Nonlinear Bayesian estimation with compactly supported wavelets

Bayesian estimation for nonlinear systems is still a challenging problem, as in general the type of the true probability density changes and the complexity increases over time. Hence, approximations of the occurring equations and/or of the underlying probability density functions are inevitable. In this paper, we propose an approximation of the conditional densities by wavelet expansions. This kind of representation allows a sparse set of characterizing coefficients, especially for smooth or piecewise smooth density functions. Besides its good approximation properties, fast algorithms operating on sparse vectors are applicable and thus, a good trade-off between approximation quality and run-time can be achieved. Moreover, due to its highly generic nature, it can be applied to a large class of nonlinear systems with a high modeling accuracy. In particular, the noise acting upon the system can be modeled by an arbitrary probability distribution and can influence the system in any way.