Method and apparatus for performing convolution operation on folded feature data

An apparatus for performing a convolution operation on folded feature data comprising:

• one or more processors configured to execute instructions, execution of the instructions causing the one or more processors to perform the following steps:
• reading the folded feature data provided to a convolution layer and an original convolution kernel from a dynamic random access memory (DRAM);
• pre-processing the folded feature data and the original convolution kernel;
• storing the pre-processed folded feature data into a stale random-access memory (SRAM);
• folding the pre-processed original convolution kernel in at least one dimension of width or height according to a folding manner of the folded feature data to generate one or more folded convolution kernels corresponding to the original convolution kernel:
• storing the one or more folded convolution kernels in the SRAM;
• and
• reading the pre-processed folded feature data and the one or more folded convolution kernels from the SRAM into a calculation unit for convolving the pre-processed folded feature data with the one or more folded convolution kernels.

A method for performing a convolution operation on folded feature data comprising:

• pre-processing the folded feature data provided to a convolution layer and an original convolution kernel;
• folding the pre-processed original convolution kernel in at least one dimension of width or height according to a folding manner of the folded feature data to generate one or more folded convolution kernels corresponding to the original convolution kernel;
• and
• convolving the pre-processed folded feature data with the one or more folded convolution kernels.