US 2026/0073181 A1Published application

Palettization of kernel vector in neural network processor

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsSung Hee PARK, Ji Liang Song

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Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to decompressing a kernel for neural network operations in a neural processor circuit using a look-up table (LUT) with each of its entries associated with kernel coefficients. Index data in compressed kernel data includes indices, such as a first index and a second index that identify entries in the LUT. A kernel extract circuit is configured to extract the LUT and index data from the kernel data, and assemble an uncompressed kernel data by combining first kernel coefficients identified by the first index with second kernel coefficients identified by the second index.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A neural processor circuit, comprising:

a kernel access circuit configured to access kernel data comprising:
a look-up table (LUT) having a plurality of entries, wherein a first entry of the plurality of entries is identified by a first index and comprises a first plurality of kernel coefficients and a second entry of the plurality of entries is identified by a second index and comprises a second plurality of kernel coefficients;
and
index data comprising a plurality of indices including the first index and the second index;
and
a neural engine circuit configured to receive the kernel data from the kernel access circuit, the neural engine circuit comprising:
a kernel extract circuit configured to:
extract the LUT and index data from the kernel data;
and
assemble an uncompressed kernel data by combining the first plurality of kernel coefficients with the second plurality of kernel coefficients;
and
a multiply-add (MAD) circuit coupled to the kernel extract circuit and configured to:
receive the uncompressed kernel data;
and
perform neural network operations on a portion of input data using the uncompressed kernel data.

12 more elements

An electronic device, comprising:

a system memory storing input data;
and
a kernel access circuit configured to access kernel data comprising:
a look-up table (LUT) having a plurality of entries, wherein a first entry of the plurality of entries is identified by a first index and comprises a first plurality of kernel coefficients and a second entry of the plurality of entries is identified by a second index and comprises a second plurality of kernel coefficients;
and
index data comprising a plurality of indices including the first index and the second index;
and
a neural engine circuit configured to receive the kernel data from the kernel access circuit, the neural engine circuit comprising:
a kernel extract circuit configured to:
extract the LUT and index data from the kernel data;
and
assemble an uncompressed kernel data by combining the first plurality of kernel coefficients with the second plurality of kernel coefficients;
and
a multiply-add (MAD) circuit coupled to the kernel extract circuit and configured to:
receive the uncompressed kernel data;
and
perform neural network operations on a portion of the input data using the uncompressed kernel data.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.