IVGCVSW-4929 Implement ShapeInferenceMethod in all Layers

Signed-off-by: Finn Williams <Finn.Williams@arm.com>
Change-Id: I2c2d99f97cf89814140b057a9f93f41b364197f5

65 files changed, 385 insertions, 435 deletions

diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/AbsLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/AbsLayer.cpp
index 6f7141551e..ccee524858 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/AbsLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/AbsLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -32,18 +32,16 @@ AbsLayer* AbsLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void AbsLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
 
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "AbsLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "AbsLayer");
 }
 
 void AbsLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ActivationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ActivationLayer.cpp
index 1aed59b781..c6443b6997 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ActivationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ActivationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "ActivationLayer.hpp"
@@ -30,18 +30,17 @@ ActivationLayer* ActivationLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void ActivationLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ActivationLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ActivationLayer");
 }
 
 void ActivationLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/AdditionLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/AdditionLayer.cpp
index 911d4e0488..b27f450f73 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/AdditionLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/AdditionLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ArgMinMaxLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ArgMinMaxLayer.cpp
index 288192f98d..e288d16232 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ArgMinMaxLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ArgMinMaxLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -71,18 +71,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ArgMinMaxLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Ten
 
 void ArgMinMaxLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "ArgMinMaxLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ArgMinMaxLayer");
 }
 
 void ArgMinMaxLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/BatchNormalizationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/BatchNormalizationLayer.cpp
index 9fcc30cbba..fa589dbc75 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/BatchNormalizationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/BatchNormalizationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "BatchNormalizationLayer.hpp"
@@ -50,18 +50,17 @@ BatchNormalizationLayer* BatchNormalizationLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void BatchNormalizationLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "BatchNormalizationLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "BatchNormalizationLayer");
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/BatchToSpaceNdLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/BatchToSpaceNdLayer.cpp
index 8341b85dfd..fe99e9ebff 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/BatchToSpaceNdLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/BatchToSpaceNdLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -43,17 +43,17 @@ BatchToSpaceNdLayer* BatchToSpaceNdLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void BatchToSpaceNdLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape &outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()});
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "BatchToSpaceLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "BatchToSpaceNdLayer");
 }
 
 std::vector<TensorShape> BatchToSpaceNdLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorShape>& inputShapes) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ComparisonLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ComparisonLayer.cpp
index 483d2e1c72..4dd3781bdd 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ComparisonLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ComparisonLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -57,20 +57,19 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ComparisonLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Te
 
 void ComparisonLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
         GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()
     });
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ComparisonLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ComparisonLayer");
 }
 
 void ComparisonLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ConcatLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ConcatLayer.cpp
index 9a0672b38d..4f0aa539a1 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ConcatLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ConcatLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "ConcatLayer.hpp"
@@ -244,8 +244,6 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ConcatLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Tensor
 
 void ConcatLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     // Validates Concat layer.
     ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
         "ConcatLayer: Num Inputs must match num views.",
@@ -254,6 +252,10 @@ void ConcatLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfer
 
     VerifyLayerConnections(m_Param.GetNumViews(), CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inputShapes;
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < GetNumInputSlots(); ++i)
     {
@@ -264,10 +266,7 @@ void ConcatLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfer
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ConcatLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ConcatLayer");
 }
 
 void ConcatLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ConstantLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ConstantLayer.cpp
index d354accd2f..ff4c57c431 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ConstantLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ConstantLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "ConstantLayer.hpp"
@@ -46,10 +46,19 @@ void ConstantLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInf
 
     // Get the output shape from the value of the constant layer.
     TensorShape const& outShape = m_LayerOutput->GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    ConditionalThrow<LayerValidationException>(
+            outShape.GetDimensionality() != Dimensionality::NotSpecified,
+            "Constant layer m_LayerOutput output shape can not be Dimensionality::NotSpecified");
+
+    ConditionalThrow<LayerValidationException>(
+            outShape.AreAllDimensionsSpecified(),
+            "Constant layer m_LayerOutput output shape can not have an unspecified dimension");
+
     ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ConstantLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        outShape);
+               "ConstantLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
+               GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+               outShape);
 }
 
 void ConstantLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer.cpp
index b53986a497..250ecfa133 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -32,18 +32,17 @@ ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer* ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer");
 }
 
 void ConvertBf16ToFp32Layer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer.cpp
index 30f9e6340e..f86397fb01 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -32,18 +32,17 @@ ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer* ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer");
 }
 
 void ConvertFp16ToFp32Layer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer.cpp
index 9f523ae417..15052455e4 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -32,18 +32,18 @@ ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer* ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
 
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "LayerName");
 }
 
 void ConvertFp32ToBf16Layer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer.cpp
index 7ff98ed898..0a126e2284 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,18 @@ ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer* ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
 
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "LayerName");
 }
 
 void ConvertFp32ToFp16Layer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/Convolution2dLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/Convolution2dLayer.cpp
index 462d3554d3..a1535ea7cc 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/Convolution2dLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/Convolution2dLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -114,10 +114,12 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> Convolution2dLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector
 
 void Convolution2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     // check if we m_Weight data is not nullptr
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_Weight != nullptr, "Convolution2dLayer: Weights data should not be null.");
 
@@ -127,10 +129,7 @@ void Convolution2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod sha
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "Convolution2dLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "Convolution2dLayer");
 }
 
 Layer::ConstantTensors Convolution2dLayer::GetConstantTensorsByRef()
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/DebugLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/DebugLayer.cpp
index 3422de6ad3..40bc8fe54b 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/DebugLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/DebugLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "DebugLayer.hpp"
@@ -36,19 +36,18 @@ DebugLayer* DebugLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void DebugLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DebugLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "DebugLayer");
 }
 
 void DebugLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/DepthToSpaceLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/DepthToSpaceLayer.cpp
index a3344841c9..4b7c41d317 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/DepthToSpaceLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/DepthToSpaceLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -59,19 +59,18 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> DepthToSpaceLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<
 
 void DepthToSpaceLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DepthToSpaceLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "DepthToSpaceLayer");
 }
 
 void DepthToSpaceLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer.cpp
index 7efb307091..98d9e82f7f 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -121,10 +121,12 @@ DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorShape>& i
 
 void DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     // on this level constant data should not be released..
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_Weight != nullptr, "DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer: Weights data should not be null.");
 
@@ -135,10 +137,7 @@ void DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceM
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer");
 }
 
 Layer::ConstantTensors DepthwiseConvolution2dLayer::GetConstantTensorsByRef()
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/DequantizeLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/DequantizeLayer.cpp
index e0c3d0ec16..79ef0cba18 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/DequantizeLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/DequantizeLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "DequantizeLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,19 +31,18 @@ DequantizeLayer* DequantizeLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void DequantizeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DequantizeLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "DequantizeLayer");
 }
 
 void DequantizeLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/DetectionPostProcessLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/DetectionPostProcessLayer.cpp
index 2deca322ce..fddf86f573 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/DetectionPostProcessLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/DetectionPostProcessLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -36,10 +36,12 @@ DetectionPostProcessLayer* DetectionPostProcessLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void DetectionPostProcessLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     // on this level constant data should not be released.
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_Anchors != nullptr, "DetectionPostProcessLayer: Anchors data should not be null.");
 
@@ -51,22 +53,22 @@ void DetectionPostProcessLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMet
     const TensorShape& inferredDetectionScores = TensorShape({ 1, detectedBoxes });
     const TensorShape& inferredNumberDetections = TensorShape({ 1 });
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DetectionPostProcessLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredDetectionBoxes);
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DetectionPostProcessLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[1] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredDetectionScores);
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DetectionPostProcessLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[2] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(2).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredDetectionScores);
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "DetectionPostProcessLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[3] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(3).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredNumberDetections);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredDetectionBoxes, shapeInferenceMethod, "DetectionPostProcessLayer");
+
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+                         inferredDetectionScores,
+                         shapeInferenceMethod,
+                         "DetectionPostProcessLayer", 1);
+
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(GetOutputSlot(2).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+                         inferredDetectionScores,
+                         shapeInferenceMethod,
+                         "DetectionPostProcessLayer", 2);
+
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(GetOutputSlot(3).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+                         inferredNumberDetections,
+                         shapeInferenceMethod,
+                         "DetectionPostProcessLayer", 3);
 }
 
 Layer::ConstantTensors DetectionPostProcessLayer::GetConstantTensorsByRef()
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/DivisionLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/DivisionLayer.cpp
index b27d894512..193b96b6ee 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/DivisionLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/DivisionLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseBaseLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseBaseLayer.cpp
index 44bbd0b839..e063293815 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseBaseLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseBaseLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -49,10 +49,12 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ElementwiseBaseLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vect
 
 void ElementwiseBaseLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
         GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()
@@ -60,11 +62,7 @@ void ElementwiseBaseLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod s
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    std::string msg = GetLayerTypeAsCString(GetType());
-    msg += "Layer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.";
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(msg,
-                                                         GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-                                                         inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, GetLayerTypeAsCString(GetType()));
 }
 
 } // namespace armnn
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseUnaryLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseUnaryLayer.cpp
index 0908f391fb..5592c2070e 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseUnaryLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ElementwiseUnaryLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -42,18 +42,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ElementwiseUnaryLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vec
 
 void ElementwiseUnaryLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()});
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ElementwiseUnaryLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, GetLayerTypeAsCString(GetType()));
 }
 
 void ElementwiseUnaryLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/FakeQuantizationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/FakeQuantizationLayer.cpp
index 7ed6d7527b..3a1d0d1a50 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/FakeQuantizationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/FakeQuantizationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "FakeQuantizationLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,17 @@ FakeQuantizationLayer* FakeQuantizationLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void FakeQuantizationLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "FakeQuantizationLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "FakeQuantizationLayer");
 }
 
 void FakeQuantizationLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/FillLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/FillLayer.cpp
index 688486b368..174fcf72bb 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/FillLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/FillLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "FillLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ FillLayer* FillLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void FillLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
-    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes( { GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
+    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/FloorLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/FloorLayer.cpp
index 9e46ebf5c2..04d847ee10 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/FloorLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/FloorLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "FloorLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,16 @@ FloorLayer* FloorLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void FloorLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
-    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
 
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
+    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "FloorLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "FloorLayer");
 }
 
 void FloorLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/FullyConnectedLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/FullyConnectedLayer.cpp
index bd947b7678..174459b565 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/FullyConnectedLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/FullyConnectedLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "FullyConnectedLayer.hpp"
@@ -65,21 +65,20 @@ void FullyConnectedLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod sh
 {
     IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
 
-    VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
 
     // check if we m_Weight data is not nullptr
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_Weight != nullptr, "FullyConnectedLayer: Weights data should not be null.");
 
-    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
-        GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        m_Weight->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
+    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+                                             m_Weight->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
+    ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes[0].GetDimensionality() == Dimensionality::Specified);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "FullyConnectedLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "FullyConnectedLayer");
 }
 
 Layer::ConstantTensors FullyConnectedLayer::GetConstantTensorsByRef()
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/GatherLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/GatherLayer.cpp
index 3e85d25dac..52bf4324a2 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/GatherLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/GatherLayer.cpp
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ GatherLayer* GatherLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void GatherLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     const TensorInfo& params = GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo();
     const TensorInfo& indices = GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo();
 
@@ -66,10 +68,7 @@ void GatherLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfer
 
     const TensorShape& inferredShape = TensorShape(outputDim, dimSizes.data());
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "GatherLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShape);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShape, shapeInferenceMethod, "GatherLayer");
 }
 
 void GatherLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/InputLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/InputLayer.cpp
index 42ce153346..5a78ecc981 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/InputLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/InputLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "InputLayer.hpp"
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/InstanceNormalizationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/InstanceNormalizationLayer.cpp
index f79e423c8c..4f753e21bf 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/InstanceNormalizationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/InstanceNormalizationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "InstanceNormalizationLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,17 @@ InstanceNormalizationLayer* InstanceNormalizationLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) cons
 
 void InstanceNormalizationLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "InstanceNormalizationLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "InstanceNormalizationLayer");
 }
 
 void InstanceNormalizationLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/L2NormalizationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/L2NormalizationLayer.cpp
index 4a2945efbe..d4ac8019cf 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/L2NormalizationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/L2NormalizationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "L2NormalizationLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,17 @@ L2NormalizationLayer* L2NormalizationLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void L2NormalizationLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "L2NormalizationLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "L2NormalizationLayer");
 }
 
 void L2NormalizationLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/LogSoftmaxLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/LogSoftmaxLayer.cpp
index ab05fd24f3..f834ccef9d 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/LogSoftmaxLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/LogSoftmaxLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -31,17 +31,16 @@ LogSoftmaxLayer* LogSoftmaxLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void LogSoftmaxLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "LogSoftmaxLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "LogSoftmaxLayer");
 }
 
 void LogSoftmaxLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/LstmLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/LstmLayer.cpp
index af708e4e06..44f5d1f40b 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/LstmLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/LstmLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "LstmLayer.hpp"
@@ -165,15 +165,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> LstmLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorSh
 
 void LstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(3, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes( {
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
         GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        GetInputSlot(2).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()}
-    );
+        GetInputSlot(2).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()
+    });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 4);
 
@@ -206,10 +208,7 @@ void LstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferen
         ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias != nullptr,
                          "LstmLayer: m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias should not be null.");
 
-        ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-                "LstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-                GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-                inferredShapes[0]);
+        ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "LstmLayer");
     }
     else
     {
@@ -220,10 +219,7 @@ void LstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferen
         ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias == nullptr,
             "LstmLayer: m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias should not have a value when CIFG is enabled.");
 
-        ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-                "LstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-                GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-                inferredShapes[0]);
+        ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "LstmLayer");
     }
 
     if (m_Param.m_ProjectionEnabled)
@@ -246,18 +242,12 @@ void LstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferen
                          "LstmLayer: m_PeepholeParameters.m_CellToOutputWeights should not be null.");
     }
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "LstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[1] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[1]);
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "LstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[2] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(2).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[2]);
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "LstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[3] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(3).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[3]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(
+            GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), inferredShapes[1], shapeInferenceMethod, "LstmLayer", 1);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(
+            GetOutputSlot(2).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), inferredShapes[2], shapeInferenceMethod, "LstmLayer", 2);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(
+            GetOutputSlot(3).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), inferredShapes[3], shapeInferenceMethod, "LstmLayer", 3);
 
     if (m_Param.m_LayerNormEnabled)
     {
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MaximumLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MaximumLayer.cpp
index bfc42e9ac4..ab7bf88f5f 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MaximumLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MaximumLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MeanLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MeanLayer.cpp
index 9cefd7d1f8..da635661e1 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MeanLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MeanLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -40,10 +40,12 @@ MeanLayer* MeanLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void MeanLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     const TensorInfo& input = GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo();
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(input.GetNumDimensions() > 0 && input.GetNumDimensions() <= 4,
@@ -95,10 +97,7 @@ void MeanLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferen
     }
     const TensorShape& inferredShape = TensorShape(outputRank, dimSizes.data());
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "MeanLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShape);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShape, shapeInferenceMethod, "MeanLayer");
 }
 
 void MeanLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MemCopyLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MemCopyLayer.cpp
index c087290682..b4fe68bd8d 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MemCopyLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MemCopyLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "MemCopyLayer.hpp"
@@ -35,18 +35,17 @@ std::unique_ptr<IWorkload> MemCopyLayer::CreateWorkload(const IWorkloadFactory&
 
 void MemCopyLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "MemCopyLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "MemCopyLayer");
 }
 
 void MemCopyLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MemImportLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MemImportLayer.cpp
index 02092f4b4c..a356f054dc 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MemImportLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MemImportLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "MemImportLayer.hpp"
@@ -35,18 +35,17 @@ std::unique_ptr<IWorkload> MemImportLayer::CreateWorkload(const IWorkloadFactory
 
 void MemImportLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "MemImportLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "MemImportLayer");
 }
 
 void MemImportLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MergeLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MergeLayer.cpp
index b05eb68d25..d8351c6c40 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MergeLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MergeLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "MergeLayer.hpp"
@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ MergeLayer* MergeLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void MergeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
         GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
@@ -40,10 +42,7 @@ void MergeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "MergeLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "MergeLayer");
 }
 
 std::vector<TensorShape> MergeLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorShape>& inputShapes) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MinimumLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MinimumLayer.cpp
index fb54c3d7ae..9154d788d5 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MinimumLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MinimumLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/MultiplicationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/MultiplicationLayer.cpp
index dd0303a567..f02ee57a2c 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/MultiplicationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/MultiplicationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/NormalizationLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/NormalizationLayer.cpp
index 9011ece821..e8176cec22 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/NormalizationLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/NormalizationLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "NormalizationLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,17 @@ NormalizationLayer* NormalizationLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void NormalizationLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "NormalizationLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "NormalizationLayer");
 }
 
 void NormalizationLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/OutputLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/OutputLayer.cpp
index 5ff91880f8..db76244ad1 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/OutputLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/OutputLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "OutputLayer.hpp"
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/PadLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/PadLayer.cpp
index 690318d308..296bfa901e 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/PadLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/PadLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/PermuteLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/PermuteLayer.cpp
index a585e66538..b9380aa44b 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/PermuteLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/PermuteLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -42,18 +42,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> PermuteLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Tenso
 
 void PermuteLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "PermuteLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "PermuteLayer");
 }
 
 void PermuteLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/Pooling2dLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/Pooling2dLayer.cpp
index defed9758b..bed49ee059 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/Pooling2dLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/Pooling2dLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -102,18 +102,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> Pooling2dLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Ten
 
 void Pooling2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "Pooling2dLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "Pooling2dLayer");
 }
 
 void Pooling2dLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/PreCompiledLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/PreCompiledLayer.cpp
index 577e19f3cc..e043fac432 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/PreCompiledLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/PreCompiledLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/PreluLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/PreluLayer.cpp
index 2527cb91be..fcf50f2590 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/PreluLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/PreluLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -96,10 +96,12 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> PreluLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorS
 
 void PreluLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes(
     {
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
@@ -108,10 +110,7 @@ void PreluLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "PreluLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "PreluLayer");
 }
 
 void PreluLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/QLstmLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/QLstmLayer.cpp
index c5155d7bf9..321d985fed 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/QLstmLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/QLstmLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "QLstmLayer.hpp"
@@ -167,15 +167,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> QLstmLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorS
 
 void QLstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(3, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes(
     {
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), // input
         GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), // previousOutputIn
-        GetInputSlot(2).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() //  previousCellStateIn
+        GetInputSlot(2).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()  // previousCellStateIn
     });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 3);
@@ -209,10 +211,7 @@ void QLstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
         ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias != nullptr,
                 "QLstmLayer: m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias should not be null.");
 
-        ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-                "QLstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-                GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-                inferredShapes[0]);
+        ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "QLstmLayer");
     }
     else
     {
@@ -224,10 +223,7 @@ void QLstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
         ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias == nullptr,
                 "QLstmLayer: m_CifgParameters.m_InputGateBias should not have a value when CIFG is enabled.");
 
-        ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-                "QLstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-                GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-                inferredShapes[0]);
+        ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "QLstmLayer");
     }
 
     if (m_Param.m_ProjectionEnabled)
@@ -250,14 +246,10 @@ void QLstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
                          "QLstmLayer: m_PeepholeParameters.m_CellToOutputWeights should not be null.");
     }
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "QLstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[1] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[1]);
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "QLstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[2] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(2).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[2]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(
+            GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), inferredShapes[1], shapeInferenceMethod, "QLstmLayer", 1);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(
+            GetOutputSlot(2).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), inferredShapes[2], shapeInferenceMethod, "QLstmLayer", 2);
 
     if (m_Param.m_LayerNormEnabled)
     {
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/QuantizeLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/QuantizeLayer.cpp
index 5cfac25e4b..990d2b4b88 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/QuantizeLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/QuantizeLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -31,16 +31,15 @@ Layer* QuantizeLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void QuantizeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "QuantizeLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "QuantizeLayer");
 }
 
 void QuantizeLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/QuantizedLstmLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/QuantizedLstmLayer.cpp
index e26857e01e..432d50dc26 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/QuantizedLstmLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/QuantizedLstmLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "QuantizedLstmLayer.hpp"
@@ -93,10 +93,12 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> QuantizedLstmLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector
 
 void QuantizedLstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(3, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes(
     {
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), // input
@@ -135,15 +137,13 @@ void QuantizedLstmLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod sha
                      "QuantizedLstmLayer: m_QuantizedLstmParameters.m_OutputGateBias should not be null.");
 
     // Check output TensorShape(s) match inferred shape
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "QuantizedLstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[0]);
-
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "QuantizedLstmLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[1] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[1]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "QuantizedLstmLayer");
+
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+                         inferredShapes[1],
+                         shapeInferenceMethod,
+                         "QuantizedLstmLayer",
+                         1);
 }
 
 Layer::ConstantTensors QuantizedLstmLayer::GetConstantTensorsByRef()
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/RankLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/RankLayer.cpp
index f1a24b1633..62f77df16f 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/RankLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/RankLayer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,12 @@ void RankLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferen
     IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "Rank: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), {TensorShape{Dimensionality::Scalar}});
-}
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+    const TensorShape inferredShape = TensorShape(Dimensionality::Scalar);
 
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShape, shapeInferenceMethod, "RankLayer");
+}
 void RankLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
 {
     visitor.VisitRankLayer(this, GetName());
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ReshapeLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ReshapeLayer.cpp
index 0257ca9b15..3f955a57b0 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ReshapeLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ReshapeLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "ReshapeLayer.hpp"
@@ -38,18 +38,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ReshapeLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Tenso
 
 void ReshapeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
-    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({  });
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
+    auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ReshapeLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ReshapeLayer");
 }
 
 void ReshapeLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/ResizeLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/ResizeLayer.cpp
index b07eb9a7d6..ab8430ac00 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/ResizeLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/ResizeLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -60,18 +60,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> ResizeLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Tensor
 
 void ResizeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "ResizeLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "ResizeLayer");
 }
 
 void ResizeLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/RsqrtLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/RsqrtLayer.cpp
index b3aecb27a5..a68b5a4766 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/RsqrtLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/RsqrtLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -32,18 +32,17 @@ RsqrtLayer* RsqrtLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void RsqrtLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "RsqrtLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "RsqrtLayer");
 }
 
 void RsqrtLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SliceLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SliceLayer.cpp
index 2aa32e3b44..a31f6037e1 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SliceLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SliceLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -35,18 +35,17 @@ SliceLayer* SliceLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void SliceLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "SliceLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-            GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "SliceLayer");
 }
 
 std::vector<TensorShape> SliceLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorShape>& inputShapes) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SoftmaxLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SoftmaxLayer.cpp
index 56c3792c1b..3da2cb2b00 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SoftmaxLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SoftmaxLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "SoftmaxLayer.hpp"
@@ -31,18 +31,17 @@ SoftmaxLayer* SoftmaxLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void SoftmaxLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "SoftmaxLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "SoftmaxLayer");
 }
 
 void SoftmaxLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToBatchNdLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToBatchNdLayer.cpp
index fbc3ca755d..4eba06691c 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToBatchNdLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToBatchNdLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -68,19 +68,18 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> SpaceToBatchNdLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vecto
 
 void SpaceToBatchNdLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "SpaceToBatchNdLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "SpaceToBatchNdLayer");
 }
 
 void SpaceToBatchNdLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToDepthLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToDepthLayer.cpp
index 5c8e2d4551..4695d812bc 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToDepthLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SpaceToDepthLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -61,19 +61,18 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> SpaceToDepthLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<
 
 void SpaceToDepthLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "SpaceToDepthLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "SpaceToDepthLayer");
 }
 
 void SpaceToDepthLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SplitterLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SplitterLayer.cpp
index 9455c88041..60dc9611e8 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SplitterLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SplitterLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "SplitterLayer.hpp"
@@ -141,7 +141,10 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> SplitterLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Tens
 
 void SplitterLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
+    std::for_each(BeginOutputSlots(), EndOutputSlots(), [&](OutputSlot& outputSlot)
+    {
+        VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputSlot.GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), shapeInferenceMethod);
+    });
 
     std::vector<TensorShape> views;
     for (unsigned int viewIdx = 0; viewIdx < m_Param.GetNumViews(); viewIdx++)
@@ -156,10 +159,11 @@ void SplitterLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInf
 
     for (unsigned int viewIdx = 0; viewIdx < m_Param.GetNumViews(); viewIdx++)
     {
-        ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-            "SplitterLayer: View sizes must match output tensor shapes.",
-            GetOutputSlot(viewIdx).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-            inferredShapes[viewIdx]);
+        ValidateAndCopyShape(GetOutputSlot(viewIdx).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
+                             inferredShapes[viewIdx],
+                             shapeInferenceMethod,
+                             "SplitterLayer",
+                             viewIdx);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/StackLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/StackLayer.cpp
index 6e81890290..f5d761bdc5 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/StackLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/StackLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "StackLayer.hpp"
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> StackLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<TensorS
 
 void StackLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     // Validates Stack layer.
     ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
         "StackLayer: Num Input Slots must match Num Inputs.",
@@ -70,6 +68,10 @@ void StackLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
 
     VerifyLayerConnections(m_Param.m_NumInputs, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     // Constructs and validates input shapes
     std::vector<TensorShape> inputShapes;
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < GetNumInputSlots(); ++i)
@@ -88,10 +90,7 @@ void StackLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInfere
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "StackLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "StackLayer");
 }
 
 void StackLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/StandInLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/StandInLayer.cpp
index d79caf613c..623f4a5b3f 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/StandInLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/StandInLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2019 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/StridedSliceLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/StridedSliceLayer.cpp
index fbe9815c06..fc9df856ec 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/StridedSliceLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/StridedSliceLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "StridedSliceLayer.hpp"
@@ -96,18 +96,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> StridedSliceLayer::InferOutputShapes(
 
 void StridedSliceLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()});
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-                    "StridedSlice: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-                    GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-                    inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "StridedSliceLayer");
 }
 
 void StridedSliceLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SubtractionLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SubtractionLayer.cpp
index 0797742aea..82c96428a5 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SubtractionLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SubtractionLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/SwitchLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/SwitchLayer.cpp
index d408de89e7..b763b0804c 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/SwitchLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/SwitchLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 #include "SwitchLayer.hpp"
@@ -29,28 +29,25 @@ SwitchLayer* SwitchLayer::Clone(Graph& graph) const
 
 void SwitchLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(2, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(GetNumOutputSlots() == 2, "SwitchLayer: The layer should return 2 outputs.");
 
     // Assuming first input is the Input and second input is the Constant
     std::vector<TensorShape> inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({
         GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
+        GetInputSlot(1).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape()});
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 2);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "SwitchLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "SwitchLayer");
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "SwitchLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(
+            GetOutputSlot(1).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(), inferredShapes[1], shapeInferenceMethod, "SwitchLayer", 1);
 }
 
 void SwitchLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/TransposeConvolution2dLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/TransposeConvolution2dLayer.cpp
index 8a264253e0..7074be9659 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/TransposeConvolution2dLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/TransposeConvolution2dLayer.cpp
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2017 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
 #include "TransposeConvolution2dLayer.hpp"
 #include "LayerCloneBase.hpp"
 
-#include <armnn/TypesUtils.hpp>
-
 #include <armnnUtils/DataLayoutIndexed.hpp>
 
 #include <backendsCommon/CpuTensorHandle.hpp>
@@ -105,10 +103,12 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> TransposeConvolution2dLayer::InferOutputShapes(
 
 void TransposeConvolution2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     ARMNN_ASSERT_MSG(m_Weight != nullptr, "TransposeConvolution2dLayer: Weight data cannot be null.");
 
     std::vector<TensorShape> expectedOutputShape;
@@ -127,10 +127,7 @@ void TransposeConvolution2dLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceM
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(expectedOutputShape.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "TransposeConvolution2dLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        expectedOutputShape[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, expectedOutputShape[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "TransposeConvolution2dLayer");
 }
 
 Layer::ConstantTensors TransposeConvolution2dLayer::GetConstantTensorsByRef()
diff --git a/src/armnn/layers/TransposeLayer.cpp b/src/armnn/layers/TransposeLayer.cpp
index 90f8d1a7db..7dfb003019 100644
--- a/src/armnn/layers/TransposeLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/armnn/layers/TransposeLayer.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright © 2020 Arm Ltd and Contributors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 //
 
@@ -42,18 +42,17 @@ std::vector<TensorShape> TransposeLayer::InferOutputShapes(const std::vector<Ten
 
 void TransposeLayer::ValidateTensorShapesFromInputs(ShapeInferenceMethod shapeInferenceMethod)
 {
-    IgnoreUnused(shapeInferenceMethod);
-
     VerifyLayerConnections(1, CHECK_LOCATION());
 
+    const TensorShape& outputShape = GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape();
+
+    VerifyShapeInferenceType(outputShape, shapeInferenceMethod);
+
     auto inferredShapes = InferOutputShapes({ GetInputSlot(0).GetConnection()->GetTensorInfo().GetShape() });
 
     ARMNN_ASSERT(inferredShapes.size() == 1);
 
-    ConditionalThrowIfNotEqual<LayerValidationException>(
-        "TransposeLayer: TensorShape set on OutputSlot[0] does not match the inferred shape.",
-        GetOutputSlot(0).GetTensorInfo().GetShape(),
-        inferredShapes[0]);
+    ValidateAndCopyShape(outputShape, inferredShapes[0], shapeInferenceMethod, "TransposeLayer");
 }
 
 void TransposeLayer::Accept(ILayerVisitor& visitor) const