Multiplexing is the process of transmitting multiple signals through a single carrier. Different types of multiplexing, such as FDM and TDM, are used depending on the mode of transmission. Multiplexing is essential for efficient communication in various telephony services and optical networks.
Multiplexing is the process of transmitting several signals or information streams via a single carrier. The transmission of all these signals or streams occurs simultaneously by combining the different signals into a common signal that will move efficiently across the bandwidth of the carrier. Once the signal reaches the destination point of one of the transmissions, that integrated signal re-assimilates into its original form and is received.
The exact configuration of the process depends a lot on the mode or the type of transmission. When it comes to an analog broadcast, the signals are multiplexed using a process known as frequency-based multiplexing. This form, usually referred to as FDM, uses a process of dividing bandwidth into a series of sub-channels that will house the broadcasts and more or less allow them to flow forward in a parallel fashion.
A second common type is time division multiplexing, or TDM. With TDM, the various signals or transmissions are carried over a common channel in much the same way as with FDM. The main difference is that the time division approach allows signals to be transmitted in a series of alternating time slots. These alternate slots are still carried within a common channel and still fit neatly into the available bandwidth.
Multiplexing is one of the common tools used in almost all forms of communication today. A wide range of telephony services, including online applications, are able to function with such a high degree of efficiency thanks to the current technological advances that this process has made possible. Optical networks also rely heavily on multiplexing to carry voice and video transmissions along simultaneous but separate wavelengths from a point of origin to various points of determination. With an increasing array of communication functions taking place over the Internet, it has become an effective tool that aids in everything from video conferencing and web conferencing to large data transmissions to even making a simple point-to-point phone call.
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