Finite Sample Analyses for Continuous-time Linear Systems: System Identification and Online Control

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zhou, Hongyi, Li, Jingwei, Zhang, Jingzhao
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Zhou, Hongyi
Li, Jingwei
Zhang, Jingzhao
author_facet Zhou, Hongyi
Li, Jingwei
Zhang, Jingzhao
contents Real world evolves in continuous time but computations are done from finite samples. Therefore, we study algorithms using finite observations in continuous-time linear dynamical systems. We first study the system identification problem, and propose a first non-asymptotic error analysis with finite observations. Our algorithm identifies system parameters without needing integrated observations over certain time intervals, making it more practical for real-world applications. Further we propose a lower bound result that shows our estimator is provably optimal up to constant factors. Moreover, we apply the above algorithm to online control regret analysis for continuous-time linear system. Our system identification method allows us to explore more efficiently, enabling the swift detection of ineffective policies. We achieve a regret of $\mathcal{O}(\sqrt{T})$ over a single $T$-time horizon in a controllable system, requiring only $\mathcal{O}(T)$ observations of the system.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_22741
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Finite Sample Analyses for Continuous-time Linear Systems: System Identification and Online Control
Zhou, Hongyi
Li, Jingwei
Zhang, Jingzhao
Systems and Control
Dynamical Systems
Real world evolves in continuous time but computations are done from finite samples. Therefore, we study algorithms using finite observations in continuous-time linear dynamical systems. We first study the system identification problem, and propose a first non-asymptotic error analysis with finite observations. Our algorithm identifies system parameters without needing integrated observations over certain time intervals, making it more practical for real-world applications. Further we propose a lower bound result that shows our estimator is provably optimal up to constant factors. Moreover, we apply the above algorithm to online control regret analysis for continuous-time linear system. Our system identification method allows us to explore more efficiently, enabling the swift detection of ineffective policies. We achieve a regret of $\mathcal{O}(\sqrt{T})$ over a single $T$-time horizon in a controllable system, requiring only $\mathcal{O}(T)$ observations of the system.
title Finite Sample Analyses for Continuous-time Linear Systems: System Identification and Online Control
topic Systems and Control
Dynamical Systems
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.22741