IP Library Granted Patent US 11,077,368
Granted Patent B2
US 11,077,368 · App. 17/084,363 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Determining action selection policies of an execution device

Inventors: Hui Li (Hangzhou, CN); Le Song (Hangzhou, CN)
Assignee: Alipay (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd.
A63F13/47G06F9/5038G06N7/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,077,368
App. No.
17/084,363
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, are described, for generating an action selection policy of an execution device for completing a task in an environment. The method includes, in a current iteration, computing a counterfactual value (CFV) of the execution device in a terminal state based on a payoff of the execution device and a reach probability of other devices reaching the terminal state; computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state; for each non-terminal state having child states, computing a CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on a weighted sum of the baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the child states; computing a baseline-corrected CFV and a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state; and determining an action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration.

Claims (66)

1. A computer-implemented method of an execution device for generating an action selection policy for completing a task in an environment that includes the execution device and one or more other devices, the method comprising:

in a current iteration of a plurality of iterations,

computing, by the execution device, a counterfactual value (CFV) of the execution device in a terminal state of completing a task based on a payoff of the execution device at the terminal state and a reach probability of the one or more other devices reaching the terminal state, wherein the terminal state results from a sequence of actions taken at a plurality of non-terminal states by the execution device and by the one or more other devices, wherein each of the plurality of non-terminal states has one or more child states;

computing, by the execution device, a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of the previous iteration;

for each of the non-terminal states and starting from a non-terminal state that has the terminal state and one or more other terminal states as child states:

computing, by the execution device, a CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on a weighted sum of baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the child states of the non-terminal state;

computing, by the execution device, a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration;

computing, by the execution device, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration based on a weighted sum of the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration and the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state; and

determining, by the execution device, an action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that a convergence condition is met, controlling operations of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

determining the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration comprises:

calculating a regret value based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration; and

determining the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the regret value according to regret matching.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the reach probability of the one or more other devices reaching the terminal state comprises a product of probabilities of actions taken by the one or more other devices reach the terminal state.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration comprises:

computing a sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes an action in the terminal state of the previous iteration based on the CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of the previous iteration, a sampling policy of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration, and a probability of reaching the terminal state that results from the sequence of actions taken by the execution device;

in response to determining that the action is sampled, computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device that takes the action in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration; and

in response to determining that the action is not sampled, using the sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration as the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the weighted sum of the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and corresponding baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the one or more other terminal states is computed based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and corresponding baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the one or more other terminal states weighted by an action selection policy in the non-terminal state in the current iteration.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the weighted sum of the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration and the CFV or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state comprises a sum of:

the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration weighted by a scalar; and

the CFV or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state weighted by a second scalar and a probability of considering the non-terminal state.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising:

in a current iteration of a plurality of iterations,

computing a counterfactual value (CFV) of an execution device in a terminal state of completing a task based on a payoff of the execution device at the terminal state and a reach probability of one or more other devices reaching the terminal state, wherein the terminal state results from a sequence of actions taken at a plurality of non-terminal states by the execution device and by the one or more other devices, wherein each of the plurality of non-terminal states has one or more child states;

computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of the previous iteration;

for each of the non-terminal states and starting from a non-terminal state that has the terminal state and one or more other terminal states as child states:

computing a CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on a weighted sum of baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the child states of the non-terminal state;

computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration;

computing a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration based on a weighted sum of the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration and the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state; and

determining an action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising, in response to determining that a convergence condition is met, controlling operations of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration comprises:

calculating a regret value based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration; and

determining the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the regret value according to regret matching.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the reach probability of the one or more other devices reaching the terminal state comprises a product of probabilities of actions taken by the one or more other devices reach the terminal state.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration comprises:

computing a sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes an action in the terminal state of the previous iteration based on the CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of the previous iteration, a sampling policy of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration, and a probability of reaching the terminal state that results from the sequence of actions taken by the execution device;

in response to determining that the action is sampled, computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device that takes the action in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration; and

in response to determining that the action is not sampled, using the sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration as the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the weighted sum of the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and corresponding baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the one or more other terminal states is computed based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and corresponding baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the one or more other terminal states weighted by an action selection policy in the non-terminal state in the current iteration.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the weighted sum of the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration and the CFV or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state comprises a sum of:

the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration weighted by a scalar; and

the CFV or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state weighted by a second scalar and a probability of considering the non-terminal state.

15. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform one or more operations comprising:

in a current iteration of a plurality of iterations,

computing a counterfactual value (CFV) of an execution device in a terminal state of completing a task based on a payoff of the execution device at the terminal state and a reach probability of one or more other devices reaching the terminal state, wherein the terminal state results from a sequence of actions taken at a plurality of non-terminal states by the execution device and by the one or more other devices, wherein each of the plurality of non-terminal states has one or more child states;

computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of the previous iteration;

for each of the non-terminal states and starting from a non-terminal state that has the terminal state and one or more other terminal states as child states:

computing a CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on a weighted sum of baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the child states of the non-terminal state;

computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration;

computing a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration based on a weighted sum of the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration and the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state or the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state; and

determining an action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration.

16. The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , further comprising, in response to determining that a convergence condition is met, controlling operations of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration.

17. The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein determining the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration comprises:

calculating a regret value based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the current iteration; and

determining the action selection policy in the non-terminal state for the next iteration based on the regret value according to regret matching.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein the reach probability of the one or more other devices reaching the terminal state comprises a product of probabilities of actions taken by the one or more other devices reach the terminal state.

19. The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state, a CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of a previous iteration, or the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the CFV baseline of the execution device in the non-terminal state of the previous iteration comprises:

computing a sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes an action in the terminal state of the previous iteration based on the CFV baseline of the execution device in the terminal state of the previous iteration, a sampling policy of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration, and a probability of reaching the terminal state that results from the sequence of actions taken by the execution device;

in response to determining that the action is sampled, computing a baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device that takes the action in the non-terminal state based on the CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state and the sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration; and

in response to determining that the action is not sampled, using the sampled CFV baseline of the execution device that takes the action in the terminal state of the previous iteration as the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the non-terminal state.

20. The computer-implemented system of claim 15 , wherein the weighted sum of the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and corresponding baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the one or more other terminal states is computed based on the baseline-corrected CFV of the execution device in the terminal state and corresponding baseline-corrected CFVs of the execution device in the one or more other terminal states weighted by an action selection policy in the non-terminal state in the current iteration.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2021
From: SONG, LE
To: ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056705/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2021
From: LI, HUI
To: ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056690/0245 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2019124933 · Dec 12, 2019
Related Publication 20210178261A1 · Jun 17, 2021