SINR-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning for Distributed Dynamic Channel Allocation in Cognitive Interference Networks

We consider the problem of dynamic channel allocation (DCA) in cognitive communication networks with the goal of maximizing a global signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) measure under a specified target quality of service (QoS)-SINR for each network. The shared bandwidth is partitioned into K channels with frequency separation. In contrast to the majority of existing studies that assume perfect orthogonality or a one- to-one user-channel allocation mapping, this paper focuses on real-world systems experiencing inter-carrier interference (ICI) and channel reuse by multiple large-scale networks. This realistic scenario significantly increases the problem dimension, rendering existing algorithms inefficient. We propose a novel multi-agent reinforcement learning (RL) framework for distributed DCA, named Channel Allocation RL To Overlapped Networks (CARLTON). The CARLTON framework is based on the Centralized Training with Decentralized Execution (CTDE) paradigm, utilizing the DeepMellow value-based RL algorithm. To ensure robust performance in the interference-laden environment we address, CARLTON employs a low-dimensional representation of observations, generating a QoS-type measure while maximizing a global SINR measure and ensuring the target QoS-SINR for each network. Our results demonstrate exceptional performance and robust generalization, showcasing superior efficiency compared to alternative state-of-the-art methods, while achieving a marginally diminished performance relative to a fully centralized approach.

Sparse Training for Federated Learning with Regularized Error Correction

Federated Learning (FL) has attracted much interest due to the significant advantages it brings to training deep neural network (DNN) models. However, since communications and computation resources are limited, training DNN models in FL systems face challenges such as elevated computational and communication costs in complex tasks. Sparse training schemes gain increasing attention in order to scale down the dimensionality of each client (i.e., node) transmission. Specifically, sparsification with error correction methods is a promising technique, where only important updates are sent to the parameter server (PS) and the rest are accumulated locally. While error correction methods have shown to achieve a significant sparsification level of the client-to-PS message without harming convergence, pushing sparsity further remains unresolved due to the staleness effect. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm, dubbed Federated Learning with Accumulated Regularized Embeddings (FLARE), to overcome this challenge. FLARE presents a novel sparse training approach via accumulated pulling of the updated models with regularization on the embeddings in the FL process, providing a powerful solution to the staleness effect, and pushing sparsity to an exceptional level. The performance of FLARE is validated through extensive experiments on diverse and complex models, achieving a remarkable sparsity level (10 times and more beyond the current state-of-the-art) along with significantly improved accuracy. Additionally, an open-source software package has been developed for the benefit of researchers and developers in related fields.

A Masked Pruning Approach for Dimensionality Reduction in Communication-Efficient Federated Learning Systems

Federated Learning (FL) represents a growing machine learning (ML) paradigm designed for training models across numerous nodes that retain local datasets, all without directly exchanging the underlying private data with the parameter server (PS). Its increasing popularity is attributed to notable advantages in terms of training deep neural network (DNN) models under privacy aspects and efficient utilization of communication resources. Unfortunately, DNNs suffer from high computational and communication costs, as well as memory consumption in intricate tasks. These factors restrict the applicability of FL algorithms in communication-constrained systems with limited hardware resources. In this paper, we develop a novel algorithm that overcomes these limitations by synergistically combining a pruning-based method with the FL process, resulting in low-dimensional representations of the model with minimal communication cost, dubbed Masked Pruning over FL (MPFL). The algorithm operates by initially distributing weights to the nodes through the PS. Subsequently, each node locally trains its model and computes pruning masks. These low-dimensional masks are then transmitted back to the PS, which generates a consensus pruning mask, broadcasted back to the nodes. This iterative process enhances the robustness and stability of the masked pruning model. The generated mask is used to train the FL model, achieving significant bandwidth savings. We present an extensive experimental study demonstrating the superior performance of MPFL compared to existing methods. Additionally, we have developed an open-source software package for the benefit of researchers and developers in related fields.

Deep Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Decentralized Active Hypothesis Testing

We consider a decentralized formulation of the active hypothesis testing (AHT) problem, where multiple agents gather noisy observations from the environment with the purpose of identifying the correct hypothesis. At each time step, agents have the option to select a sampling action. These different actions result in observations drawn from various distributions, each associated with a specific hypothesis. The agents collaborate to accomplish the task, where message exchanges between agents are allowed over a rate-limited communications channel. The objective is to devise a multi-agent policy that minimizes the Bayes risk. This risk comprises both the cost of sampling and the joint terminal cost incurred by the agents upon making a hypothesis declaration. Deriving optimal structured policies for AHT problems is generally mathematically intractable, even in the context of a single agent. As a result, recent efforts have turned to deep learning methodologies to address these problems, which have exhibited significant success in single-agent learning scenarios. In this paper, we tackle the multi-agent AHT formulation by introducing a novel algorithm rooted in the framework of deep multi-agent reinforcement learning. This algorithm, named Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for AHT (MARLA), operates at each time step by having each agent map its state to an action (sampling rule or stopping rule) using a trained deep neural network with the goal of minimizing the Bayes risk. We present a comprehensive set of experimental results that effectively showcase the agents' ability to learn collaborative strategies and enhance performance using MARLA. Furthermore, we demonstrate the superiority of MARLA over single-agent learning approaches. Finally, we provide an open-source implementation of the MARLA framework, for the benefit of researchers and developers in related domains.

Federated Learning from Heterogeneous Data via Controlled Bayesian Air Aggregation

Federated learning (FL) is an emerging machine learning paradigm for training models across multiple edge devices holding local data sets, without explicitly exchanging the data. Recently, over-the-air (OTA) FL has been suggested to reduce the bandwidth and energy consumption, by allowing the users to transmit their data simultaneously over a Multiple Access Channel (MAC). However, this approach results in channel noise directly affecting the optimization procedure, which may degrade the accuracy of the trained model. In this paper we jointly exploit the prior distribution of local weights and the channel distribution, and develop an OTA FL algorithm based on a Bayesian approach for signal aggregation. Our proposed algorithm, dubbed Bayesian Air Aggregation Federated learning (BAAF), is shown to effectively mitigate noise and fading effects induced by the channel. To handle statistical heterogeneity of users data, which is a second major challenge in FL, we extend BAAF to allow for appropriate local updates by the users and develop the Controlled Bayesian Air Aggregation Federated-learning (COBAAF) algorithm. In addition to using a Bayesian approach to average the channel output, COBAAF controls the drift in local updates using a judicious design of correction terms. We analyze the convergence of the learned global model using BAAF and COBAAF in noisy and heterogeneous environment, showing their ability to achieve a convergence rate similar to that achieved over error-free channels. Simulation results demonstrate the improved convergence of BAAF and COBAAF over existing algorithms in machine learning tasks.

Multi-Flow Transmission in Wireless Interference Networks: A Convergent Graph Learning Approach

We consider the problem of of multi-flow transmission in wireless networks, where data signals from different flows can interfere with each other due to mutual interference between links along their routes, resulting in reduced link capacities. The objective is to develop a multi-flow transmission strategy that routes flows across the wireless interference network to maximize the network utility. However, obtaining an optimal solution is computationally expensive due to the large state and action spaces involved. To tackle this challenge, we introduce a novel algorithm called Dual-stage Interference-Aware Multi-flow Optimization of Network Data-signals (DIAMOND). The design of DIAMOND allows for a hybrid centralized-distributed implementation, which is a characteristic of 5G and beyond technologies with centralized unit deployments. A centralized stage computes the multi-flow transmission strategy using a novel design of graph neural network (GNN) reinforcement learning (RL) routing agent. Then, a distributed stage improves the performance based on a novel design of distributed learning updates. We provide a theoretical analysis of DIAMOND and prove that it converges to the optimal multi-flow transmission strategy as time increases. We also present extensive simulation results over various network topologies (random deployment, NSFNET, GEANT2), demonstrating the superior performance of DIAMOND compared to existing methods.

Client Selection for Generalization in Accelerated Federated Learning: A Multi-Armed Bandit Approach

Federated learning (FL) is an emerging machine learning (ML) paradigm used to train models across multiple nodes (i.e., clients) holding local data sets, without explicitly exchanging the data. It has attracted a growing interest in recent years due to its advantages in terms of privacy considerations, and communication resources. In FL, selected clients train their local models and send a function of the models to the server, which consumes a random processing and transmission time. The server updates the global model and broadcasts it back to the clients. The client selection problem in FL is to schedule a subset of the clients for training and transmission at each given time so as to optimize the learning performance. In this paper, we present a novel multi-armed bandit (MAB)-based approach for client selection to minimize the training latency without harming the ability of the model to generalize, that is, to provide reliable predictions for new observations. We develop a novel algorithm to achieve this goal, dubbed Bandit Scheduling for FL (BSFL). We analyze BSFL theoretically, and show that it achieves a logarithmic regret, defined as the loss of BSFL as compared to a genie that has complete knowledge about the latency means of all clients. Furthermore, simulation results using synthetic and real datasets demonstrate that BSFL is superior to existing methods.

A Communication-Efficient Adaptive Algorithm for Federated Learning under Cumulative Regret

We consider the problem of online stochastic optimization in a distributed setting with $M$ clients connected through a central server. We develop a distributed online learning algorithm that achieves order-optimal cumulative regret with low communication cost measured in the total number of bits transmitted over the entire learning horizon. This is in contrast to existing studies which focus on the offline measure of simple regret for learning efficiency. The holistic measure for communication cost also departs from the prevailing approach that \emph{separately} tackles the communication frequency and the number of bits in each communication round.

Composite Anomaly Detection via Hierarchical Dynamic Search

Anomaly detection among a large number of processes arises in many applications ranging from dynamic spectrum access to cybersecurity. In such problems one can often obtain noisy observations aggregated from a chosen subset of processes that conforms to a tree structure. The distribution of these observations, based on which the presence of anomalies is detected, may be only partially known. This gives rise to the need for a search strategy designed to account for both the sample complexity and the detection accuracy, as well as cope with statistical models that are known only up to some missing parameters. In this work we propose a sequential search strategy using two variations of the Generalized Local Likelihood Ratio statistic. Our proposed Hierarchical Dynamic Search (HDS) strategy is shown to be order-optimal with respect to the size of the search space and asymptotically optimal with respect to the detection accuracy. An explicit upper bound on the error probability of HDS is established for the finite sample regime. Extensive experiments are conducted, demonstrating the performance gains of HDS over existing methods.

Restless Multi-Armed Bandits under Exogenous Global Markov Process

We consider an extension to the restless multi-armed bandit (RMAB) problem with unknown arm dynamics, where an unknown exogenous global Markov process governs the rewards distribution of each arm. Under each global state, the rewards process of each arm evolves according to an unknown Markovian rule, which is non-identical among different arms. At each time, a player chooses an arm out of N arms to play, and receives a random reward from a finite set of reward states. The arms are restless, that is, their local state evolves regardless of the player's actions. The objective is an arm-selection policy that minimizes the regret, defined as the reward loss with respect to a player that knows the dynamics of the problem, and plays at each time t the arm that maximizes the expected immediate value. We develop the Learning under Exogenous Markov Process (LEMP) algorithm, that achieves a logarithmic regret order with time, and a finite-sample bound on the regret is established. Simulation results support the theoretical study and demonstrate strong performances of LEMP.