Multi Agent Reinforcement Learning for Sequential Satellite Assignment Problems

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Holder, Joshua, Jaques, Natasha, Mesbahi, Mehran
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Holder, Joshua
Jaques, Natasha
Mesbahi, Mehran
author_facet Holder, Joshua
Jaques, Natasha
Mesbahi, Mehran
contents Assignment problems are a classic combinatorial optimization problem in which a group of agents must be assigned to a group of tasks such that maximum utility is achieved while satisfying assignment constraints. Given the utility of each agent completing each task, polynomial-time algorithms exist to solve a single assignment problem in its simplest form. However, in many modern-day applications such as satellite constellations, power grids, and mobile robot scheduling, assignment problems unfold over time, with the utility for a given assignment depending heavily on the state of the system. We apply multi-agent reinforcement learning to this problem, learning the value of assignments by bootstrapping from a known polynomial-time greedy solver and then learning from further experience. We then choose assignments using a distributed optimal assignment mechanism rather than by selecting them directly. We demonstrate that this algorithm is theoretically justified and avoids pitfalls experienced by other RL algorithms in this setting. Finally, we show that our algorithm significantly outperforms other methods in the literature, even while scaling to realistic scenarios with hundreds of agents and tasks.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_15573
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Multi Agent Reinforcement Learning for Sequential Satellite Assignment Problems
Holder, Joshua
Jaques, Natasha
Mesbahi, Mehran
Multiagent Systems
Machine Learning
Assignment problems are a classic combinatorial optimization problem in which a group of agents must be assigned to a group of tasks such that maximum utility is achieved while satisfying assignment constraints. Given the utility of each agent completing each task, polynomial-time algorithms exist to solve a single assignment problem in its simplest form. However, in many modern-day applications such as satellite constellations, power grids, and mobile robot scheduling, assignment problems unfold over time, with the utility for a given assignment depending heavily on the state of the system. We apply multi-agent reinforcement learning to this problem, learning the value of assignments by bootstrapping from a known polynomial-time greedy solver and then learning from further experience. We then choose assignments using a distributed optimal assignment mechanism rather than by selecting them directly. We demonstrate that this algorithm is theoretically justified and avoids pitfalls experienced by other RL algorithms in this setting. Finally, we show that our algorithm significantly outperforms other methods in the literature, even while scaling to realistic scenarios with hundreds of agents and tasks.
title Multi Agent Reinforcement Learning for Sequential Satellite Assignment Problems
topic Multiagent Systems
Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.15573