We introduce improved learning and planning algorithms for average-reward MDPs, including 1) the first general proven-convergent off-policy model-free control algorithm without reference states, 2) the first proven-convergent off-policy model-free prediction algorithm, and 3) the first learning algorithms that converge to the actual value function rather than to the value function plus an offset. All of our algorithms are based on using the temporal-difference error rather than the conventional error when updating the estimate of the average reward. Our proof techniques are based on those of Abounadi, Bertsekas, and Borkar (2001). Empirically, we show that the use of the temporal-difference error generally results in faster learning, and that reliance on a reference state generally results in slower learning and risks divergence. All of our learning algorithms are fully online, and all of our planning algorithms are fully incremental.

本研究提出了一种基于平均报酬MDPs的学习和规划算法，其中包括第一种无参考状态的普遍证明收敛的无模型控制算法、第一个证明收敛的无政策自由预测算法，以及第一个离线学习算法，其收敛于实际值函数而不是值函数增加一个偏移量。在使用时间差错错误而不是常规错误更新平均报酬估计时，我们的所有算法都基于此。

平均奖励马尔科夫决策过程的学习和规划