Linearly constrained reconstruction of functions by kernels with applications to machine learning

This paper investigates the approximation of multivariate functions from data via linear combinations of translates of a positive definite kernel from a reproducing kernel Hilbert space. If standard interpolation conditions are relaxed by Chebyshev-type constraints, one can minimize the norm of the approximant in the Hilbert space under these constraints. By standard arguments of optimization theory, the solutions will take a simple form, based on the data related to the active constraints, called support vectors in the context of machine learning. The corresponding quadratic programming problems are investigated to some extent. Using monotonicity results concerning the Hilbert space norm, iterative techniques based on small quadratic subproblems on active sets are shown to be finite, even if they drop part of their previous information and even if they are used for infinite data, e.g., in the context of online learning. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results. Dedicated to C.A. Micchelli at the occasion of his 60th birthday Mathematics subject classifications (2000) 65D05, 65D10, 41A15, 41A17, 41A27, 41A30, 41A40, 41A63.