Quantum-Enhanced Generalized Pattern Search Optimization

While the development of quantum computers promises a myriad of advantages over their classical counterparts, care must be taken when designing algorithms that substitute a classical technique with a potentially advantageous quantum method. The probabilistic nature of many quantum algorithms may result in new behavior that could negatively impact the performance of the larger algorithm. The purpose of this work is to preserve the advantages of applying quantum search methods for generalized pattern search algorithms (GPSs) without violating the convergence criteria. It is well known that quantum search methods are able to reduce the expected number of oracle calls needed for finding the solution to a search problem from O(N) to O(N) However, the number of oracle calls needed to determine that no solution exists with certainty is exceedingly high and potentially infinite. In the case of GPS, this is a significant problem since overlooking a solution during an iteration will violate a needed assumption for convergence. Here, we overcome this problem by introducing the quantum improved point search (QIPS), a classical–quantum hybrid variant of the quantum search algorithm QSearch. QIPS retains the O(N) oracle query complexity of QSearch when a solution exists. However, it is able to determine when no solution exists, with certainty, using only O(N) oracle calls.