Don't cache in target_history() (#1957)

* Don't cache in target_history()

* Add test

* Remove comment

* formatting

* Update properties()

* Refactor if/else logic

* Fix param logic

* Add comments back

---------

Co-authored-by: ptristan3 <[email protected]>

qiskit_ibm_runtime/ibm_backend.py

@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ def __getattr__(self, name: str) -> Any:
                 "'{}' object has no attribute '{}'".format(self.__class__.__name__, name)
             )
         # Lazy load properties and pulse defaults and construct the target object.
-        self._get_properties()
+        self.properties()
         self._get_defaults()
         self._convert_to_target()
         # Check if the attribute now is available on IBMBackend class due to above steps
@@ -239,16 +239,6 @@ def __getattr__(self, name: str) -> Any:
                 "'{}' object has no attribute '{}'".format(self.__class__.__name__, name)
             )
 
-    def _get_properties(self, datetime: Optional[python_datetime] = None) -> None:
-        """Gets backend properties and decodes it"""
-        if datetime:
-            datetime = local_to_utc(datetime)
-        if datetime or not self._properties:
-            api_properties = self._api_client.backend_properties(self.name, datetime=datetime)
-            if api_properties:
-                backend_properties = properties_from_server_data(api_properties)
-                self._properties = backend_properties
-
     def _get_defaults(self, refresh: bool = False) -> None:
         """Gets defaults if pulse backend and decodes it"""
         if (
@@ -261,21 +251,16 @@ def _get_defaults(self, refresh: bool = False) -> None:
     def _convert_to_target(self, refresh: bool = False) -> None:
         """Converts backend configuration, properties and defaults to Target object"""
         if refresh or not self._target:
-            if self.options.use_fractional_gates is None:
-                include_control_flow = True
-                include_fractional_gates = True
-            else:
-                # In IBM backend architecture as of today
-                # these features can be only exclusively supported.
-                include_control_flow = not self.options.use_fractional_gates
-                include_fractional_gates = self.options.use_fractional_gates
-
             self._target = convert_to_target(
                 configuration=self._configuration,  # type: ignore[arg-type]
                 properties=self._properties,
                 defaults=self._defaults,
-                include_control_flow=include_control_flow,
-                include_fractional_gates=include_fractional_gates,
+                # In IBM backend architecture as of today
+                # these features can be only exclusively supported.
+                include_control_flow=self.options.use_fractional_gates is None
+                or not self.options.use_fractional_gates,
+                include_fractional_gates=self.options.use_fractional_gates is None
+                or self.options.use_fractional_gates,
             )
 
     @classmethod
@@ -344,7 +329,7 @@ def target(self) -> Target:
         Returns:
             Target
         """
-        self._get_properties()
+        self.properties()
         self._get_defaults()
         self._convert_to_target()
         return self._target
@@ -355,10 +340,19 @@ def target_history(self, datetime: Optional[python_datetime] = None) -> Target:
         Returns:
             Target with properties found on `datetime`
         """
-        self._get_properties(datetime=datetime)
         self._get_defaults()
-        self._convert_to_target(refresh=True)
-        return self._target
+
+        return convert_to_target(
+            configuration=self._configuration,  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+            properties=self.properties(datetime=datetime),  # pylint: disable=unexpected-keyword-arg
+            defaults=self._defaults,
+            # In IBM backend architecture as of today
+            # these features can be only exclusively supported.
+            include_control_flow=self.options.use_fractional_gates is None
+            or not self.options.use_fractional_gates,
+            include_fractional_gates=self.options.use_fractional_gates
+            or self.options.use_fractional_gates,
+        )
 
     def refresh(self) -> None:
         """Retrieve the newest backend configuration and refresh the current backend target."""
@@ -367,7 +361,7 @@ def refresh(self) -> None:
             instance=self._instance,
         ):
             self._configuration = config
-        self._get_properties(datetime=python_datetime.now())
+        self.properties(refresh=True)  # pylint: disable=unexpected-keyword-arg
         self._get_defaults(refresh=True)
         self._convert_to_target(refresh=True)
 

test/integration/test_backend.py

@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ def test_backend_target_history(self):
             self.assertIsNotNone(backend.target_history(datetime=datetime.now() - timedelta(30)))
 
     @production_only
+    def test_properties_not_cached_target_history(self):
+        """Check backend properties is not cached in target_history()."""
+        backend = self.backend
+        with self.subTest(backend=backend.name):
+            properties = backend.properties()
+            backend.target_history(datetime=datetime.now() - timedelta(60))
+            self.assertEqual(properties, backend.properties())
+
     def test_backend_target_refresh(self):
         """Test refreshing the backend target."""
         backend = self.backend