An error reducing approach to machine learning using multi-valued functional decomposition

Abstract

This paper considers minimization of incompletely specified multi-valued functions using functional decomposition. While functional decomposition was originally created for the minimization of logic circuits, this paper uses the decomposition process for both machine learning and logic synthesis of multi-valued functions. As it turns out, the minimization of logic circuits can be used in the concept of "learning" in machine learning, by reducing the complexity of a given data set. A main difference is that machine learning problems normally have a large number of output don't cares. Thus, the decomposition technique presented in this paper is focused on functions with a large number of don't cares. There have been several papers that have discussed the topic of using multi-valued functional decomposition for functions with a large number of don't cares. The novelty brought with this paper is that the proposed method is structured to reduce the resulting "error" of the functional decomposer where "error" is a measure of how well a machine learning algorithm approximates the actual, or true function.