Functional reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces for non-point-evaluation functional data

摘要

Motivated by the need of processing non-point-evaluation functional data, we introduce the notion of functional reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (FRKHSs). This space admits a unique functional reproducing kernel which reproduces a family of continuous linear functionals on the space. The theory of FRKHSs and the associated functional reproducing kernels are established. A special class of FRKHSs, which we call the perfect FRKHSs, are studied, which reproduce the family of the standard point-evaluation functionals and at the same time another different family of continuous linear (non-point-evaluation) functionals. The perfect FRKHSs are characterized in terms of features, especially for those with respect to integral functionals. In particular, several specific examples of the perfect FRKHSs are presented. We apply the theory of FRKHSs to sampling and regularized learning, where non-point-evaluation functional data are used. Specifically, a general complete reconstruction formula from linear functional values is established in the framework of FRKHSs. The average sampling and the reconstruction of vector-valued functions are considered in specific FRKHSs. We also investigate in the FRKHS setting the regularized learning schemes, which learn a target element from non-point-evaluation functional data. The desired representer theorems of the learning problems are established to demonstrate the key roles played by the FRKHSs and the functional reproducing kernels in machine learning from non-point-evaluation functional data. We finally illustrate that the continuity of linear functionals, used to obtain the non-point-evaluation functional data, on an FRKHS is necessary for the stability of the numerical reconstruction algorithm using the data. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.