Apple Inc.
TWO-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-LAYER CONVOLUTION FOR DEEP LEARNING

Abstract:

This application relates to a multi-layer convolution operation. The multi-layer convolution operation is optimized for a vector processing unit having a number of data paths configured to operate on vector operands containing a number of elements processed in parallel by the data paths. The convolution operation specifies a convolution kernel utilized to filter a multi-channel input and generate a multi-channel output of the convolution operation. A number of threads are generated to process blocks of the multi-channel output, each block comprising a set of windows of a number of channels of the multi-channel output. Each window is a portion of the array of elements in a single layer of the multi-channel output. Each thread processes a block in accordance with an arbitrary width of the block, processing a set of instructions for each sub-block of the block having a well-defined width, the instructions optimized for the vector processing unit.