QUBO sampling for mixed binary quadratic programming without continuous variable binarization

Quantum annealing and related combinatorial optimization methods typically accept quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems as input, whereas many practical models include constraints and continuous variables. Standard QUBO conversions discretize continuous variables, increasing the binary dimension and often making feasible low-energy states harder to sample. We develop a Lagrange-multiplier method for a separable class of mixed-binary quadratic programs (MBQPs) without discretizing continuous variables. The method is based on a finite-temperature free-energy formulation and uses QUBO sampling for the binary sector. At fixed Lagrange multipliers, the continuous sector is integrated out analytically and enters only the multiplier update, leaving a QUBO over the original binary variables. We evaluate the method on the continuous relaxation of the quadratic p -median problem. Compared with a penalty-based QUBO formulation, it generates feasible solutions more reliably. At an appropriate inverse temperature, its conditional relative error is comparable to that of local search for small instances and often lower for the larger tested instances. In the time-to-target comparisons, the proposed method maintains high target-reached rates for stringent fixed-accuracy targets. For the larger instances within the tested range, it also reaches the prescribed targets faster than a commercial mixed-integer optimization solver.

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Publication Details

Journal
Scientific Reports
Published
2026-10-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-73188-1
Primary Topic
Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

QUBO sampling for mixed binary quadratic programming without continuous variable binarization

Masayuki Ohzeki, Taisei Takabayashi
Scientific Reports
Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture
article

QUBO sampling for mixed binary quadratic programming without continuous variable binarization

Masayuki Ohzeki, Taisei Takabayashi
article en

Abstract

Quantum annealing and related combinatorial optimization methods typically accept quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems as input, whereas many practical models include constraints and continuous variables. Standard QUBO conversions discretize continuous variables, increasing the binary dimension and often making feasible low-energy states harder to sample. We develop a Lagrange-multiplier method for a separable class of mixed-binary quadratic programs (MBQPs) without discretizing continuous variables. The method is based on a finite-temperature free-energy formulation and uses QUBO sampling for the binary sector. At fixed Lagrange multipliers, the continuous sector is integrated out analytically and enters only the multiplier update, leaving a QUBO over the original binary variables. We evaluate the method on the continuous relaxation of the quadratic p -median problem. Compared with a penalty-based QUBO formulation, it generates feasible solutions more reliably. At an appropriate inverse temperature, its conditional relative error is comparable to that of local search for small instances and often lower for the larger tested instances. In the time-to-target comparisons, the proposed method maintains high target-reached rates for stringent fixed-accuracy targets. For the larger instances within the tested range, it also reaches the prescribed targets faster than a commercial mixed-integer optimization solver.

Scientific Reports
Tohoku University (JP), Kumamoto Industrial Research Institute (JP), Institute of Science Tokyo (JP), Sigma-i (Japan) (JP), Kumamoto University (JP)
Openalex Percentile: Top 45%
Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture
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