ algorithm for solving the MSFP where closed convex sets are level sets of some convex functions such that the strong convergence is guaranteed in the framework of infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. Our result extends and improves the corresponding results.     

Deterministic global optimization with partition sets whose feasibility is not known: Application to concave minimization,reverse convex constraints,DC-programming,and Lipschitzian optimization

A crucial problem for many global optimization methods is how to handle partition sets whose feasibility is not known. This problem is solved for broad classes of feasible sets including convex sets, sets defined by finitely many convex and reverse convex constraints, and sets defined by Lipschitzian inequalities. Moreover, a fairly general theory of bounding is presented and applied to concave objective functions, to functions representable as differences of two convex functions, and to Lipschitzian functions. The resulting algorithms allow one to solve any global optimization problem whose objective function is of one of these forms and whose feasible set belongs to one of the above classes. In this way, several new fields of optimization are opened to the application of global methods.     

Relaxation Methods for Strictly Convex Regularizations of Piecewise Linear Programs

We give an algorithm for minimizing the sum of a strictly convex function and a convex piecewise linear function. It extends several dual coordinate ascent methods for large-scale linearly constrained problems that occur in entropy maximization, quadratic programming, and network flows. In particular, it may solve exact penalty versions of such (possibly inconsistent) problems, and subproblems of bundle methods for nondifferentiable optimization. It is simple, can exploit sparsity, and in certain cases is highly parallelizable. Its global convergence is established in the recent framework of B -functions (generalized Bregman functions). Accepted 29 October 1996     

Iterative Methods of Solving Stochastic Convex Feasibility Problems and Applications

The stochastic convex feasibility problem (SCFP) is the problem of finding almost common points of measurable families of closed convex subsets in reflexive and separable Banach spaces. In this paper we prove convergence criteria for two iterative algorithms devised to solve SCFPs. To do that, we first analyze the concepts of Bregman projection and Bregman function with emphasis on the properties of their local moduli of convexity. The areas of applicability of the algorithms we present include optimization problems, linear operator equations, inverse problems, etc., which can be represented as SCFPs and solved as such. Examples showing how these algorithms can be implemented are also given.     

A parametric successive underestimation method for convex multiplicative programming problems

This paper addresses itself to the algorithm for minimizing the product of two nonnegative convex functions over a convex set. It is shown that the global minimum of this nonconvex problem can be obtained by solving a sequence of convex programming problems. The basic idea of this algorithm is to embed the original problem into a problem in a higher dimensional space and to apply a branch-and-bound algorithm using an underestimating function. Computational results indicate that our algorithm is efficient when the objective function is the product of a linear and a quadratic functions and the constraints are linear. An extension of our algorithm for minimizing the sum of a convex function and a product of two convex functions is also discussed.     

Global optimization of a nonconvex single facility location problem by sequential unconstrained convex minimization

The problem of maximizing the sum of certain composite functions, where each term is the composition of a convex decreasing function, bounded from below, with a convex function having compact level sets arises in certain single facility location problems with gauge distance functions. We show that this problem is equivalent to a convex maximization problem over a compact convex set and develop a specialized polyhedral annexation procedure to find a global solution for the case when the inside function is a polyhedral norm. As the problem was solved recently only for local solutions, this paper offers an algorithm for finding a global solution. Implementation and testing are not treated in this short communication.An earlier version of this paper appeared in the proceedings of a conference on Recent Advances in Global Optimization, C. Floudas and P. Pardalos, eds., Princeton University Press, 1991.     

Nonlinear Proximal Decomposition Method for Convex Programming

In this paper, we propose a new decomposition method for solving convex programming problems with separable structure. The proposed method is based on the decomposition method proposed by Chen and Teboulle and the nonlinear proximal point algorithm using the Bregman function. An advantage of the proposed method is that, by a suitable choice of the Bregman function, each subproblem becomes essentially the unconstrained minimization of a finite-valued convex function. Under appropriate assumptions, the method is globally convergent to a solution of the problem.     

Generalized Convex Multiplicative Programming via Quasiconcave Minimization

We present a new method for minimizing the sum of a convex function and aproduct of k nonnegative convex functions over a convex set. This problem isreduced to a k-dimensional quasiconcave minimization problem which is solvedby a conical branch-and-bound algorithm. Comparative computational results areprovided on test problems from the literature.     

Generalized linear multiplicative and fractional programming

This paper addresses itself to the algorithm for minimizing the sum of a convex function and a product of two linear functions over a polytope. It is shown that this nonconvex minimization problem can be solved by solving a sequence of convex programming problems. The basic idea of this algorithm is to embed the original problem into a problem in higher dimension and apply a parametric programming (path following) approach. Also it is shown that the same idea can be applied to a generalized linear fractional programming problem whose objective function is the sum of a convex function and a linear fractional function.     

Finite Convergence of a Subgradient Projections Method with Expanding Controls

We study finite convergence of the modified cyclic subgradient projections (MCSP) algorithm for the convex feasibility problem (CFP) in the Euclidean space. Expanding control sequences allow the indices of the sets of the CFP to re-appear and be used again by the algorithm within windows of iteration indices whose lengths are not constant but may increase without bound. Motivated by another development in finitely convergent sequential algorithms that has a significant real-world application in the field of radiation therapy treatment planning, we show that the MCSP algorithm retains its finite convergence when used with an expanding control that is repetitive and fulfills an additional condition.     

Almost sure convergence of random projected proximal and subgradient algorithms for distributed nonsmooth convex optimization

Two distributed algorithms are described that enable all users connected over a network to cooperatively solve the problem of minimizing the sum of all users’ objective functions over the intersection of all users’ constraint sets, where each user has its own private nonsmooth convex objective function and closed convex constraint set, which is the intersection of a number of simple, closed convex sets. One algorithm enables each user to adjust its estimate using the proximity operator of its objective function and the metric projection onto one constraint set randomly selected from a number of simple, closed convex sets. The other determines each user’s estimate using the subdifferential of its objective function instead of the proximity operator. Investigation of the two algorithms’ convergence properties for a diminishing step-size rule revealed that, under certain assumptions, the sequences of all users generated by each of the two algorithms converge almost surely to the same solution. It also showed that the rate of convergence depends on the step size and that a smaller step size results in quicker convergence. The results of numerical evaluation using a nonsmooth convex optimization problem support the convergence analysis and demonstrate the effectiveness of the two algorithms.