Systems and methods for real-time quantum computer-based control of mobile systems

• US 9,400,499 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D-Wave Systems Inc. (D-Wave Quantum, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: D-Wave Systems Inc. (D-Wave Quantum, Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Colin P., Hilton, Jeremy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/874,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20160026183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/00 Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function for propulsion of purely electrically-propelled vehicles with power supplied within the vehicle B60L50/00 - B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 10/00 Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena

Abstract

Systems and methods for integrating quantum computing systems into mobile systems for the purpose of providing real-time, quantum computer-based control of the mobile systems are described. A mobile system includes a data extraction subsystem that extracts data from an external environment of the mobile system and a quantum computing subsystem that receives data from the data extraction subsystem and performs a quantum computing operation in real-time using the data from the data extraction subsystem. A result of the quantum computing operation influences a behavior of the mobile system, such as the navigation of the mobile system or an action performed by the mobile system. The on-board quantum computing subsystem includes on-board quantum computing infrastructure that is adapted to suit the needs and spatial constraints of the mobile system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a dock system comprising;

a dock; and

a first cryogenic refrigeration system,

a mobile system removably physically coupleable to the dock, the mobile system comprising a second cryogenic refrigeration system, wherein the mobile system further comprises at least one quantum computing subsystem, mechanically coupled to the mobile system to move therewith, and thermally coupleable to the second cryogenic refrigeration system;

a thermal coupler selectively operable to thermally couple the first cryogenic refrigeration system to the mobile system when the mobile system is coupled to the dock.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one quantum computing subsystem includes a superconducting quantum processor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile system further comprises:

a mobility subsystem mechanically coupled to the mobile system and controllably operable to propel and steer the mobile system; and

a navigation subsystem communicatively coupled to the quantum computing subsystem to receive one or more results from the quantum computing subsystem, and communicatively coupled to the mobility subsystem to provide one or more control signals to the mobility subsystem,

wherein the one or more control signals are based, at least in part, on the one or more results.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile system further comprises a data extraction subsystem that extracts data from an external environment of the mobile system, wherein the quantum computing subsystem is communicatively coupleable to the data extraction subsystem to receive data from the data extraction subsystem, the quantum computing subsystem selectively operable to generate a result based, at least in part, on the data from the data extraction subsystem, the result selectively usable to influence a behavior of the mobile system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the dock system is stationary.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first cryogenic refrigeration system includes a continuously operable cryogenic refrigeration system and the second cryogenic refrigeration system includes a single-shot cryogenic refrigeration system.

7. A method of operation of a mobile system comprising a quantum computing subsystem and a single-shot cryogenic refrigerator, the method comprising:

docking the mobile system to a dock system comprising a dock, a first cryogenic refrigeration system, and a thermal coupler;

thermally coupling the first cryogenic refrigeration system to the mobile system via the thermal coupler;

cooling the quantum computing subsystem by the first cryogenic refrigeration system to provide an operating temperature of the quantum computing subsystem;

disengaging the mobile system from the dock system;

cooling the quantum computing subsystem by the single-shot cryogenic refrigerator to maintain the operating temperature of the quantum computing subsystem.