Dynamic configuration of readout circuitry for different operations in analog resistive crossbar array

A method comprising:

• performing a first operation on an array of resistive processing unit (RPU) cells;
• configuring readout circuitry to have a first hardware configuration to perform the first operation on the array of RPU cells;
• performing a second operation on the array of array of RPU cells;
• and
• configuring the readout circuitry to have a second hardware configuration to perform the second operation on the array of RPU cells, wherein the second hardware configuration of the readout circuitry is different from the first hardware configuration of the readout circuitry.

A system, comprising:

• a neuromorphic computing system comprising:
• an array of resistive processing unit (RPU) cells, first control lines extending in a first direction across the array of RPU cells, and second control lines extending in a second direction across the array of RPU cells, wherein each RPU cell is connected at an intersection of one of the first control lines and one of the second control lines, wherein the array of RPU cells comprise an array of artificial synaptic elements which store synaptic weights that represent connection strengths between artificial neurons of an upstream layer of the neuromorphic computing system and artificial neurons of a downstream layer of the neuromorphic computing system, wherein the synaptic weights are encoded by conductance values of resistive devices of RPU cells;
• peripheral circuitry coupled to the first control lines and to the second control lines, wherein the peripheral circuitry comprises readout circuitry;
• and
• a control system operatively coupled to the peripheral circuitry, wherein the control system generates control signals to control the peripheral circuitry to perform a first operation on the array of RPU cells and to perform a second operation on the array of RPU cells;
• wherein the control signals comprise:
• a first configuration control signal to configure the readout circuitry to have a first hardware configuration when the first operation is performed on the array of RPU cells, wherein the first operation comprises a forward pass operation of a neural network training process;
• and
• a second configuration control signal to configure the readout circuitry to have a second hardware configuration, which is different from the first hardware configuration, when the second operation is performed on the array of RPU cells, wherein the second operation comprises a backward pass operation of the neural network training process.