1. A computer system, comprising: a processor; two or more children processing modules, each of the two or more children processing modules configured to receive spatially different parts of the input data and generate first level characterization data that represents spatial patterns and temporal sequences in a received part of the input data based on correlation between the received part of the input data and the first level characterization data, the correlation established by a feedback signal; and a parent processing module configured to receive the first level characterization data from the two or more children processing modules and output second level characterization data that represents spatial patterns and temporal sequences in the first level characterization data, the parent processing module providing feedback information to the two or more children processing modules.