TY  - BOOK
AU  - Costa,Oswaldo Luiz do Valle
AU  - Dufour,Francois
ED  - SpringerLink (Online service)
TI  - Continuous Average Control of Piecewise Deterministic Markov Processes
T2  - SpringerBriefs in Mathematics,
SN  - 9781461469834
AV  - QA273.A1-274.9 
U1  - 519.2 23
PY  - 2013///
CY  - New York, NY
PB  - Springer New York, Imprint: Springer
KW  - Mathematics
KW  - System theory
KW  - Operations research
KW  - Management science
KW  - Mathematical optimization
KW  - Probabilities
KW  - Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes
KW  - Continuous Optimization
KW  - Systems Theory, Control
KW  - Operations Research, Management Science
KW  - Complex Systems
N2  - The intent of this book is to present recent results in the control theory for the long run average continuous control problem of piecewise deterministic Markov processes (PDMPs). The book focuses mainly on the long run average cost criteria and  extends to the PDMPs some well-known techniques related to discrete-time and continuous-time Markov decision processes, including the so-called ``average inequality approach'', ``vanishing discount technique'' and ``policy iteration algorithm''. We believe that what is unique about our approach is that, by using the special features of the PDMPs, we trace a parallel with the general theory for discrete-time Markov Decision Processes rather than the continuous-time case. The two main reasons for doing that is to use the powerful tools developed in the discrete-time framework and to avoid working with the infinitesimal generator associated to a PDMP, which in most cases has its domain of definition difficult to be characterized. Although the book is mainly intended to be a theoretically oriented text, it also contains some motivational examples. The book is targeted primarily for advanced students and practitioners of control theory. The book will be a valuable source for experts in the field of Markov decision processes. Moreover,  the book should be suitable for certain advanced courses or seminars. As  background, one needs an acquaintance with the theory of Markov decision processes and some knowledge of stochastic processes and modern analysis.  
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6983-4
ER  -