Context tree selection: A unifying view

A. Garivier and F. Leonardi

Stochastic Processes and their Applications, 2011, vol. 121, issue 11, 2488-2506

Abstract: Context tree models have been introduced by Rissanen in [25] as a parsimonious generalization of Markov models. Since then, they have been widely used in applied probability and statistics. The present paper investigates non-asymptotic properties of two popular procedures of context tree estimation: Rissanenâs algorithm Context and penalized maximum likelihood. First showing how they are related, we prove finite horizon bounds for the probability of over- and under-estimation. Concerning over-estimation, no boundedness or loss-of-memory conditions are required: the proof relies on new deviation inequalities for empirical probabilities of independent interest. The under-estimation properties rely on classical hypotheses for processes of infinite memory. These results improve on and generalize the bounds obtained in Duarte et al. (2006) [12], Galves et al. (2008) [18], Galves and Leonardi (2008) [17], Leonardi (2010) [22], refining asymptotic results of Böhlmann and Wyner (1999) [4] and Csiszár and Talata (2006) [9].

Keywords: Algorithm; Context; Penalized; maximum; likelihood; Model; selection; Variable; length; Markov; chains; Bayesian; information; criterion; Deviation; inequalities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304414911001591
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:spapps:v:121:y:2011:i:11:p:2488-2506

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

Access Statistics for this article

Stochastic Processes and their Applications is currently edited by T. Mikosch

More articles in Stochastic Processes and their Applications from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().