Overview of Constrained PARAFAC Models

In this paper, we present an overview of constrained PARAFAC models where the constraints model linear dependencies among columns of the factor matrices of the tensor decomposition, or alternatively, the pattern of interactions between different modes of the tensor which are captured by the equivalent core tensor. Some tensor prerequisites with a particular emphasis on mode combination using Kronecker products of canonical vectors that makes easier matricization operations, are first introduced. This Kronecker product based approach is also formulated in terms of the index notation, which provides an original and concise formalism for both matricizing tensors and writing tensor models. Then, after a brief reminder of PARAFAC and Tucker models, two families of constrained tensor models, the co-called PARALIND/CONFAC and PARATUCK models, are described in a unified framework, for $N^{th}$ order tensors. New tensor models, called nested Tucker models and block PARALIND/CONFAC models, are also introduced. A link between PARATUCK models and constrained PARAFAC models is then established. Finally, new uniqueness properties of PARATUCK models are deduced from sufficient conditions for essential uniqueness of their associated constrained PARAFAC models

CONFAC Decomposition Approach to Blind Identification of Underdetermined Mixtures Based on Generating Function Derivatives

Abstract — This work proposes a new tensor-based approach to solve the problem of blind identification of underdetermined mixtures of complex sources exploiting the cumulant generating function (CGF) of the observations. We show that a collection of secondorder derivatives of the CGF of the observations can be stored in a third-order tensor following a constrained factor (CONFAC) decomposition with known constrained structure. In order to increase the diversity, we combine three derivative types into an extended third-order CONFAC decomposition. A detailed uniqueness study of this decomposition is provided, from which easy-to-check sufficient conditions ensuring the essential uniqueness of the mixing matrix are obtained. From an algorithmic viewpoint, we develop a CONFAC-based enhanced line search (CONFAC-ELS) method to be used with an alternating least squares estimation procedure for accelerated convergence, and also analyze the numerical complexities of two CONFAC-based algorithms (namely, CONFAC-ALS and CONFAC-ELS) in comparison with the Leverberg-Marquardt (LM)-based algorithm recently derived to solve the same problem. Simulation results compare the proposed approach with some higherorder methods. Our results also corroborate the advantages of the CONFAC-based approach over the competing LM-based approach in terms of performance and computational complexity. Index Terms — Blind identification, second generating function, complex sources, CONFAC decomposition