Resource bounded and anytime approximation of belief function computations

This paper proposes a new approximation method for Dempster-Shafer belief functions. The method is based on a new concept of incomplete belief potentials. It allows to compute simultaneously lower and upper bounds for belief and plausibility. Furthermore, it can be used for a resource-bounded propagation scheme, in which the user determines in advance the maximal time available for the computation. This leads then to convenient, interruptible anytime algorithms giving progressively better solutions as execution time goes on, thus offering to trade the quality of results against the costs of computation. The paper demonstrates the usefulness of these new methods and shows its advantages and drawbacks compared to existing techniques. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.