Before revision:  We reveal that neural networks perceive time intervals through the evolution of population state along a stereotypical trajectory, maintain time intervals by line attractors along which the activities of most neurons vary  monotonically with the duration of the maintained interval, and adjust the evolution speed of the statetrajectory for producing or comparing time intervals.
After revision:  We reveal that neural networks perceive time intervals through the evolution of population state along a stereotypical trajectory, maintain time intervals by line attractor along which most neurons vary monotonically with the duration of the maintained interval, and adjust the evolution speed of the statetrajectory for producing or comparing time intervals.