# US 12,118,434 B2 · Thermal quantum annealing

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,118,434 B2
- Document ID: US12118434B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/105,859
- Filed: 2023-02-05
- Published: 2023-08-10
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2022-02-05
- Applicants: Paul J. Werbos
- Inventors: Paul J. Werbos
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118434B2

## CPC

- G06N 10/60: Quantum algorithms, e.g. based on quantum optimisation, quantum Fourier or Hadamard transforms
- G06N 10/40: Physical realisations or architectures of quantum processors or components for manipulating qubits, e.g. qubit coupling or qubit control
- G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS

## Abstract

A true quantum quadratic optimizer is disclosed. An Ising type quantum array and a heat reservoir are included. This is used in solving mathematical problems.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for solving continuous-variable quantum quadratic optimization problems, comprising:
entangled qubits encoded with an Ising model problem coupled to a heat reservoir;
wherein the Ising model problem expresses a continuous-variable quantum quadratic optimization problem; and
wherein the entangled qubits evolve by thermalannealing, resulting in optimized solutions to the continuous-variable quantum quadratic optimization problem,
wherein a temperature of a heat reservoir varies on a schedule such that each evolution of the entangled qubits occurs while the heat reservoir is at a desired temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein all of the entangled qubits evolve in parallel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the entangled qubits evolve by thermal annealing by heat dissipation from the entangled qubits to the heat reservoir.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the entangled qubits are at a higher temperature than the heat reservoir.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein noise in the optimized solutions are decreased by increasing a ratio between a temperature of the heat reservoir and an energy gap of a desired optimum.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, by varying the temperature of the heat reservoir, a number of high energy solutions varies, with a decrease in the high energy solutions with a lower temperature, and an increase in the high energy solutions with a higher temperature.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the continuous-variable quantum quadratic optimization problem comprises matrices, H0 and HI, and the optimized solutions are a vector u made up of n+1 complex numbers, wherein n is an integer measure of a size of the continuous-variable quantum quadratic optimization problem.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the matrices H0 and HI are nonmonotonic with a plurality of local minima and the thermal annealing eliminates suboptimal solutions, resulting in the optimized solutions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein a user defines success criteria for converging on the optimized solutions.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the optimized solutions comprise solutions that meet a user specified success criteria.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein evolving by thermal annealing is conducted for a period of time that is long enough produce a set of optimized solutions that is good enough according to a user specified success criteria.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein multiple users supply success criteria to the Ising model problem and the optimized solutions are a best case for the multiple users.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the continuous-variable quantum quadratic optimization problem comprises a master equation from quantum statistical thermodynamics and the optimized solutions are a vector u made up of n flux qubits.