Nonlinear continuous-discrete filtering using kernel density estimatesand functional integrals

We develop filter algorithms for nonlinear stochastic differential equations with discrete time measurements (continuous-discrete state space model). The apriori density (time update) is computed by Monte Carlo simulations of the Fokker-Planck equation using kernel density estimators and measurement updates are obtained by using the extended Kalman filter (EKF) updates. For small sampling intervals, a discretized continuous sampling approach (DCS) is used. A third algorithm utilizes a functional (path) integral representation of the transition density (functional integral filter FIF). The kernel density filter (KDF), DCS, and FIF are compared with the EKF and the Gaussian sum filter by using a Ginzburg-Landau-equation and a stochastic volatility model.