Accelerating artificial neural network computations by skipping input values

A system for accelerating artificial neural network (ANN) computations, the system comprising:

• a controller;
• a selector communicatively coupled to the controller;
• and
• an arithmetic unit communicatively coupled to the controller and the selector;
• and wherein:
• the controller is configured to:
• select an input value, based on a criterion, from a subset of input values of a neuron, wherein the criterion is based on a comparison of the input value to a further value, the further value being different from the input value and being dynamically provided to the controller, the further value being related to one of the following:
• the neuron, a layer of the ANN, the ANN, weights of the ANN, and an operation carried by the arithmetic unit;
• cause, based on the further value, the selector to provide dynamically the selected input value to the arithmetic unit;
• and
• provide, to the arithmetic unit, an offset of an index of the selected input value in the subset of input values, wherein the offset is based on the further value, the further value being indeterminable based on the offset;
• and
• the arithmetic unit is configured to:
• acquire, based on the offset of the index of the selected input value, a weight from a set of weights, the weight corresponding to the selected input value;
• and
• perform a mathematical operation on the selected input value and the weight to obtain a result, wherein the result is to be used to compute an output of the neuron.