Systems and methods for invariant pulse latency coding

An image processing system comprising:

• an input signal representative of an element of an image;
• a processor configured to extract information from the input signal and to encode the information in a pulsed output signal;
• a plurality of channels that communicate the pulsed output signal,
• wherein the information is encoded in a pattern of relative pulse latencies between the channels;
• and
• a filter that provides a generator signal based on the input signal, wherein the pulse latencies are determined using a logarithmic function of the generator signal.

A method of processing a signal representative of an image comprising the steps of:

• receiving an input signal representative of an image that includes pulsed signals carried in a plurality of channels;
• obtaining a generator signal from the input signal;
• and
• determining relative latencies of two or more pulses in the pulsed signals using a logarithmic function of the generator signal, wherein information is encoded in a pattern of the relative latencies,
• wherein the pattern of the relative latencies is insensitive to changes in one or more of image luminance and image contrast.