Inference apparatus, inference method, and storage medium

An inference apparatus that shares inference processing with an external inference apparatus, the inference processing using a first neural network having an input layer, a plurality of intermediate layers, and an output layer, and the inference apparatus comprising:

• a receiving unit configured to receive, from the external inference apparatus, output data from a specific intermediate layer having a lower number of nodes than the input layer, the output data being obtained by performing, with respect to input data input to the input layer, computational processing of a first part of the first neural network including the specific intermediate layer, and the first part of the first neural network being a part from the input layer to the specific intermediate layer;
• a control unit configured to perform control for obtaining a first inference result by performing computational processing of a second part of the first neural network with respect to the output data from the specific intermediate layer, the second part of the first neural network being a remaining part excluding the first part from the first neural network;
• and
• a sending unit configured to send the first inference result to the external inference apparatus.

An inference method, executed by an inference apparatus, for sharing inference processing with an external inference apparatus, the inference processing using a first neural network having an input layer, a plurality of intermediate layers, and an output layer, and the inference method comprising:

• performing control for performing computational processing of a first part of the first neural network with respect to input data input to the input layer, the first part of the first neural network being a part from the input layer to a specific intermediate layer that, of the plurality of intermediate layers, has a lower number of nodes than the input layer;
• sending output data from the specific intermediate layer to the external inference apparatus, the external inference apparatus being configured to obtain a first inference result by performing computational processing of a second part of the first neural network with respect to the output data from the specific intermediate layer, and the second part of the first neural network being a remaining part excluding the first part from the first neural network;
• and
• receiving the first inference result from the external inference apparatus.

An inference method, executed by an inference apparatus, for sharing inference processing with an external inference apparatus, the inference processing using a first neural network having an input layer, a plurality of intermediate layers, and an output layer, and the inference method comprising:

• receiving, from the external inference apparatus, output data from a specific intermediate layer having a lower number of nodes than the input layer, the output data being obtained by performing, with respect to input data input to the input layer, computational processing of a first part of the first neural network including the specific intermediate layer, and the first part of the first neural network being a part from the input layer to the specific intermediate layer;
• performing control for obtaining a first inference result by performing computational processing of a second part of the first neural network with respect to the output data from the specific intermediate layer, the second part of the first neural network being a remaining part excluding the first part from the first neural network;
• and
• sending the first inference result to the external inference apparatus.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute an inference method for sharing inference processing with an external inference apparatus, the inference processing using a first neural network having an input layer, a plurality of intermediate layers, and an output layer, and the inference method comprising:

• performing control for performing computational processing of a first part of the first neural network with respect to input data input to the input layer, the first part of the first neural network being a part from the input layer to a specific intermediate layer that, of the plurality of intermediate layers, has a lower number of nodes than the input layer;
• sending output data from the specific intermediate layer to the external inference apparatus, the external inference apparatus being configured to obtain a first inference result by performing computational processing of a second part of the first neural network with respect to the output data from the specific intermediate layer, and the second part of the first neural network being a remaining part excluding the first part from the first neural network;
• and
• receiving the first inference result from the external inference apparatus.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to execute an inference method for sharing inference processing with an external inference apparatus, the inference processing using a first neural network having an input layer, a plurality of intermediate layers, and an output layer, and the inference method comprising:

• receiving, from the external inference apparatus, output data from a specific intermediate layer having a lower number of nodes than the input layer, the output data being obtained by performing, with respect to input data input to the input layer, computational processing of a first part of the first neural network including the specific intermediate layer, and the first part of the first neural network being a part from the input layer to the specific intermediate layer;
• performing control for obtaining a first inference result by performing computational processing of a second part of the first neural network with respect to the output data from the specific intermediate layer, the second part of the first neural network being a remaining part excluding the first part from the first neural network;
• and
• sending the first inference result to the external inference apparatus.