Matrix processing apparatus

A method of transforming sparse elements to a dense matrix, the method comprising:

• receiving a request for an output matrix based on sparse elements including sparse elements associated with a first dense matrix and sparse elements associated with a second dense matrix, wherein the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix and the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix are multi-dimensional matrices;
• obtaining the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix fetched by a first group of sparse element access units;
• obtaining the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix fetched by a second group of sparse element access units, wherein the first group of sparse element access units and the second group of sparse access units are arranged in a two-dimensional mesh configuration or a two-dimensional torus configuration;
• and
• transforming the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix and the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix to generate an output dense matrix that includes the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix and the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix, wherein the output dense matrix is a vector.

A system for transforming sparse elements to a dense matrix, the system comprising:

• one or more processors configured to send a request for an output dense matrix based on sparse elements including sparse elements associated with a first dense matrix and sparse elements associated with a second dense matrix that is different from the first dense matrix, wherein the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix and the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix are multi-dimensional matrices;
• a sparse-sense transform unit comprising:
• a first group of sparse element access units configured to fetch the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix;
• and
• a second group of sparse element access units configured to fetch the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix that is different from the first dense matrix, wherein the first group of sparse element access units and the second group of sparse access units are arranged in a two-dimensional mesh configuration or a two-dimensional torus configuration;
• wherein the sparse-sense transform unit is configured to:
• receive the request for the output matrix;
• obtain the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix fetched by the first group of sparse element access units;
• obtain the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix fetched by the second group of sparse element access units;
• and
• transform the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix and the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix to generate the output dense matrix that includes the sparse elements associated with the first dense matrix and the sparse elements associated with the second dense matrix, wherein the output dense matrix is a vector.