1. A computer implemented method of performing a convolution of a mask with a signal comprising: receiving, by a processor a regular representation of an image signal from a client computer, the regular representation comprising a first plurality of discrete values; for each value in the first plurality of values, by the processor: comparing the value to each other value in the first of the plurality of values; and generating a binary value that encodes the comparison; combining the binary values generated from the first plurality of values to form an ordinal representation of the signal; storing the ordinal representation of the signal in a computer-readable medium; receiving, by the processor, a regular mask, the regular mask containing a second plurality of values; for each value in the second plurality of values, by the processor: comparing the value to each other value in the second of the plurality of values; and generating a binary value that encodes the comparison; combining the binary values generated from the second plurality of values to form an ordinal mask; storing the ordinal mask in a computer-readable storage medium; applying the ordinal mask to a portion of the ordinal representation of the signal to provide a convolution of the mask with the signal; and providing information about the image signal based on the convolution of the mask with the signal to the client computer.