Sparse matrix multiplier in hardware and a reconfigurable data processor including same

Abstract

The technology disclosed relates to matrix multiplication where the multiplier can be a sparse matrix. In particular, a multiplication device includes first circuitry configured to obtain the multiplicand matrix and an index of columns of the multiplier matrix and to generate an intermediate matrix that has one row per entry in the index copied from a respective row of the multiplicand matrix based on a value of a corresponding entry in the index. The device also includes second circuitry configured to receive the intermediate matrix from the first circuitry, obtain non-zero values of the multiplier matrix and a list of a number of non-zero entries per row of the multiplier matrix, and generate a product matrix as a result of multiplies of the non-zero values of the multiplier matrix and the intermediate matrix.