gradient

Evaluate gradient of function approximator object given observation and action input data

Syntax

grad = gradient(fcnAppx,'output-input'inData)

grad = gradient(fcnAppx,'output-parameters'inData)

grad = gradient(fcnAppx,lossFcn,inData,fcnData)

Description

grad = gradient(fcnAppx,'output-input'inData) evaluates the gradient of the sum of the outputs of the function approximator object fcnAppx with respect to its inputs. It returns the value of the gradient grad when the input of fcnAppx is inData.

example

grad = gradient(fcnAppx,'output-parameters'inData) evaluates the gradient of the sum of the outputs of fcnAppx with respect to its parameters.

grad = gradient(fcnAppx,lossFcn,inData,fcnData) evaluates the gradient of a loss function associated to the function handle lossFcn, with respect to the parameters of fcnAppx. The last optional argument fcnData can contain additional inputs for the loss function.

Examples

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Calculate Gradients for a Continuous Gaussian Actor

Open Live Script

Create observation and action specification objects (or alternatively use getObservationInfo and getActionInfo to extract the specification objects from an environment). For this example, define the observation space as consisting of three channels. The first channel carries an observation from a continuous three-dimensional space, so that a single observation is a column vector containing 3 doubles. The second channel carries a discrete observation consisting of a two-dimensional row vector that can take one among five different values. The third channel carries a discrete scalar observation that can be either zero or one. Finally, the action space is a continuous four-dimensional space, so that a single action is a column vector containing 4 doubles each between -10 and 10.

obsInfo = [rlNumericSpec([3 1]) 
           rlFiniteSetSpec({[1 2],[3 4],[5 6],[7 8],[9 10]})
           rlFiniteSetSpec([0 1])];

actInfo = rlNumericSpec([4 1], ...
    'UpperLimit',10*ones(4,1), ...
    'LowerLimit',-10*ones(4,1));

Create a deep neural network to be used as approximation model within the actor. For a continuous Gaussian actor, the network must have two output layers (one for the mean values the other for the standard deviation values), each having as many elements as the dimension of the action space.

To create a recurrent neural network, use sequenceInputLayer as the input layer and include an lstmLayer as one of the other network layers. Also use a softplus layer to enforce nonnegativity of the standard deviations, and a ReLU layer to scale the mean values to the desired output range.

inPath1 = [ sequenceInputLayer(prod(obsInfo(1).Dimension), ...
              'Normalization','none','Name','netObsIn1')
            fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension), ...
              'Name','infc1') ];

inPath2 = [ sequenceInputLayer(prod(obsInfo(2).Dimension), ...
              'Normalization','none','Name','netObsIn2')
            fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension), ...
              'Name','infc2') ];

inPath3 = [ sequenceInputLayer(prod(obsInfo(3).Dimension), ...
              'Normalization','none','Name','netObsIn3')
            fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension), ...
              'Name','infc3') ];

% concatenate inputs along the first available dimension
jointPath = [ concatenationLayer(1,3,'Name','cat')
              tanhLayer('Name','tanhJnt');
              lstmLayer(8,'OutputMode','sequence','Name','lstm')
              fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension), ...
                'Name','jntfc');
             ];

% path layers for mean value 
% using scalingLayer to scale range from (-1,1) to (-10,10)
meanPath = [ tanhLayer('Name','tanhMean');
             fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension));
             scalingLayer('Name','scale', ...
                'Scale',actInfo.UpperLimit) ];

% path layers for standard deviations
% using softplus layer to make them non negative
sdevPath = [ tanhLayer('Name','tanhStdv');
             fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension));
             softplusLayer('Name','splus') ];

% add layers to network object
net = layerGraph;
net = addLayers(net,inPath1);
net = addLayers(net,inPath2);
net = addLayers(net,inPath3);
net = addLayers(net,jointPath);
net = addLayers(net,meanPath);
net = addLayers(net,sdevPath);

% connect layers
net = connectLayers(net,'infc1','cat/in1');
net = connectLayers(net,'infc2','cat/in2');
net = connectLayers(net,'infc3','cat/in3');
net = connectLayers(net,'jntfc','tanhMean/in');
net = connectLayers(net,'jntfc','tanhStdv/in');

% plot network
plot(net)

Create the actor with rlContinuousGaussianActor, using the network, the observations and action specification objects, as well as the names of the network input layer and the options object.

actor = rlContinuousGaussianActor(net, obsInfo, actInfo, ...
    'ActionMeanOutputNames','scale',...
    'ActionStandardDeviationOutputNames','splus',...
    'ObservationInputNames',{'netObsIn1','netObsIn2','netObsIn3'});

To return mean value and standard deviations of the Gaussian distribution as a function of the current observation, use evaluate.

[prob,state] = evaluate(actor, {rand([obsInfo(1).Dimension 1 1]) , ...
                                rand([obsInfo(2).Dimension 1 1]) , ...
                                rand([obsInfo(3).Dimension 1 1]) });

The result is a cell array with two elements, the first one containing a vector of mean values, and the second containing a vector of standard deviations.

prob{1}

ans = 4×1 single column vector

    0.6371
    0.6491
    0.5877
   -0.1155

prob{2}

ans = 4×1 single column vector

    0.7048
    0.7032
    0.7377
    0.7092

To return an action sampled from the distribution, use getAction.

act = getAction(actor, {rand(obsInfo(1).Dimension) , ...
                       rand(obsInfo(2).Dimension) , ...
                       rand(obsInfo(3).Dimension) });
act{1}

ans = 4×1 single column vector

   -0.4660
   -0.0028
   -0.7374
   -0.0750

Calculate the gradients of the sum of the outputs (all the mean values plus all the standard deviations) with respect to the inputs, given a random observation.

gro = gradient(actor,'output-input', ...
    {rand(obsInfo(1).Dimension) , ...
     rand(obsInfo(2).Dimension) , ...
     rand(obsInfo(3).Dimension)} )

gro=3×1 cell array
    {3×1 single}
    {2×1 single}
    {[ -0.0070]}

The result is a cell array with as many elements as the number of input channels. Each element contains the derivatives of the sum of the outputs with respect to each component of the input channel. Display the gradient with respect to the element of the second channel.

gro{2}

ans = 2×1 single column vector

    0.0931
    1.8796

Obtain the gradient with respect of 5 independent sequences each one consisting of 9 sequential observations.

gro_batch = gradient(actor,'output-input', ...
    {rand([obsInfo(1).Dimension 5 9]) , ...
     rand([obsInfo(2).Dimension 5 9]) , ...
     rand([obsInfo(3).Dimension 5 9])} )

gro_batch=3×1 cell array
    {3×5×9 single}
    {2×5×9 single}
    {1×5×9 single}

Display the derivative of the sum of the outputs with respect to the third observation element of the first input channel, after the seventh sequential observation in the fourth independent batch.

gro_batch{1}(3,4,7)

ans = single
    -0.3318

Set the option to accelerate the gradient computations.

actor = accelerate(actor,true);

Calculate the gradients of the sum of the outputs with respect to the parameters, given a random observation.

grp = gradient(actor,'output-parameters', ...
    {rand(obsInfo(1).Dimension) , ...
     rand(obsInfo(2).Dimension) , ...
     rand(obsInfo(3).Dimension)} )

grp=15×1 cell array
    { 4×3  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×2  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    {32×12 single}
    {32×8  single}
    {32×1  single}
    { 4×8  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×4  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×4  single}
    { 4×1  single}

Each array within a cell contains the gradient of the sum of the outputs with respect to a group of parameters.

grp_batch = gradient(actor,'output-parameters', ...
    {rand([obsInfo(1).Dimension 5 9]) , ...
     rand([obsInfo(2).Dimension 5 9]) , ...
     rand([obsInfo(3).Dimension 5 9])} )

grp_batch=15×1 cell array
    { 4×3  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×2  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    {32×12 single}
    {32×8  single}
    {32×1  single}
    { 4×8  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×4  single}
    { 4×1  single}
    { 4×4  single}
    { 4×1  single}

If you use a batch of inputs, the gradient is calculated considering the whole input sequence (in this case 9 steps), and all the gradients with respect to the independent batch dimensions (in this case 5) are added together. Therefore, the returned gradient has always the same size as the output from getLearnableParameters.

Calculate Gradients for a Vector Q-Value Function

Open Live Script

obsInfo = [rlNumericSpec([4 1]) 
           rlFiniteSetSpec([0 1])];

actInfo =  rlFiniteSetSpec([-1 0 1]);

Create a deep neural network to be used as approximation model within the critic. The output layer must have three elements, each one expressing the value of executing the corresponding action, given the observation. To create a recurrent neural network, use sequenceInputLayer as the input layer and include an lstmLayer as one of the other network layers.

inPath1 = [ sequenceInputLayer(prod(obsInfo(1).Dimension), ...
              'Normalization','none','Name','netObsIn1')
            fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension), ...
              'Name','infc1') ];

inPath2 = [ sequenceInputLayer(prod(obsInfo(2).Dimension), ...
              'Normalization','none','Name','netObsIn2')
            fullyConnectedLayer(prod(actInfo.Dimension), ...
              'Name','infc2') ];

% concatenate inputs along first available dimension
jointPath = [ concatenationLayer(1,2,'Name','cct')
              tanhLayer('Name','tanhJnt');
              lstmLayer(8,'OutputMode','sequence','Name','lstm');
              fullyConnectedLayer(prod(numel(actInfo.Elements)), ...
                'Name','jntfc'); ];

% add layers to network object
net = layerGraph;
net = addLayers(net,inPath1);
net = addLayers(net,inPath2);
net = addLayers(net,jointPath);

% connect layers
net = connectLayers(net,'infc1','cct/in1');
net = connectLayers(net,'infc2','cct/in2');

% plot network
plot(net)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains an object of type graphplot.

Create the critic with rlVectorQValueFunction, using the network, the observations and action specification objects.

critic = rlVectorQValueFunction(net,obsInfo,actInfo);

To return the value of the actions a function of the current observation, use getValue or evaluate.

val = evaluate(critic, ...
    {rand(obsInfo(1).Dimension), ...
     rand(obsInfo(2).Dimension)})

val = 1x1 cell array
    {3x1 single}

When using evaluate, the result it a single-element cell array, containing a vector with the values of all the possible actions, given the observation.

val{1}

ans = 3x1 single column vector

   -0.0054
   -0.0943
    0.0177

Calculate the gradients of the sum of the outputs with respect to the inputs, given a random observation.

gro = gradient(critic,'output-input', ...
    {rand(obsInfo(1).Dimension) , ...
     rand(obsInfo(2).Dimension) } )

gro=2×1 cell array
    {4x1 single}
    {[ -0.0396]}

The result is a cell array with as many elements as the number of input channels. Each element contains the derivative of the sum of the outputs with respect to each component of the input channel. Display the gradient with respect to the element of the second channel.

gro{2}

ans = single
    -0.0396

Obtain the gradient with respect of 5 independent sequences each one consisting of 9 sequential observations.

gro_batch = gradient(critic,'output-input', ...
    {rand([obsInfo(1).Dimension 5 9]) , ...
     rand([obsInfo(2).Dimension 5 9]) } )

gro_batch=2×1 cell array
    {4x5x9 single}
    {1x5x9 single}

Display the derivative of the sum of the outputs with respect to the third observation element of the first input channel, after the seventh sequential observation in the fourth independent batch.

gro_batch{1}(3,4,7)

ans = single
    0.0443

Set the option to accelerate the gradient computations.

critic = accelerate(critic,true);

Calculate the gradients of the sum of the outputs with respect to the parameters, given a random observation.

grp = gradient(critic,'output-parameters', ...
    {rand(obsInfo(1).Dimension) , ...
     rand(obsInfo(2).Dimension) } )

grp=9×1 cell array
    {[-0.0101 -0.0097 -0.0039 -0.0065]}
    {[                        -0.0122]}
    {[                        -0.0078]}
    {[                        -0.0863]}
    {32x2 single                      }
    {32x8 single                      }
    {32x1 single                      }
    { 3x8 single                      }
    { 3x1 single                      }

Each array within a cell contains the gradient of the sum of the outputs with respect to a group of parameters.

grp_batch = gradient(critic,'output-parameters', ...
    {rand([obsInfo(1).Dimension 5 9]) , ...
     rand([obsInfo(2).Dimension 5 9]) } )

grp_batch=9×1 cell array
    {[-1.5801 -1.2618 -2.2168 -1.3463]}
    {[                        -3.7742]}
    {[                        -6.2158]}
    {[                       -12.6841]}
    {32x2 single                      }
    {32x8 single                      }
    {32x1 single                      }
    { 3x8 single                      }
    { 3x1 single                      }

Input Arguments

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`fcnAppx` — Function approximator object
`rlValueFunction` object | `rlQValueFunction` object | `rlVectorQValueFunction` object | `rlDiscreteCategoricalActor` object | `rlContinuousDeterministicActor` object | `rlContinuousGaussianActor` object | `rlContinuousDeterministicTransitionFunction` object | `rlContinuousGaussianTransitionFunction` object | `rlContinuousDeterministicRewardFunction` object | `rlContinuousGaussianRewardFunction` object | `rlIsDoneFunction` object

Function approximator object, specified as an:

rlValueFunction object,
rlQValueFunction object,
rlVectorQValueFunction object,
rlDiscreteCategoricalActor object,
rlContinuousDeterministicActor object,
rlContinuousGaussianActor object,
rlContinuousDeterministicTransitionFunction object,
rlContinuousGaussianTransitionFunction object,
rlContinuousDeterministicRewardFunction object,
rlContinuousGaussianRewardFunction object,
rlIsDoneFunction object.

`inData` — Input data for the function approximator
cell array

Input data for the function approximator, specified as a cell array with as many elements as the number of input channels of fcnAppx. In the following section, the number of observation channels is indicated by N_O.

If fcnAppx is an rlQValueFunction, an rlContinuousDeterministicTransitionFunction or an rlContinuousGaussianTransitionFunction object, then each of the first N_O elements of inData must be a matrix representing the current observation from the corresponding observation channel. They must be followed by a final matrix representing the action.
If fcnAppx is a function approximator object representing an actor or critic (but not an rlQValueFunction object), inData must contain N_O elements, each one being a matrix representing the current observation from the corresponding observation channel.
If fcnAppx is an rlContinuousDeterministicRewardFunction, an rlContinuousGaussianRewardFunction, or an rlIsDoneFunction object, then each of the first N_O elements of inData must be a matrix representing the current observation from the corresponding observation channel. They must be followed by a matrix representing the action, and finally by N_O elements, each one being a matrix representing the next observation from the corresponding observation channel.

Each element of inData must be a matrix of dimension M_C-by-L_B-by-L_S, where:

M_C corresponds to the dimensions of the associated input channel.
L_B is the batch size. To specify a single observation, set L_B = 1. To specify a batch of (independent) observations, specify L_B > 1. If inData has multiple elements, then L_B must be the same for all elements of inData.
L_S specifies the sequence length (along the time dimension) for recurrent neural network. If fcnAppx does not use a recurrent neural network, (which is the case of environment function approximators, as they do not support recurrent neural networks) then L_S = 1. If inData has multiple elements, then L_S must be the same for all elements of inData.

For more information on input and output formats for recurrent neural networks, see the Algorithms section of lstmLayer.

Example: {rand(8,3,64,1),rand(4,1,64,1),rand(2,1,64,1)}

`lossFcn` — Loss function
function handle

Loss function, specified as a function handle to a user-defined function. The user defined function can either be an anonymous function or a function on the MATLAB path. For an example of the signature that this function must have, see the example Train Reinforcement Learning Policy Using Custom Training Loop.

`fcnData` — Additional input data for the loss function
array

Additional data for the loss function. For an example see Train Reinforcement Learning Policy Using Custom Training Loop.

Output Arguments

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`grad` — Value of the gradient
cell array

Value of the gradient, returned in a cell array.

When the type of gradient is from the sum of the outputs with respect to the inputs of fcnAppx, then grad is a cell array in which each element contains the gradient of the sum of all the outputs with respect to the corresponding input channel.

The numerical array in each cell has dimensions D-by-L_B-by-L_S, where:

D corresponds to the dimensions of the input channel of fcnAppx.
L_B is the batch size, (length of a batch of independent inputs).
L_S is the sequence length (length of the sequence of inputs along the time dimension) for a recurrent neural network. If fcnAppx does not use a recurrent neural network (which is the case of environment function approximators, as they do not support recurrent neural networks), then L_S = 1.

When the type of gradient is from the output with respect to the parameters of fcnAppx, then grad is a cell array in which each element contains the gradient of the sum of outputs belonging to an output channel with respect to the corresponding group of parameters. The gradient is calculated considering the whole history of L_S inputs, and all the L_B gradients with respect to the independent input sequences are added together in grad. Therefore, grad has always the same size as the result from getLearnableParameters.

For more information on input and output formats for recurrent neural networks, see the Algorithms section of lstmLayer.

Version History

Introduced in R2022a

gradient

Syntax

Description

Examples

Calculate Gradients for a Continuous Gaussian Actor

Calculate Gradients for a Vector Q-Value Function

Input Arguments

`inData` — Input data for the function approximator
cell array

`lossFcn` — Loss function
function handle

`fcnData` — Additional input data for the loss function
array

Output Arguments

`grad` — Value of the gradient
cell array

Version History

See Also

Topics

gradient

Syntax

Description

Examples

Calculate Gradients for a Continuous Gaussian Actor

Calculate Gradients for a Vector Q-Value Function

Input Arguments

inData — Input data for the function approximator cell array

lossFcn — Loss function function handle

fcnData — Additional input data for the loss function array

Output Arguments

grad — Value of the gradient cell array

Version History

See Also

Topics

`inData` — Input data for the function approximator
cell array

`lossFcn` — Loss function
function handle

`fcnData` — Additional input data for the loss function
array

`grad` — Value of the gradient
cell array