MULTIPLEXING: FDM, TDM AND TCM

BY

JOSEPH IORHILE ABE

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS/COMPUTER SCIENCE

FACULTY OF SCIENCE,
BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI

A TERM PAPER PRESENTATION ON

CMP 331: COMPUTER NETWORKS AND DATA COMMUNICATION

AUGUST, 2018
Introduction

In telecommunications and computer networks, multiplexing (sometimes contracted to

muxing) is a method by which multiple analog or digital signals are combined into one signal
over a shared medium. The aim is to share a scarce resource. For example, in
telecommunications, several telephone calls may be carried using one wire. Multiplexing
originated in telegraphy in the 1870s, and is now widely applied in communications. In
telephony, George Owen Squier is credited with the development of telephone carrier
multiplexing in 1910. The multiplexed signal is transmitted over a communication channel
such as a cable. The multiplexing divides the capacity of the communication channel into
several logical channels, one for each message signal or data stream to be transferred. A
reverse process, known as demultiplexing, extracts the original channels on the receiver end.
A device that performs the multiplexing is called a multiplexer (MUX), and a device that
performs the reverse process is called a demultiplexer (DEMUX or DMX). Inverse
multiplexing (IMUX) has the opposite aim as multiplexing, namely to break one data stream
into several streams, transfer them simultaneously over several communication channels, and
recreate the original data stream. The process is called as analog multiplexing if these signals
are analog in nature. If digital signals are multiplexed, it is called as digital multiplexing.
Multiplexing was first developed in telephony. A number of signals were combined to send
through a single cable. The process of multiplexing divides a communication channel into
several number of logical channels, allotting each one for a different message signal or a data
stream to be transferred (Alison, 2008). The device that does multiplexing can be called as a
MUX. The reverse process, i.e., extracting the number of channels from one, which is done at
the receiver is called as demultiplexing. The device which does demultiplexing is called as
DEMUX. The following figures illustrates the concept of MUX and DEMUX. Their primary
use is in the field of communications.

1
In the present work, we have employed the secondary sources of data gathering in
investigating the concept of multiplexing and its associated types or rather, methods of
multiplexing. The secondary sources here include the use of published works such as journal
articles, books, webographic materials, etc.

Conceptual Issues

Multiplexing is a popular networking technique that integrates multiple analog and digital
signals into a signal transmitted over a shared medium. Multiplexers and de-multiplexers are
used to convert multiple signals into one signal. This term is also known as muxing.
(technopedia.com). Phone calls are a good example of multiplexing in telecommunications.
That is, more than one phone call is transmitted over a single medium. Multiplexing is the
process in which multiple Data Streams, coming from different Sources, are combined and
Transmitted over a Single Data Channel or Data Stream. In Electronic Communications, the
two basic forms of Multiplexing are Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Frequency
Division Multiplexing (FDM) (Vikrant, 2015). Multiplexing is done by equipment called
Multiplexer (MUX). It is placed at the Transmitting End of the communication link. At the
Receiving End, the Composite Signal is separated by equipment called Demultiplexer
(DEMUX). Demultiplexer performs the reverse process of Multiplexing and routes the
separated signals to their corresponding Receivers or Destinations.

Multiplexer: Multiplexer is a device that has multiple inputs and a single line output. The
select lines determine which input is connected to the output, and also to increase the amount
of data that can be sent over a network within certain time. It is also called a data selector.
The single pole multi-position switch is a simple example of non-electronic circuit of
multiplexer, and it is widely used in many electronic circuits. The multiplexer is used to
perform high-speed switching and is constructed by electronic components. Multiplexers are
capable of handling both analog and digital applications. In analog applications, multiplexers
are made up of relays and transistor switches, whereas in digital applications, the
multiplexers are built from standard logic gates. When the multiplexer is used for digital
applications, it is called a digital multiplexer.

De-multiplexer: De-multiplexer is also a device with one input and multiple output lines. It
is used to send a signal to one of the many devices. The main difference between a
multiplexer and a de-multiplexer is that a multiplexer takes two or more signals and encodes
them on a wire, whereas a de-multiplexer does reverse to what the multiplexer does.

2
Techniques of multiplexing

In communication, under the simplest conditions, a medium can carry only one signal at any
moment in time. For multiple signals to share one medium, the medium must somehow be
divided, giving each signal a portion of the total bandwidth. This is where the concept of
Multiplexing comes! Multiplexing means “sharing a medium”. It is a form of data
transmission in which one communication channel carries several transmissions at the same
time. In simple words, the method of dividing a single channel into many channels so that a
number of independent signals may be transmitted on it is known as Multiplexing.
Multiplexing techniques include time-division multiplexing (TDM) and frequency-division
multiplexing (FDM) amongst others.

Frequency Division Multiplexing-FDM

In FDM the available bandwidth is divided into a number of smaller independent logical
channels with each channel having a small bandwidth. It assigns “frequency ranges” to each
“user” or “signal” on a medium. Thus, all signals are transmitted at the same time, each using
different frequencies. The method of using a number of carrier frequencies, each of which is
modulated by an independent signal is in fact frequency division multiplexing. In Frequency
Division Multiplexing, Data Streams are carried simultaneously on the same Transmission
medium by allocating to each of them a different Frequency Band within the Bandwidth of
the Single Channel.

Time Division Multiplexing-TDM

In TDM, sharing is accomplished by dividing available “transmission time” on a

medium/channel among users. Each user of the channel is allotted a small time interval
during which he transmits a message. Total time available in the channel is divided, and each
user is allocated a time slice. In TDM, users send message sequentially one after another.
Each user can use the full channel bandwidth during the period he has control over the
channel. In Time Division Multiplexing, Transmission Time on a Single Channel is divided
into non-overlapped Time Slots. Data Streams from different Sources are divided into Units
with same size and interleaved successively into the Time Slots.

Time-compression multiplexing (TCM): Time-compression multiplexing (TCM) is a

spectrally efficient, time-domain multiplexing method, which is an alternative to the
conventional and widely used frequency-division multiplexing technique (FDM). The paper

3
demonstrates the significant advantages of TCM over FDM when used over narrowband
radio systems which contain inherent nonlinearities. Indeed, these nonlinearities can render
FDM unusable for many applications, producing quite unacceptable levels of crosstalk for an
adequate signal/noise performance. TCM, however, is shown to overcome this problem
without utilising excessive bandwidth, usually associated with time-domain multiplexing
systems that employ digital modulation: for example, pulse code modulation.

Difference Between FDM and TDM

TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) and FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing) are two
methods of multiplexing multiple signals into a single carrier. Multiplexing is the process of
combining multiple signals into one, in such a manner that each individual signal can be
retrieved at the destination. Since multiple signals are occupying the channel, they need to
share the resource in some manner. The primary difference between FDM and TDM is how
they divide the channel. FDM divides the channel into two or more frequency ranges that do
not overlap, while TDM divides and allocates certain time periods to each channel in an
alternating manner. Due to this fact, we can say that for TDM, each signal uses all of the
bandwidth some of the time, while for FDM, each signal uses a small portion of the
bandwidth all of the time.

TDM provides greater flexibility and efficiency, by dynamically allocating more time periods
to the signals that need more of the bandwidth, while reducing the time periods to those
signals that do not need it. FDM lacks this type of flexibility, as it cannot dynamically change
the width of the allocated frequency.

The advantage of FDM over TDM is in latency. Latency is the time it takes for the data to
reach its destination. As TDM allocates time periods, only one channel can transmit at a
given time, and some data would often be delayed, though it’s often only in milliseconds.
Since channels in FDM can transmit at any time, their latencies would be much lower
compared to TDM. FDM is often used in applications where latency is of utmost priority,
such as those that require real-time information.

FDM and TDM are often used in tandem, to create even more channels in a given frequency
range. The common practice is to divide the channel with FDM, so that you have a dedicated
channel with a smaller frequency range. Each of the FDM channels is then occupied by

4
multiple channels that are multiplexed using TDM. This is what telecoms do to allow a huge
number of users to use a certain frequency band. In summary:

1. FDM divides the channel into multiple, but smaller frequency ranges to accommodate
more users, while TDM divides a channel by allocating a time period for each
channel.

2. TDM provides much better flexibility compared to FDM.

3. FDM proves much better latency compared to TDM.

4. TDM and FDM can be used in tandem.

APPLICATION OF MULTIPLEXING/MULTIPLEXERS

Multiplexer are used in various fields where multiple data need to be transmitted using a
single line. Following are some of the applications of multiplexers -

Communication system: Communication system is a set of system that enables

communication like transmission system, relay and tributary station, and communication
network. The efficiency of communication system can be increased considerably using
multiplexer. Multiplexer allow the process of transmitting different type of data such as
audio, video at the same time using a single transmission line.

Telephone network: In telephone network, multiple audio signals are integrated on a single
line for transmission with the help of multiplexers. In this way, multiple audio signals can be
isolated and eventually, the desire audio signals reach the intended recipients.

Computer memory: Multiplexers are used to implement huge amount of memory into the
computer, at the same time reduces the number of copper lines required to connect the
memory to other parts of the computer circuit.

Transmission from the computer system of a satellite: Multiplexer can be used for the
transmission of data signals from the computer system of a satellite or spacecraft to the
ground system using the GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites.

Conclusion

Under the simplest conditions, a medium can carry only one signal at any moment in time. If
we try to pass multiple signals through a common medium, they will possibly interfere with

5
each other. Multiplexing is name given to techniques which allow more than one message to
be transferred via the same communication channel. Multiplexing are techniques which allow
users to occupy a channel for the duration in time that the channel is available. Channel:
could be a transmission line, twisted pair, Co-axial cable, A radio system and Fibre optic
cable. Channel will offer a specified bandwidth, which is available for a time, t, where t->∞.
With reference to the channel there are 3 ‘degrees of freedom’: Bandwidth or frequency,
Time and Code.

6
 References

Alison, L Carrington (2008). Multiplexing, (FDM, TDM, CDM) & mobile communications.
Staffordshire: Staffordshire University Press.

“Multiplexing and Demultiplexing”.

http://macao.communications.museum/eng/exhibition/secondfloor/moreinfo/2_8_6_
Multiplexing.html

“Multiplexing” https://www.techopedia.com/definition/8472/multiplexing

Tarun Agarwal (nd). Operations of Multiplexer and De-multiplexer Circuit and Applications”
https://www.elprocus.com/what-is-multiplexer-and-de-multiplexer-types-and-its-
applications/

Vikrant, S. and Dalveer, K. (2015). “Review on multiplexing techniques in Optical

communication systems”. European Scientific Journal October 2015 /SPECIAL/
edition Vol.2 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431

Watanabe, Shigeki. (2012). “ALL-Optical Data Frequency Multiplexing on single-

wavelength carrier Light by Sequentially Provided Cross-Phase Modulation in Fiber.”
IEEE journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 18, No. 2.