In the era of Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) computing, available quantum resources are limited. Many NP-hard problems can be efficiently addressed using hybrid classical and quantum computational methods. This paper proposes a hybrid variational quantum algorithm designed to solve the
k-coloring problem of graph vertices. The hybrid classical and quantum algorithms primarily partition the graph into multiple subgraphs through hierarchical techniques. The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is employed to determine the coloring within the subgraphs, while a classical greedy algorithm is utilized to find the coloring of the interaction graph. Fixed coloring is applied to the interaction graph, and feedback is provided to correct any conflicting colorings within the subgraphs. The merging process into the original graph is iteratively optimized to resolve any arising conflicts. We employ a hierarchical framework that integrates feedback correction and conflict resolution to achieve
k-coloring of arbitrary graph vertices. Through experimental analysis, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm, highlighting the rapid convergence of conflict evolution and the fact that iterative optimization allows the classical algorithm to approximate the number of colorings. Finally, we apply the proposed algorithm to optimize the scheduling of a subway transportation network, demonstrating a high degree of fairness.
The design of a good algorithm to solve NP-hard combinatorial approximation problems requires specific domain knowledge about the problems and often needs a trial-and-error problem solving approach. Graph coloring is one of the essential fields to provide an efficient solution for combinatorial applications such as flight scheduling, frequency allocation in networking, and register allocation. In particular, some optimization algorithms have been proposed to solve the multi-coloring graph problems but most of the cases a simple searching method would be the best approach to find an optimal solution for graph coloring problems. However, this naive approach can increase the computation cost exponentially as the graph size and the number of colors increase. To mitigate such intolerable overhead, we investigate the methods to take the advantages of quantum computing properties to find a solution for multi-coloring graph problems in polynomial time. We utilize the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) technique and quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) to find solutions for three combinatorial applications by both transferring each problem model to the corresponding Ising model and by using the calculated Hamiltonian matrices. Our results demonstrate that VQE and QAOA algorithms can find one of the best solutions for each application. Therefore, our modeling approach with hybrid quantum algorithms can be applicable for combinatorial problems in various fields to find an optimal solution in polynomial time.
The feedback-based algorithm for quantum optimization (FALQON), which is an extension of the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA), is a promising approach for finding approximate solutions to combinatorial optimization problems. The FALQON avoids the optimization of variational parameters by using information derived from iterative measurements. To solve a constrained combinatorial optimization problem, it is sometimes more efficient to use an XY mixer rather than the conventional X mixer. We applied the FALQON with the XY mixer to graph coloring and investigated the expectation value of the problem Hamiltonian, success probability of graph coloring, and fair sampling for several small-scale problems. The FALQON with the XY mixer exhibited better performance than that with the X mixer.
We propose a technique to solve the problem of graph multi coloring, which is a problem corresponding to channel allocation problem, with the quantum approximate optimization algorithm(QAOA). QAOA is an algorithm that solve an optimization problem. Among the optimization problems, this algorithm is specialized as solving the quadratic unconstrained binary optimization(QUBO) problems. It is designed to find approximate solutions to combinatorial optimization problems by leveraging quantum resources. In general, it is evaluated to have strengths in optimizing the base of optimal path exploration, small factor resolution, and mass data exploration. The study on coloring problem using digital algorithm has solved the problem of coloring by replacing the graph with simple graph or applying algorithm or reducing the number of nodes. Despite these efforts, however, the digital algorithm that solves the coloring problem studied so far has not achieved satisfactory performance by some limitations. Therefore, in order to overcome these limitations, this paper will show the result of solving multi coloring problem by reducing initial state dimension of the QAOA