Abstract
Consciousness is known to be limited in processing capacity and often described in terms of a unique processing stream across a
single dimension: time. In this paper, we discuss a purely temporal pattern code, functionally decoupled from spatial signals, for
conscious state generation in the brain. Arguments in favour of such a code include Dehaene et al.’s long-distance reverberation
postulate, Ramachandran’s remapping hypothesis, evidence for a temporal coherence index and coincidence detectors, and
Grossberg’s Adaptive Resonance Theory. A time-bin resonance model is developed, where temporal signatures of conscious states
are generated on the basis of signal reverberation across large distances in highly plastic neural circuits. The temporal signatures
are delivered by neural activity patterns which, beyond a certain statistical threshold, activate, maintain, and terminate a conscious
brain state like a bar code would activate, maintain, or inactivate the electronic locks of a safe. Such temporal resonance would reflect a higher level of neural processing, one that is independent from sensorial or perceptual brain mechanisms.