US Patent 8008942 - Quantum analog processor

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8008942.html

This latest patent from D-Wave Systems teaches how a plurality of superconducting quantum devices can be combined to "evolve" solutions to computational problems beyond the capability of conventional computers. Claim 1 reads:

1. A computational system, comprising:

a computer; and

a quantum processor in communication with the computer, the quantum processor comprising:

(i) a plurality of quantum devices, wherein each quantum device in the plurality of quantum devices has a respective first basis state and a respective second basis state; and

(ii) a plurality of coupling devices, wherein a first coupling device in the plurality of coupling devices couples a first quantum device in the plurality of quantum devices to a second quantum device in the plurality of quantum devices, and wherein the first coupling device is configured to tune a coupling strength between the first quantum device and the second quantum device so that the first quantum device and the second quantum device couple either ferromagnetically or anti-ferromagnetically.