Estimation of Parameters of a Two-State Markov Process by Interval Sampling

This paper develops a method of modifying the usual maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters of a two state Markov process when the trajectory of the process can only he observed at regular epochs. The method utilizes the limiting behaviors of the process and the properties of state transition counts. An efficient adaptive strategy to be used together with the modified estimator is also proposed. The properties of the new estimators and the adaptive strategy are investigated using Monte Carlo simulation.