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Given $n$ symmetric positive definite matrices $\mathrm W_1, \mathrm W_2, \dots, \mathrm W_n \in \mathbb R^{m \times m}$ and $s \in \mathbb N$, where $s < n$,

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

where the objective function to be maximized is concave. Were it not for the Boolean constraints, we would have a convex optimization problem. Let us find bounds on the maximum.

###A naive lower bound

Since the matrices are positive definite and $z_i \geq 0$, we have

$$\det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) \geq \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \det \left( z_i \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i^m \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$$

Let $c_i := \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$. The following binary integer program (IP)

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n c_i z_i\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

provides a lower bound on the maximum of the original optimization problem. This lower bound may be too loose, however.

###An upper bound

Replacing the (non-convex) Boolean constraints $z_i \in \{0,1\}$ with the (convex) inequality constraints $z_i \in [0,1]$, the following convex relaxation of the original optimization problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in [0,1]^n\end{array}$$

provides an upper bound on the maximum. In [0], Joshi & Boyd used Newton's method to solve the following approximation of the relaxed problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \log \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) + \gamma \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \left( \log (z_i) + \log (1 - z_i) \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\end{array}$$

where $\gamma > 0$. Note that the latter is devoid of inequality constraints.

###Reference

[0] Siddharth Joshi, Stephen Boyd, Sensor Selection via Convex Optimization, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 57, No. 2, pages 451-462, February 2009.

Given $n$ symmetric positive definite matrices $\mathrm W_1, \mathrm W_2, \dots, \mathrm W_n \in \mathbb R^{m \times m}$ and $s \in \mathbb N$, where $s < n$,

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

where the objective function to be maximized is concave. Were it not for the Boolean constraints, we would have a convex optimization problem. Let us find bounds on the maximum.

A naive lower bound

Since the matrices are positive definite and $z_i \geq 0$, we have

$$\det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) \geq \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \det \left( z_i \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i^m \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$$

Let $c_i := \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$. The following binary integer program (IP)

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n c_i z_i\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

provides a lower bound on the maximum of the original optimization problem. This lower bound may be too loose, however.

An upper bound

Replacing the (non-convex) Boolean constraints $z_i \in \{0,1\}$ with the (convex) inequality constraints $z_i \in [0,1]$, the following convex relaxation of the original optimization problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in [0,1]^n\end{array}$$

provides an upper bound on the maximum. In [0], Joshi & Boyd used Newton's method to solve the following approximation of the relaxed problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \log \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) + \gamma \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \left( \log (z_i) + \log (1 - z_i) \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\end{array}$$

where $\gamma > 0$. Note that the latter is devoid of inequality constraints.

Reference

[0] Siddharth Joshi, Stephen Boyd, Sensor Selection via Convex Optimization, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 57, No. 2, pages 451-462, February 2009.

Given $n$ symmetric positive definite matrices $\mathrm W_1, \mathrm W_2, \dots, \mathrm W_n \in \mathbb R^{m \times m}$ and $s \in \mathbb N$, where $s < n$,

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

where the objective function to be maximized is concave. Were it not for the Boolean constraints, we would have a convex optimization problem. Let us find lower and upper bounds on the maximum.

###A naive lower bound

Since the matrices are positive definite and $z_i \geq 0$, we have

$$\det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) \geq \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \det \left( z_i \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i^m \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$$

Let $c_i := \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$. The following binary integer program (IP)

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n c_i z_i\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

provides a lower bound on the maximum of the original optimization problem. This lower bound may be too loose, however.

###An upper bound

Replacing the (non-convex) Boolean constraints $z_i \in \{0,1\}$ with the (convex) inequality constraints $z_i \in [0,1]$, the following convex relaxation of the original optimization problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in [0,1]^n\end{array}$$

provides an upper bound on the maximum. In [0], Joshi & Boyd used Newton's method to solve the following approximation of the relaxed problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \log \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) + \gamma \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \left( \log (z_i) + \log (1 - z_i) \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\end{array}$$

where $\gamma > 0$. Note that the latter is devoid of inequality constraints.

###Reference

[0] Siddharth Joshi, Stephen Boyd, Sensor Selection via Convex Optimization, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 57, No. 2, pages 451-462, February 2009.

Given $n$ symmetric positive definite matrices $\mathrm W_1, \mathrm W_2, \dots, \mathrm W_n \in \mathbb R^{m \times m}$ and $s \in \mathbb N$, where $s < n$,

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

where the objective function to be maximized is concave. Were it not for the Boolean constraints, we would have a convex optimization problem. Let us find bounds on the maximum.

###A naive lower bound

Since the matrices are positive definite and $z_i \geq 0$, we have

$$\det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) \geq \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \det \left( z_i \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i^m \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$$

Let $c_i := \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$. The following binary integer program (IP)

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n c_i z_i\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

provides a lower bound on the maximum of the original optimization problem. This lower bound may be too loose, however.

###An upper bound

Replacing the (non-convex) Boolean constraints $z_i \in \{0,1\}$ with the (convex) inequality constraints $z_i \in [0,1]$, the following convex relaxation of the original optimization problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in [0,1]^n\end{array}$$

provides an upper bound on the maximum. In [0], Joshi & Boyd used Newton's method to solve the following approximation of the relaxed problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \log \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) + \gamma \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \left( \log (z_i) + \log (1 - z_i) \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\end{array}$$

where $\gamma > 0$. Note that the latter is devoid of inequality constraints.

###Reference

[0] Siddharth Joshi, Stephen Boyd, Sensor Selection via Convex Optimization, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 57, No. 2, pages 451-462, February 2009.

Given $n$ symmetric positive definite matrices $\mathrm W_1, \mathrm W_2, \dots, \mathrm W_n \in \mathbb R^{m \times m}$ and $s \in \mathbb N$, where $s < n$,

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

Since the matrices are positive definite and $z_i \geq 0$, we have

$$\det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) \geq \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \det \left( z_i \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i^m \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$$

Let $c_i := \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$. The following binary integer program (IP)

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n c_i z_i\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

provides a lower bound on the maximum of the original optimization problem. This lower bound may be too loose, however. It would be nice to relax the integrality constraints in the original optimization problem and obtain an upper bound on the maximum, too.

Given $n$ symmetric positive definite matrices $\mathrm W_1, \mathrm W_2, \dots, \mathrm W_n \in \mathbb R^{m \times m}$ and $s \in \mathbb N$, where $s < n$,

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

where the objective function to be maximized is concave. Were it not for the Boolean constraints, we would have a convex optimization problem. Let us find lower and upper bounds on the maximum.

###A naive lower bound

Since the matrices are positive definite and $z_i \geq 0$, we have

$$\det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) \geq \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \det \left( z_i \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i^m \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right) = \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$$

Let $c_i := \det \left( \mathrm W_i \right)$. The following binary integer program (IP)

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n c_i z_i\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in \{0,1\}^n\end{array}$$

provides a lower bound on the maximum of the original optimization problem. This lower bound may be too loose, however.

###An upper bound

Replacing the (non-convex) Boolean constraints $z_i \in \{0,1\}$ with the (convex) inequality constraints $z_i \in [0,1]$, the following convex relaxation of the original optimization problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\\ & \mathrm z \in [0,1]^n\end{array}$$

provides an upper bound on the maximum. In [0], Joshi & Boyd used Newton's method to solve the following approximation of the relaxed problem

$$\begin{array}{ll} \text{maximize} & \log \det \left( \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i \mathrm W_i \right) + \gamma \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n \left( \log (z_i) + \log (1 - z_i) \right)\\ \text{subject to} & \displaystyle\sum_{i=1}^n z_i = s\end{array}$$

where $\gamma > 0$. Note that the latter is devoid of inequality constraints.

###Reference

[0] Siddharth Joshi, Stephen Boyd, Sensor Selection via Convex Optimization, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 57, No. 2, pages 451-462, February 2009.