multiplexing - 1. (Or "multiple access") Combining several
signals for transmission on some shared medium (e.g. a
telephone wire). The signals are combined at the transmitter
by a multiplexor (a "mux") and split up at the receiver by a
demultiplexor. The communications channel may be shared
between the independent signals in one of several different
ways: time division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing, or code division multiplexing.
If the inputs take turns to use the output channel (time division multiplexing) then the output bandwidth need be no
greater than the maximum bandwidth of any input.
If many inputs may be active simultaneously then the output
bandwidth must be at least as great as the total bandwidth of
all simultaneously active inputs. In this case the
multiplexor is also known as a concentrator. | |