A system is provided in which the spatial values (S1 to Sn) of the physical quantity are represented by measurement pulses (I1 to In), the temporal ordering of which represents the values, which are processed by processing units (U1 to Un) arranged in at least one row and each include an output (SOR1 to SORn). During successive processing cycles, a measurement pulse processed therein can be delivered to form the output signal (SU) of the system. Each processing unit includes an inhibiting unit (BI) for, in other units and during a given processing cycle, inhibiting the passage to the outputs of the other units respective measurement pulses processed therein and hence preventing them from forming the output signal, if the measurement impulses are temporally ordered later in the given processing cycle than the one processed in the unit concerned.