Computation method

A method for modifying data for neural networks, comprising:

• receiving, by a connection value generator circuit of a data modifier circuit, one or more groups of input data and one or more weight values;
• generating, by the connection value generator circuit of the data modifier circuit, one or more connection values based on the one or more weight values,
• wherein each of the connection values indicates whether one of the weight values satisfies a predetermined condition,
• wherein the connection values are respectively generated based on a distance between input nodes corresponding to the one or more groups of input data;
• and
• modifying, by a pruning circuit of the data modifier circuit, the one or more groups of input data and the one or more weight values based on the connection values.

A neural network processor for training neural networks, comprising:

• a connection value generator circuit of a data modifier circuit configured to:
• receive one or more groups of input data and one or more weight values at one or more input nodes of a current layer,
• generate one or more connection values based on the one or more weight values,
• wherein each of the connection values indicates whether one of the weight values satisfies a predetermined condition, and
• wherein the connection values are respectively generated based on a distance between input nodes corresponding to the one or more groups of input data;
• a pruning circuit of the data modifier circuit configured to modify the one or more groups of input data and the one or more weight values based on the connection values;
• and
• a computing circuit configured to:
• update the one or more modified weight values of the current layer based on the modified input data and one or more output gradients received at one or more output nodes of the current layer from a next layer,
• calculate one or more input gradients of the current layer based on the modified weight values and the one or more output gradients, and
• respectively multiply the modified input data with the modified weight values to generate one or more groups of output data at the one or more output nodes of the current layer.