From Raw Data to Safety: Reducing Conservatism by Set Expansion

Abstract

In response to safety concerns associated with learning-based algorithms, safety filters have been proposed as a modular technique. Generally, these filters heavily rely on the system’s model, which is contradictory if they are intended to enhance a data-driven or end-to-end learning solution. This paper extends our previous work, a purely Data-Driven Safety Filter (DDSF) based on Willems’ lemma, to an extremely short-sighted and non-conservative solution. Specifically, we propose online and offline sample-based methods to expand the safe set of DDSF and reduce its conservatism. Since this method is defined in an input-output framework, it can systematically handle both unknown and time-delay LTI systems using only one single batch of data. To evaluate its performance, we apply the proposed method to a time-delay system under various settings. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of the set expansion algorithm in generating a notably large input-output safe set, resulting in safety filters that are not conservative, even with an extremely short prediction horizon.