Actively Learning Combinatorial Optimization Using a Membership Oracle

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2405.14090v2
• Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2024 19:14:26 GMT
• Title: Actively Learning Combinatorial Optimization Using a Membership Oracle
• Authors: Rosario Messana, Rui Chen, Andrea Lodi,
• Abstract summary: We consider solving an optimization problem with an unknown linear constraint using a membership oracle. The goal of the decision maker is to find the best possible solution subject to a budget on the number of oracle calls. We adapt a classical framework in order to solve the problem by learning and exploiting a surrogate linear constraint.
• Score: 10.834947136134463
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: We consider solving a combinatorial optimization problem with an unknown linear constraint using a membership oracle that, given a solution, determines whether it is feasible or infeasible with absolute certainty. The goal of the decision maker is to find the best possible solution subject to a budget on the number of oracle calls. Inspired by active learning based on Support Vector Machines (SVMs), we adapt a classical framework in order to solve the problem by learning and exploiting a surrogate linear constraint. The resulting new framework includes training a linear separator on the labeled points and selecting new points to be labeled, which is achieved by applying a sampling strategy and solving a 0-1 integer linear program. Following the active learning literature, one can consider using SVM as a linear classifier and the information-based sampling strategy known as Simple margin. We improve on both sides: we propose an alternative sampling strategy based on mixed-integer quadratic programming and a linear separation method inspired by an algorithm for convex optimization in the oracle model. We conduct experiments on the pure knapsack problem and on a college study plan problem from the literature to show how different linear separation methods and sampling strategies influence the quality of the results in terms of objective value.

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