symforce.opt.barrier_functions module

max_power_barrier(x, x_nominal, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal, power, epsilon=0.0)[source]

A one-sided, non-symmetric scalar barrier function. The barrier passes through the points (x_nominal, error_nominal) and (x_nominal - dist_zero_to_nominal, 0) with a curve of the form x^power. The parameterization of the barrier by these variables is convenient because it allows setting a constant penalty for a nominal point, then adjusting the width and steepness of the curve independently. The barrier with power = 1 will look like:

                    |              **
                    |             ** - (x_nominal, error_nominal) is a fixed point
                    |            **
                    |           **   <- x^power is the shape of the curve
                    |          **
                    |         **
----------*********************---------
                    |         |<-->| dist_zero_to_nominal is the distance from
                    |                x_nominal to the point at which the error is zero

Note that when applying the barrier function to a residual used in a least-squares problem, a power = 1 will lead to a quadratic cost in the optimization problem because the cost equals 1/2 * residual^2. For example:

Cost (1/2 * residual^2) when the residual is a max_power_barrier with power = 1 (shown above):

                    |                *
                    |               ** - (x_nominal, error_nominal^2)
                    |               *
                    |              ** <- x^(2*power) is the shape of the cost curve
                    |            ***
                    |          ***
----------*********************---------
                    |         |<-->| dist_zero_to_nominal
Parameters:
  • x (float) – The point at which we want to evaluate the barrier function.

  • x_nominal (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal.

  • error_nominal (float) – Error returned when x equals x_nominal.

  • dist_zero_to_nominal (float) – The distance from x_nominal to the region of zero error. Must be a positive number.

  • power (float) – The power used to describe the curve of the error tails.

  • epsilon (float) – Used iff power is not an sf.Number

Return type:

float

max_linear_barrier(x, x_nominal, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal)[source]

Applies max_power_barrier() with power = 1. When applied to a residual of a least-squares problem, this produces a quadratic cost in the optimization problem because cost = 1/2 * residual^2. See max_power_barrier() for more details.

Parameters:
Return type:

float

min_power_barrier(x, x_nominal, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal, power, epsilon=0.0)[source]

A one-sided, non-symmetric scalar barrier function. The barrier passes through the points (x_nominal, error_nominal) and (x_nominal + dist_zero_to_nominal, 0) with a curve of the form x^power. The barrier with power = 1 will look like:

                                    **               |
        (x_nominal, error_nominal) - **              |
                                      **             |
x^power is the shape of the curve ->   **            |
                                        **           |
                                         **          |
------------------------------------------**********************---------
                dist_zero_to_nominal  |<->|          |
Parameters:
  • x (float) – The point at which we want to evaluate the barrier function.

  • x_nominal (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal.

  • error_nominal (float) – Error returned when x equals x_nominal.

  • dist_zero_to_nominal (float) – The distance from x_nominal to the region of zero error. Must be a positive number.

  • power (float) – The power used to describe the curve of the error tails. Note that when applying the barrier function to a residual used in a least-squares problem, a power = 1 will lead to a quadratic cost in the optimization problem.

  • epsilon (float) –

Return type:

float

min_linear_barrier(x, x_nominal, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal)[source]

Applies min_power_barrier() with power = 1. When applied to a residual of a least-squares problem, this produces a quadratic cost in the optimization problem because cost = 1/2 * residual^2. See min_power_barrier() for more details.

Parameters:
Return type:

float

symmetric_power_barrier(x, x_nominal, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal, power, epsilon=0.0)[source]

A symmetric barrier centered around x = 0, meaning the error at -x is equal to the error at x. The barrier passes through the points (x_nominal, error_nominal) and (x_nominal - dist_zero_to_nominal, 0) with a curve of the form x^power. For example, the barrier with power = 1 will look like:

    **              |              **
     **             |             ** - (x_nominal, error_nominal) is a fixed point
      **            |            **
       **           |           **   <- x^power is the shape of the curve
        **          |          **
         **         |         **
----------*********************---------
                    |         |<-->| dist_zero_to_nominal is the distance from
                    |                x_nominal to the point at which the error is zero

Note that when applying the barrier function to a residual used in a least-squares problem, a power = 1 will lead to a quadratic cost in the optimization problem because the cost equals 1/2 * residual^2. For example:

Cost (1/2 * residual^2) when the residual is a symmetric barrier with power = 1 (shown above):

   *                |                *
   **               |               ** - (x_nominal, 1/2 * error_nominal^2)
    *               |               *
    **              |              ** <- x^(2*power) is the shape of the cost curve
     ***            |            ***
       ***          |          ***
----------*********************---------
                    |         |<-->| dist_zero_to_nominal
Parameters:
  • x (float) – The point at which we want to evaluate the barrier function.

  • x_nominal (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal.

  • error_nominal (float) – Error returned when x equals x_nominal.

  • dist_zero_to_nominal (float) – Distance from x_nominal to the closest point at which the error is zero. Note that dist_zero_to_nominal must be less than x_nominal and greater than zero.

  • power (float) – The power used to describe the curve of the error tails.

  • epsilon (float) –

Return type:

float

min_max_power_barrier(x, x_nominal_lower, x_nominal_upper, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal, power, epsilon=0.0)[source]

A symmetric barrier centered between x_nominal_lower and x_nominal_upper. See symmetric_power_barrier() for a detailed description of the barrier function. As an example, the barrier with power = 1 will look like:

                                 **          |              **
                                  **         |             **
(x_nominal_lower, error_nominal) - **        |            ** - (x_nominal_upper, error_nominal)
                                    **       |           **
                                     **      |          ** <- x^power is the shape of the curve
                                      **     |         **
---------------------------------------*****************---------
              dist_zero_to_nominal |<->|     |         |<->| dist_zero_to_nominal
Parameters:
  • x (float) – The point at which we want to evaluate the barrier function.

  • x_nominal_lower (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal on the left-hand side of the barrier function.

  • x_nominal_upper (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal on the right-hand side of the barrier function.

  • error_nominal (float) – Error returned when x equals x_nominal_lower or x_nominal_upper.

  • dist_zero_to_nominal (float) – The distance from either of the x_nominal points to the region of zero error. Must be less than half the distance between x_nominal_lower and x_nominal_upper, and must be greater than zero.

  • power (float) – The power used to describe the curve of the error tails. Note that when applying the barrier function to a residual used in a least-squares problem, a power = 1 will lead to a quadratic cost in the optimization problem.

  • epsilon (float) –

Return type:

float

min_max_linear_barrier(x, x_nominal_lower, x_nominal_upper, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal)[source]

Applies min_max_power_barrier() with power = 1. When applied to a residual of a least-squares problem, this produces a quadratic cost in the optimization problem because cost = 1/2 * residual^2. See min_max_power_barrier() for more details.

Parameters:
  • x (float) –

  • x_nominal_lower (float) –

  • x_nominal_upper (float) –

  • error_nominal (float) –

  • dist_zero_to_nominal (float) –

Return type:

float

min_max_centering_power_barrier(x, x_nominal_lower, x_nominal_upper, error_nominal, dist_zero_to_nominal, power, centering_scale, epsilon=0.0)[source]

This barrier is the maximum of two power barriers which we call the “bounding” barrier and the “centering” barrier. Both barriers are centered between x_nominal_lower and x_nominal_upper. As an example, the barrier with power = 1 may look like:

BARRIER (max of bounding and centering barriers):

            **              |                          **
             ** <-(x_nominal_lower, error_nominal)    ** <-(x_nominal_upper, error_nominal)
              **            |                        **
               **           |                       **
                ******      |                  ******
                     ****** |             ****** <- x^power is the shape of upper/lower curve
                          ******     ******
-------------------------------*******-------------------
                            |

It may be easier to visualize the bounding and centering barriers independently:

BOUNDING BARRIER:

            **              |                          **
             ** <-(x_nominal_lower, error_nominal)    ** <-(x_nominal_upper, error_nominal)
              **            |                        **
               **           |                       **
                **          |                      ** <- x^power is the shape of the curve
                 **         |                     **
                  **        |                    **
-------------------*******************************-------
                            |                   |<-->| dist_zero_to_nominal

CENTERING BARRIER:

                            |
                            |
      ******                |                            ******
           ******           |                       ******
nominal_lower ^ ******      |                  ****** ^ nominal_upper
                     ****** |             ******
                          ******     ******  <- x^power is the shape of the curve
-------------------------------*******-------------------
                            |     ^-((x_nominal_lower + x_nominal_upper) / 2, 0)

where:

nominal_lower = (x_nominal_lower, centering_scale * error_nominal)
nominal_upper = (x_nominal_upper, centering_scale * error_nominal)

and the only point with zero error is the midpoint of x_nominal_lower and x_nominal_upper.

Parameters:
  • x (float) – The point at which we want to evaluate the barrier function.

  • x_nominal_lower (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal on the left-hand side of the barrier function.

  • x_nominal_upper (float) – x-value of the point at which the error is equal to error_nominal on the right-hand side of the barrier function.

  • error_nominal (float) – Error returned when x equals x_nominal_lower or x_nominal_upper.

  • dist_zero_to_nominal (float) – Used with the “bounding barrier” to define the distance from either of the x_nominal points to the region of zero error. Must be less than half the distance between x_nominal_lower and x_nominal_upper, and must be greater than zero.

  • power (float) – The power used to describe the curve of the error tails. Note that when applying the barrier function to a residual used in a least-squares problem, a power = 1 will lead to a quadratic cost in the optimization problem.

  • centering_scale (float) – Used to define the shape of the “centering barrier”. Must be between zero and one. The centering barrier passes through (x_nominal_lower, centering_scale * error_nominal), ((x_nominal_lower + x_nominal_upper) / 2, 0), and (x_nominal_upper, centering_scale * error_nominal).

  • epsilon (float) –

Return type:

float