Accelerating neural networks in hardware using interconnected crossbars

Abstract

A computing unit for accelerating a neural network is disclosed. The computing unit may include an input unit that includes a digital-to-analog conversion unit and an analog-to-digital conversion unit that is configured to receive an analog signal from the output of a last interconnected analog crossbar circuit of a plurality of analog crossbar circuits and convert the second analog signal into a digital output vector, and a plurality of interconnected analog crossbar circuits that include the first interconnected analog crossbar circuit and the last interconnected crossbar circuits, wherein a second interconnected analog crossbar circuit of the plurality of interconnected analog crossbar circuits is configured to receive a third analog signal from another interconnected analog crossbar circuit of the plurality of interconnected crossbar circuits and perform one or more operations on the third analog signal based on the matrix weights stored by the crosspoints of the second interconnected analog crossbar.