A method for pattern recognition in a spiking neural network robust to initial network conditions includes creating a set of diverse neurons in a first layer to increase a diversity in a set of spike timings. An input corresponding to a pattern plus noise is presented at an input layer and represented as spikes. The spikes are received at the first layer and spikes are produced at the first layer based on the received spikes. The method also includes updating a weight of each synapse between an input layer neuron and an output layer neuron based on a spike timing difference between a spike at the input layer neuron and a spike at the output layer neuron. Further, the method includes classifying a spike pattern represented by a set of inter-spike intervals, regardless of noise in the spike pattern.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. A method for pattern recognition in a spiking neural network robust to initial network conditions, comprising: creating a set of diverse neurons in at least a first layer to increase a diversity in a set of spike timings; presenting an input corresponding to a pattern plus noise at an input layer; representing the input as spikes; receiving the spikes at the first layer; spiking at the first layer based at least in part on the received spikes; updating a weight of each synapse between an input layer neuron and an output layer neuron based at least in part on a spike timing difference between a spike at the input layer neuron and a spike at the output layer neuron; and classifying a spike pattern represented by a set of inter-spike intervals, regardless of noise in the spike pattern. 2. The method of claim 1, in which the first layer is a classification layer. 3. The method of claim 1, in which the first layer is an intermediate layer. 4. The method of claim 1, in which the noise in the spike pattern includes spurious spikes, dropped spikes, and/or temporal jitter in the spike pattern. 5. The method of claim 1, in which the first layer is a classification layer and the method further comprises: training synapses between the input layer and the classification layer based at least in part on the spike pattern and spike timing differences between two layers. 6. The method of claim 1, in which the weight is spike timing modulated with updates. 7. The method of claim 1, in which spike timing is different in response to a same input. 8. The method of claim 1, in which a diverse set of weight updates is achieved on synapses between two layers for a same input. 9. An apparatus for pattern recognition in a spiking neural network robust to initial network conditions, comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory; the at least one processor being configured: to create a set of diverse neurons in at least a first layer to increase a diversity in a set of spike timings; to present an input corresponding to a pattern plus noise at an input layer; to represent the input as spikes; to receive the spikes at the first layer; to spike at the first layer based at least in part on the received spikes; to update a weight of each synapse between an input layer neuron and an output layer neuron based at least in part on a spike timing difference between a spike at the input layer neuron and a spike at the output layer neuron; and to classify a spike pattern represented by a set of inter-spike intervals, regardless of noise in the spike pattern. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the first layer is a classification layer. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the first layer is an intermediate layer. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the noise in the spike pattern includes spurious spikes, dropped spikes, and/or temporal jitter in the spike pattern. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the first layer is a classification layer and the at least one processor is further configured: to train synapses between the input layer and the classification layer based at least in part on the spike pattern and spike timing differences between two layers. 14. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the weight is spike timing modulated with updates. 15. The apparatus of claim 9, in which spike timing is different in response to a same input. 16. The apparatus of claim 9, in which a diverse set of weight updates is achieved on synapses between two layers for a same input. 17. An apparatus for pattern recognition in a spiking neural network robust to initial network conditions, comprising: means for creating a set of diverse neurons in at least a first layer to increase a diversity in a set of spike timings; means for presenting an input corresponding to a pattern plus noise at an input layer; means for representing the input as spikes; means for receiving the spikes at the first layer; means for spiking at the first layer based at least in part on the received spikes; means for updating a weight of each synapse between an input layer neuron and an output layer neuron based at least in part on a spike timing difference between a spike at the input layer neuron and a spike at the output layer neuron; and means for classifying a spike pattern represented by a set of inter-spike intervals, regardless of noise in the spike pattern. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the first layer is a classification layer. 19. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the first layer is an intermediate layer. 20. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the noise in the spike pattern includes spurious spikes, dropped spikes, and/or temporal jitter in the spike pattern. 21. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the first layer is a classification layer and the apparatus further comprises means for training synapses between the input layer and the classification layer based at least in part on the spike pattern and spike timing differences between two layers. 22. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the weight is spike timing modulated with updates. 23. The apparatus of claim 17, in which spike timing is different in response to a same input. 24. The apparatus of claim 17, in which a diverse set of weight updates is achieved on synapses between two layers for a same input. 25. A computer program product for pattern recognition in a spiking neural network robust to initial network conditions, comprising: a non-transitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon program code, the program code comprising: program code to create a set of diverse neurons in at least a first layer to increase a diversity in a set of spike timings; program code to present an input corresponding to a pattern plus noise at an input layer; program code to represent the input as spikes; program code to receive the spikes at the first layer; program code to spike at the first layer based at least in part on the received spikes; program code to update a weight of each synapse between an input layer neuron and an output layer neuron based at least in part on a spike timing difference between a spike at the input layer neuron and a spike at the output layer neuron; and program code to classify a spike pattern represented by a set of inter-spike intervals, regardless of noise in the spike pattern. 26. The computer program product of claim 25, in which the first layer is a classification layer. 27. The computer program product of claim 25, in which the first layer is an intermediate layer. 28. The computer program product of claim 25, in which the noise in the spike pattern includes spurious spikes, dropped spikes, and/or temporal jitter in the spike pattern. 29. The computer program product of claim 25, in which the first layer is a classification layer and the program product further comprises program code to train synapses between the input layer and the classification layer based at least in part on the spike pattern and spike timing differences between two layers. 30. The computer program product of claim 25, further including program code to update the weight such that the weight is spike timing modulated with updates. 31. The computer program product of claim 25, in which spike timing is different in response to a same input. 32. The computer program product of claim 25, further including program code to provide a diverse set of weight updates on synapses between two layers for a same input.