Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a mission-critical artificial intelligence (AI) processor (MAIP), which includes multiple types of HEs (hardware elements) comprising one or more HEs configured to perform operations associated with multi-layer NN (neural network) processing, at least one spare HE, a data buffer to store correctly computed data in a previous layer of multi-layer NN processing computed, and fault tolerance (FT) control logic. The FT control logic is configured to: determine a fault in a current layer NN processing associated with the HE; cause the correctly computed data in the previous layer of multi-layer NN processing to be copied or moved to said at least one spare HE; and cause said at least one spare HE to perform the current layer NN processing using said at least one spare HE and the correctly computed data in the previous layer of multi-layer NN processing.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a mission-critical artificial intelligence (AI) processor (MAIP), which includes an instruction buffer, processing circuitry, a data buffer, command circuitry, and communication circuitry. During operation, the instruction buffer stores a first hardware instruction and a second hardware instruction. The processing circuitry executes the first hardware instruction, which computes an intermediate stage of an AI model. The data buffer stores data generated from executing the first hardware instruction. The command circuitry determines that the second hardware instruction is a hardware-initiated store instruction for transferring the data from the data buffer. Based on the hardware-initiated store instruction, the communication circuitry transfers the data from the data buffer to a memory device of a computing system, which includes the mission-critical processor, via a communication interface.

Abstract: A computing device for fast weighted sum calculation in neural networks is disclosed. The computing device comprises an array of processing elements configured to accept an input array. Each processing element comprises a plurality of multipliers and a multiple levels of accumulators. A set of weights associated with the inputs and a target output are provided to a target processing element to compute the weighted sum for the target output. The device according to the present invention reduces the computation time from M clock cycles to log2M, where M is the size of the input array.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a mission-critical artificial intelligence (AI) processor (MAIP), which includes an instruction buffer, processing circuitry, a data buffer, command circuitry, and communication circuitry. During operation, the instruction buffer stores a first hardware instruction and a second hardware instruction. The processing circuitry executes the first hardware instruction, which computes an intermediate stage of an AI model. The data buffer stores data generated from executing the first hardware instruction. The command circuitry determines that the second hardware instruction is a hardware-initiated store instruction for transferring the data from the data buffer. Based on the hardware-initiated store instruction, the communication circuitry transfers the data from the data buffer to a memory device of a computing system, which includes the mission-critical processor, via a communication interface.

Abstract: A design of an integrated circuit is first verified using directed and/or random test cases. For a cover directive not covered by the directed and/or random test cases, a property is created, where a simulation trace that causes the property to fail covers the cover directive. Thereafter, the property is evaluated, and dependent on the evaluation, the simulation trace is dumped and stored for subsequent exercising of the cover directive.