Definition

Noun: 1. A device that combines multiple input signals into a single output signal for transmission over a shared medium: A multiplexer (often abbreviated as MUX) is an electronic device or circuit that selects one of several analog or digital input signals and forwards the selected input into a single line. Its primary function is to allow multiple data streams to share one communication channel, thereby increasing efficiency.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The network engineer installed a multiplexer to combine the data from several computers onto one fiber optic cable.
  • In digital electronics, a multiplexer is used to route one of many input lines to a single output line based on a selector signal.
  • The telecommunications system uses a multiplexer to interleave multiple phone calls on a single wire.

Advanced Usage

• "Time-division multiplexer (TDM)": A type of multiplexer that combines data streams by assigning each one a specific time slot in a set. The signals take turns using the channel.
  • The old telephone network relied heavily on time-division multiplexers.
• "Frequency-division multiplexer (FDM)": A type of multiplexer that combines multiple signals by transmitting them at different carrier frequencies over a single channel.
  • Radio stations use a form of frequency-division multiplexing, with each station broadcasting on a different frequency.

Variants and Related Words

• Multiplex (verb): The act of combining multiple signals using a multiplexer.
  • The system was designed to multiplex 16 video feeds.
• Demultiplexer (noun): A device that performs the reverse function of a multiplexer; it takes a single input signal containing multiple data streams and separates it into its original components.
  • At the receiving end, a demultiplexer splits the combined signal back into the individual channels.

Synonyms

• Data selector: A functional name for a multiplexer, emphasizing its role in choosing between inputs.
• MUX: A common abbreviation for multiplexer.

Related Technical Terms

• Channel: The shared pathway (e.g., wire, fiber) over which the multiplexed signal is sent.
• Selector lines/Control lines: The input lines to the multiplexer that determine which data input is connected to the output.
• Interleaving: The process of combining multiple signals by alternating segments of them, which is a core function of a multiplexer.

Noun

1. a device that can interleave two or more activities