Artificial neural network and method of controlling fixed point in the same

Abstract

An artificial neural network (ANN) system includes a processor, a virtual overflow detection circuit and a data format controller. The processor performs node operations with respect to a plurality of nodes included in each layer of an ANN to obtain a plurality of result values of the node operations and performs a quantization operation on the obtained plurality of result values based on a k-th fixed-point format for a current quantization of the each layer to obtain a plurality of quantization values. The virtual overflow detection circuit generates a virtual overflow information indicating a distribution of valid bit numbers of the obtained plurality of quantization values. The data format controller determines a (k+1)-th fixed-point format for a next quantization of the each layer based on the generated virtual overflow information. An overflow and/or an underflow are prevented efficiently by controlling the fixed-point format using the virtual overflow.