Is there a certain way to encode typical "continuos" information like a certain tilt of a line in an image? I ran into this over ten years ago in an experiment

Is there a certain way to encode typical "continuos" information like a certain tilt of a line in an image? I ran into this over ten years ago in an experiment on temporary plasticity of sensory input and I didn't find a quick answer before I had to leave the topic (ok, it left me) Thanks for sharing that book link, btw.