Ising Machine Host Interface for Faster Combinatorial Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in efficiently transmitting and receiving information between host units and Ising machines, leading to prolonged calculation times for solving combinatorial optimization problems.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system comprising an Ising machine, such as a reconfigurable FPGA, and a host unit that efficiently transmits and receives definition information, control parameters, and initial values of auxiliary variables to perform a search process for the ground state of an Ising model using the simulated bifurcation method, allowing for high-speed calculation of combinatorial optimization solutions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If traditional information transmission methods are used between host unit and Ising machine, then system compatibility is maintained, but processing time and communication overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing timeVSAvoidcommunication overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The host unit performs preliminary processing to generate initial values for auxiliary variables before transmitting data to the Ising machine. This preprocessing step optimizes the input data structure, reducing the communication overhead and enabling faster processing by the Ising machine without requiring complex real-time communication protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and separates the auxiliary variable calculations from the main Ising machine operation, performing them in advance on the host unit. This extraction reduces the data transmission burden to the Ising machine, thereby reducing communication overhead while maintaining fast processing capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If more information is transmitted between host unit and Ising machine, then calculation accuracy improves, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalculation accuracyVSAvoidinformation transmission volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The host unit performs preliminary calculations to determine initial values for auxiliary variables based on the problem definition. This preliminary action ensures that only essential, pre-processed information needs to be transmitted to the Ising machine, maintaining calculation accuracy while minimizing the volume of data that must be communicated

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The auxiliary variables act as intermediaries that bridge the host unit's problem definition and the Ising machine's optimization process. By pre-calculating these intermediary values on the host unit, the system maintains high calculation accuracy through proper problem transformation while reducing the direct information transmission burden between host and Ising machine

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3955175B1Information processing system using an ising model
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 KK TOSHIBA
  • EP3955175B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3955175B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3955175B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

According to an arrangement, an information processing system (10) solves a combinatorial optimization problem. The information processing system (10) includes an Ising machine (12) and a host unit (14). The Ising machine (12) is hardware configured to perform a search process for searching for the ground state of an Ising model that represents the combinatorial optimization problem. The host unit (14) is hardware connected to the Ising machine (12) via an interface and configured to control the Ising machine. In the search process, for each of a plurality of Ising spins (si) , the Ising machine alternately repeats an auxiliary variable update process for updating an auxiliary variable (pi) by a main variable (xi) and a main variable update process for updating the main variable (xi) by the auxiliary variable (pi) multiple times. Prior to the search process, the host unit (14) transmits, to the Ising machine (12), an initial value of the auxiliary variable corresponding to each of the plurality of Ising spins (si).