Form Dynamic Programming To Search Algorithms With Functional Costs

In this paper we approach, using artificial intelligence methods, the problem of finding a minimal-cost path in a functionally weighted graph, i.e a graph with monotone cost functions associated with the arcs This problem is important since solving any system of functional equations in a general dynamic programming formulation can be shown equivalent to it. A general heuristic search algorithm with estimate is given, which is a nontrivial extension of algorithm A. by Hart, Nilsson and Raphael. Putting some constraints on cost functions and on the estimate, this algorithm can be simplified until the classical version, with additive cost functions, is reached.