Abstract: A system for bit-serial computation in a neural network is described. The system may be embodied on an integrated circuit and include one or more bit-serial tiles for performing bit-serial computations in which each bit-serial tile receives input neurons and synapses, and communicates output neurons. Also included is an activation memory for storing the neurons and a dispatcher. The dispatcher reads neurons and synapses from memory and communicates either the neurons or the synapses bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The other of the neurons or the synapses are communicated bit-parallelly to the one or more bit-serial tiles, or according to a further embodiment, may also be communicated bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles.

Abstract: A system for bit-serial computation in a neural network is described. The system may be embodied on an integrated circuit and include one or more bit-serial tiles for performing bit-serial computations in which each bit-serial tile receives input neurons and synapses, and communicates output neurons. Also included is an activation memory for storing the neurons and a dispatcher and a reducer. The dispatcher reads neurons and synapses from memory and communicates either the neurons or the synapses bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The other of the neurons or the synapses are communicated bit-parallelly to the one or more bit-serial tiles, or according to a further embodiment, may also be communicated bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The reducer receives the output neurons from the one or more tiles, and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory.

Abstract: Described is a system, integrated circuit and method for reducing ineffectual computations in the processing of layers in a neural network. One or more tiles perform computations where each tile receives input neurons, offsets and synapses, and where each input neuron has an associated offset. Each tile generates output neurons, and there is also an activation memory for storing neurons in communication with the tiles via a dispatcher and an encoder. The dispatcher reads neurons from the activation memory and communicates the neurons to the tiles and reads synapses from a memory and communicates the synapses to the tiles. The encoder receives the output neurons from the tiles, encodes them and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory. The offsets are processed by the tiles in order to perform computations only on non-zero neurons. Optionally, synapses may be similarly processed to skip ineffectual operations.

Abstract: Described is a system, integrated circuit and method for reducing ineffectual computations in the processing of layers in a neural network. One or more tiles perform computations where each tile receives input neurons, offsets and synapses, and where each input neuron has an associated offset. Each tile generates output neurons, and there is also an activation memory for storing neurons in communication with the tiles via a dispatcher and an encoder. The dispatcher reads neurons from the activation memory and communicates the neurons to the tiles and reads synapses from a memory and communicates the synapses to the tiles. The encoder receives the output neurons from the tiles, encodes them and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory. The offsets are processed by the tiles in order to perform computations only on non-zero neurons. Optionally, synapses may be similarly processed to skip ineffectual operations.

Abstract: Described is a neural network accelerator tile for exploiting input sparsity. The tile includes a weight memory to supply each weight lane with a weight and a weight selection metadata, an activation selection unit to receive a set of input activation values and rearrange the set of input activation values to supply each activation lane with a set of rearranged activation values, a set of multiplexers including at least one multiplexer per pair of activation and weight lanes, where each multiplexer is configured to select a combination activation value for the activation lane from the activation lane set of rearranged activation values based on the weight lane weight selection metadata, and a set of combination units including at least one combination unit per multiplexer, where each combination unit is configured to combine the activation lane combination value with the weight lane weight to output a weight lane product.

Abstract: A system for bit-serial computation in a neural network is described. The system may be embodied on an integrated circuit and include one or more bit-serial tiles for performing bit-serial computations in which each bit-serial tile receives input neurons and synapses, and communicates output neurons. Also included is an activation memory for storing the neurons and a dispatcher and a reducer. The dispatcher reads neurons and synapses from memory and communicates either the neurons or the synapses bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The other of the neurons or the synapses are communicated bit-parallelly to the one or more bit-serial tiles, or according to a further embodiment, may also be communicated bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The reducer receives the output neurons from the one or more tiles, and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory.

Abstract: A system for bit-serial computation in a neural network is described. The system may be embodied on an integrated circuit and include one or more bit-serial tiles for performing bit-serial computations in which each bit-serial tile receives input neurons and synapses, and communicates output neurons. Also included is an activation memory for storing the neurons and a dispatcher and a reducer. The dispatcher reads neurons and synapses from memory and communicates either the neurons or the synapses bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The other of the neurons or the synapses are communicated bit-parallelly to the one or more bit-serial tiles, or according to a further embodiment, may also be communicated bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The reducer receives the output neurons from the one or more tiles, and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory.

Abstract: Described is a system, integrated circuit and method for reducing ineffectual computations in the processing of layers in a neural network. One or more tiles perform computations where each tile receives input neurons, offsets and synapses, and where each input neuron has an associated offset. Each tile generates output neurons, and there is also an activation memory for storing neurons in communication with the tiles via a dispatcher and an encoder. The dispatcher reads neurons from the activation memory and communicates the neurons to the tiles and reads synapses from a memory and communicates the synapses to the tiles. The encoder receives the output neurons from the tiles, encodes them and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory. The offsets are processed by the tiles in order to perform computations only on non-zero neurons. Optionally, synapses may be similarly processed to skip ineffectual operations.

Abstract: A system for bit-serial computation in a neural network is described. The system may be embodied on an integrated circuit and include one or more bit-serial tiles for performing bit-serial computations in which each bit-serial tile receives input neurons and synapses, and communicates output neurons. Also included is an activation memory for storing the neurons and a dispatcher and a reducer. The dispatcher reads neurons and synapses from memory and communicates either the neurons or the synapses bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The other of the neurons or the synapses are communicated bit-parallelly to the one or more bit-serial tiles, or according to a further embodiment, may also be communicated bit-serially to the one or more bit-serial tiles. The reducer receives the output neurons from the one or more tiles, and communicates the output neurons to the activation memory.