Chapter 6.

Functions of combinational logic

Multiplexers and Demultiplexers

Francisco Javier Burgos Flórez, PhD

Biomedical Engineering department

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But first…

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Multiplexers: Introduction
• A multiplexer (MUX) is a device that allows digital information from several sources to
be routed onto a single line for transmission over that line to a common destination.

• The basic multiplexer has several data-input lines and a single output line. It also has
data-select inputs, which permit digital data on any one of the inputs to be switched to the
output line.

• Multiplexers are also known as data selectors.

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Multiplexers: Introduction
After this section, you should be able to:
• Explain the operation of multiplexers
• Describe some common multiplexer ICs
• Expand a multiplexer to handle more data inputs
• Use the multiplexer as a logic function generator

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1 to 4 data selector/multiplexer
2-bit code on the data-select (S) inputs will
allow the data on the selected data input to
pass through to the data output y.

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1 to 4 data selector/multiplexer

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74HC153: Dual four-input data selector/multiplexer

The data select inputs are S0 and

S1 and the active-LOW enable
inputs are 1E and 2E.

Each of the multiplexers has an

active-LOW enable input.

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74HC153: Dual four-input data selector/multiplexer
The logic for a four-input multiplexer like the one shown can be described with VHDL.

Keep in mind that once you have written the VHDL program for a given logic, the code is then
downloaded into a PLD device (FPGA) and becomes actual hardware just as fixed-function
devices (ASICs) are hardware.

entity FourInputMultiplexer is
port (S0, S1, D0, D1, D2, D3; in bit; Y: out bit);
end entity FourInputMultiplexer;

architecture LogicFunction of FourInputMultiplexer is

begin
Y <= (D0 and not S0 and not S1) or (Dl and S0 and not S1)
or (D2 and not S0 and S1) or (D3 and S0 and S1);
end architecture LogicFunction;

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74HC151: Eight-input data selector/mutiplexer

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Example: 74HC151s to multiplex 16 data lines

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Example: A 7-Segment Display Multiplexer
• 74HC157 is a quad 2-input multiplexer enabled controlled (data
selection pin). 2-digit numbers are displayed on the 7-segment
readout using a single BCD-to-7-segment decoder.
• Low and High values on data selection pin also connect the A/B
7-segment common terminals to ground, respectively.
• Data-select square wave frequency must be high enough to
prevent visual flicker as the digit displays are multiplexed.

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Example: A logic function generator
• A useful application of the data selector/multiplexer is in the generation of combinational
logic functions in sum-of-products form.

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Exercise 1
• Implement the logic function in the following Table using a 74HC151 8-input data selector/
multiplexer

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Exercise 1
• Implement the logic function in the following Table using a 74HC151 8-input data selector/
multiplexer

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Applications
• A communication system has both a communication network and a transmission system. By using a multiplexer,
the efficiency of the communication system can be increased by allowing the transmission of data, such as audio
and video data from different channels, through single lines or cables.

• Multiplexers are used in computer memory to reduce the number of copper lines required to connect the
memory to other parts of the computer.

• In telephone networks, multiple audio signals are integrated on a single line of transmission with the help of a
multiplexer.

• The multiplexer is used to change amplifier gain in signal amplification circuit systems where the magnitude of
the amplified signal changes between multiple orders of magnitude. This reduces the chance of amplifier
saturation (for example in sensors with large output ranges).
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Demultiplexer
A demultiplexer (DEMUX) basically reverses the multiplexing function. It takes digital
information from one line and distributes it to a given number of output lines. For this reason,
the demultiplexer is also known as a data distributor. As you will learn, decoders can also
be used as demultiplexers.

After completing this section, you should be able to

• Explain the basic operation of a demultiplexer
• Describe how a 4-line-to-16-line decoder can be used as a demultiplexer
• Develop the timing diagram for a demultiplexer with specified data and data selection
inputs

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A 1-line-to-4-line demultiplexer

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Exercise 2
Determine the data-output waveforms on D0 through D3 for the 1-line-to-4-line demultiplexer.

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Exercise 2
Determine the data-output waveforms on D0 through D3 for the 1-line-to-4-line demultiplexer.

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 74HC154 4-Line-to-16-Line Decoder as a 1/16
Demultiplexer

In demultiplexer applications, the input lines are used as the data-select lines. One of the chip select
inputs is used as the datainput line, with the other chip select input held LOW to enable the internal
negative-AND gate at the bottom of the diagram. 20
Applications
• Communication System: Mux and demux both are used in communication systems to carry out the process of
data transmission. A demultiplexer receives the output signals from the multiplexer and, at the receiver end,
converts them back to the original form.

• Arithmetic Logic Unit: The output of the ALU is fed as an input to the demultiplexer, and the output of the
demultiplexer is connected to multiple registers. The output of the ALU can be stored in multiple registers.

• Serial to Parallel Converter: This converter is used to reconstruct parallel data. In this technique, serial data is
given as an input to the demultiplexer at a regular interval, and a counter is attached to the demultiplexer at the
control input to detect the data signal at the output of the demultiplexer. When all data signals are stored, the
output of the demux can be read out in parallel.

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 Differences
Multiplexer Demultiplexer

A multiplexer (Mux) is a combinational circuit that uses several data inputs to A demultiplexer (Demux) is also a combinational circuit that uses single input that
generate a single output. can be directed throughout several outputs.

Multiplexer includes several inputs and the single output Demultiplexer includes single input and several outputs

A multiplexer is a data selector The demultiplexer is a data distributor

It works on the principle of many to one It works on the principle of one-to-many

The parallel to serial conversion is used in the multiplexer The serial to parallel conversion is used in Demultiplexer

The different types of multiplexers are 8-1 MUX, 16-1 MUX, and 32-1 MUX. The different types of demultiplexers are 1-8 Demux, 1-16 Demux, 1-32 Demux.

In demultiplexer, the selection of output line can be controlled through n-selection

In multiplexer, the set of selection lines are used to control the specific input
lines bit values.

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