One embodiment of the invention provides a system comprising at least one data-to-spike converter unit for converting input numeric data received by the system to spike event data. Each data-to-spike converter unit is configured to support one or more spike codes.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. A system comprising: a data-to-spike converter unit supporting different time operating regimes, wherein the data-to-spike converter unit is configured to generate one or more spike event packets based on external input data received by the system and one of the different time operating regimes; and an output bus configured to transmit the one or more spike event packets to a plurality of neurosynaptic core circuits for processing; wherein a format of a first spike event packet generated based on a first time operating regime of the different time operating regimes is different from a format of a second spike event packet generated based on a second time operating regime of the different time operating regimes. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the first spike event packet is formatted to include both a corresponding target address of a corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet and a corresponding delivery timestamp indicative of when the first spike event packet should be processed at the corresponding target address; and the second spike event packet is formatted to include only a corresponding target address of a corresponding target axon for the second spike event packet. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein tracking of the first spike event packet is different from tracking of the second spike event packet. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein: the first spike event packet is tracked at the corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet, such that the corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet controls when the first spike event packet is processed based on the corresponding delivery timestamp included in the first spike event packet; and the second spike event packet is tracked at the data-to-spike converter unit, such that the data-to-spike converter unit controls when the second spike event packet is outputted to the output bus. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the external input data comprises digital numeric data representing one or more sensory inputs from an external environment. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data-to-spike converter unit is configured to generate the one or more spike event packets in one of a serial manner or a parallel manner. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein: each core circuit comprises a plurality of electronic neurons, a plurality of electronic axons, and a plurality of synapse devices for interconnecting the neurons with the axons; and the core circuits are interconnected via at least one router for routing spike event packets between the core circuits. 8. A system, comprising: a plurality of neurosynaptic core circuits; a data-to-spike converter unit supporting different time operating regimes, wherein the data-to-spike converter unit is configured to generate one or more spike event packets based on external input data received by the system and one of the different time operating regimes; and an output bus configured to transmit the one or more spike event packets to the core circuits for processing; wherein a format of a first spike event packet generated based on a first time operating regime of the different time operating regimes is different from a format of a second spike event packet generated based on a second time operating regime of the different time operating regimes. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein: the first spike event packet is formatted to include both a corresponding target address of a corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet and a corresponding delivery timestamp indicative of when the first spike event packet should be processed at the corresponding target address; and the second spike event packet is formatted to include only a corresponding target address of a corresponding target axon for the second spike event packet. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein tracking of the first spike event packet is different from tracking of the second spike event packet. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein: the first spike event packet is tracked at the corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet, such that the corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet controls when the first spike event packet is processed based on the corresponding delivery timestamp included in the first spike event packet; and the second spike event packet is tracked at the data-to-spike converter unit, such that the data-to-spike converter unit controls when the second spike event packet is outputted to the output bus. 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the external input data comprises digital numeric data representing one or more sensory inputs from an external environment. 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the data-to-spike converter unit is configured to generate the one or more spike event packets in one of a serial manner or a parallel manner. 14. The system of claim 8, wherein: each core circuit comprises a plurality of electronic neurons, a plurality of electronic axons, and a plurality of synapse devices for interconnecting the neurons with the axons; and the core circuits are interconnected via at least one router for routing spike event packets between the core circuits. 15. A method comprising: at a data-to-spike converter unit supporting different time operating regimes: generating one or more spike event packets based on external input data and one of the different time operating regimes; and outputting the one or more spike event packets to an output bus configured to transmit the one or more spike event packets to a plurality of neurosynaptic core circuits for processing; wherein a format of a first spike event packet generated based on a first time operating regime of the different time operating regimes is different from a format of a second spike event packet generated based on a second time operating regime of the different time operating regimes. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first spike event packet is formatted to include both a corresponding target address of a corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet and a corresponding delivery timestamp indicative of when the first spike event packet should be processed at the corresponding target address; and the second spike event packet is formatted to include only a corresponding target address of a corresponding target axon for the second spike event packet. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein tracking of the first spike event packet is different from tracking of the second spike event packet. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein: the first spike event packet is tracked at the corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet, such that the corresponding target axon for the first spike event packet controls when the first spike event packet is processed based on the corresponding delivery timestamp included in the first spike event packet; and the second spike event packet is tracked at the data-to-spike converter unit, such that the data-to-spike converter unit controls when the second spike event packet is outputted to the output bus. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the external input data comprises digital numeric data representing one or more sensory inputs from an external environment. 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the data-to-spike converter unit is configured to generate the one or more spike event packets in one of a serial manner or a parallel manner.