Robust feedback switching control: dynamic programming and viscosity solutions

We consider a robust switching control problem. The controller only observes the evolution of the state process, and thus uses feedback (closed-loop) switching strategies, a non standard class of switching controls introduced in this paper. The adverse player (nature) chooses open-loop controls that represent the so-called Knightian uncertainty, i.e., misspecifications of the model. The (half) game switcher versus nature is then formulated as a two-step (robust) optimization problem. We develop the stochastic Perron method in this framework, and prove that it produces a viscosity sub and supersolution to a system of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) variational inequalities, which envelope the value function. Together with a comparison principle, this characterizes the value function of the game as the unique viscosity solution to the HJB equation, and shows as a byproduct the dynamic programming principle for robust feedback switching control problem.Comment: to appear on SIAM Journal on Control and Optimizatio

Controlled diffusion processes

This article gives an overview of the developments in controlled diffusion processes, emphasizing key results regarding existence of optimal controls and their characterization via dynamic programming for a variety of cost criteria and structural assumptions. Stochastic maximum principle and control under partial observations (equivalently, control of nonlinear filters) are also discussed. Several other related topics are briefly sketched.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/154957805100000131 in the Probability Surveys (http://www.i-journals.org/ps/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org