Feature Request: Enable Initial Base Support for Independent Speculators

[markurtz]

Summary

Implement and finalize src/speculators/models/independent.py to support initial speculative decoding algorithms requiring an independent or separate draft model as the speculator.

References

• Speculative Decoding: Exploiting Speculative Execution for Accelerating Seq2seq Generation
• Fast Inference from Transformers via Speculative Decoding

Acceptance Criteria

Classes and Test Cases

• Implement IndependentSpeculatorConfig and IndependentSpeculator following the example in src/speculators/models/eagle.py.
• Ensure compatibility with SpeculatorModelConfig.from_pretrained and SpeculatorModel.from_pretrained.
• Implement full test cases following the examples in tests/unit/models/test_eagle_config.py and tests/unit/models/test_eagle_model.py.

IndependentSpeculatorConfig

• Include all relevant hyperparameters expected to change or be configured to construct a working Speculator model as defined in the referenced papers.

IndependentSpeculator

• Correctly create the required architecture from a given IndependentSpeculatorConfig.
• Enable loading and saving of weights.
• Integrate seamlessly with the existing system.

TokenProposal Functionality

• Implement any missing TokenProposal methods or functionality as defined in the papers, or expand current implementations as needed.

Out of Scope (Future Targets)

• Implement a functioning forward pass for SpeculatorModel compatible with training flows.
• Implement a functioning generate pass for SpeculatorModel compatible with generation flows.
• Create an Algorithm factory to handle preconfigured hyperparameters for the desired supported algorithms.