Abstracting Probabilistic Actions

TL;DR

This paper introduces methods for abstracting conditional probabilistic actions, defining correctness criteria, and demonstrating their application in reducing planning complexity within the DRIPS decision-theoretic planner.

Contribution

It presents new formal methods for intra- and inter-action abstraction of probabilistic actions, ensuring correctness and applicability in planning systems.

Findings

Developed two correct intra-action abstraction methods.

Developed two correct inter-action abstraction methods.

Applied techniques to the DRIPS planner to improve planning efficiency.

Abstract

This paper discusses the problem of abstracting conditional probabilistic actions. We identify two distinct types of abstraction: intra-action abstraction and inter-action abstraction. We define what it means for the abstraction of an action to be correct and then derive two methods of intra-action abstraction and two methods of inter-action abstraction which are correct according to this criterion. We illustrate the developed techniques by applying them to actions described with the temporal action representation used in the DRIPS decision-theoretic planner and we describe how the planner uses abstraction to reduce the complexity of planning.