MULTIPLEXING

CHAPTER 5

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Lesson Outcomes

• At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

– Understand the concept of multiplexing
– Differentiate between three types of multiplexing
– Differentiate between synchronous TDM with
statistical TDM.
– Perform the calculation related to the synchronous
TDM
– Illustrate the synchronous TDM output diagram
– Explain the differences between three strategies in
data rate management

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 N devices
share the
capacity of
Allows simultaneous one link
transmission of
multiple signals
across a single data
link
MULTIPLEXING

Link = physical
path,
Channel =
portion of link

One link can

have many
(n) channels

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 Image source: Data Communications
Multiplexing And Networking, Forouzan

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 Frequency-
Division
Multiplexing
(FDM)
(Analog)

Multiplexing

Time-Division Wave-Division
Multiplexing Multiplexing
(TDM) (WDM)
(Digital) (Analog)

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Frequency-Division Multiplexing

• Analog technique – applied when bandwidth of

a link (in Hertz) is greater than the combined
bandwidths of signal to be transmitted
• Signal is generated by each sending device
modulate different frequencies
• Modulated signal are then combined into a
single composite signal that can be transported
by the link
• Channel are separated by unused bandwidth
(guard band) to prevent signal from overlapping

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 Image source: Data Communications
Frequency-Division Multiplexing And Networking, Forouzan

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Example 1

Assume that a voice channel occupies a bandwidth of 4

KHz. We need to combine three voice channels into a
link with a bandwidth of 12 KHz, from 20 to 32 KHz.
Show the configuration using the frequency domain
without the use of guard bands.

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Solution
Shift (modulate) each of the three
voice channels to a different
bandwidth

Image source: Data

Communications
And Networking, Forouzan
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Example 2

Five channels, each with a 100KHz, are to be

multiplexed together. What is the minimum bandwidth of
the link if there is a need for a guard band of 10KHz
between the channels to prevent interference?

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Solution
For five channels, we need at
least four guard bands. This
means that the required
bandwidth is at least
5 × 100 + 4 × 10 = 540 kHz,

Image source: Data Communications

And Networking, Forouzan

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 Cable
television

Demux at our
TV allows us
to select
FDM AM & FM
radio
different Applications broadcasting
channels

Coaxial cable
has
bandwidth of
500Hz

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Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (WDM)

• Designed to use the high-data-rate capability of fiber-

optic cable
• The optical fiber data rate is higher that the data rate
of metallic transmission cable
• WDM is conceptually the same as FDM, except that
the multiplexing involve optical signals transmitted
through fiber-optic cable

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 Image source: Data Communications
Wavelength-division multiplexing And Networking, Forouzan

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Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM)

• TDM is a digital multiplexing technique to

combine data
• Can be applied when the data rate capacity of the
transmission medium is greater than the data rate
required by sending and receiving devices
• Multiple transmission can occupy a single link by
subdividing them and interleaving the portions
• Can divide into 2 different schemes: synchronous
TDM and statistical TDM

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 Image source: Data Communications
Time-Division Multiplexing And Networking, Forouzan

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Synchronous TDM

• The data flow of each connection is divided into units

and the link combines one unit of each connection
into frame
• For n input connections, a frame is organized into a
minimum of n time slots, each slot carrying one unit
from each connection
• If a device unable to transmit or does not have data
to send, its time slot remains empty

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Synchronous TDM

• The data flow of each input connection is divided

into units, where each unit occupies one time slot.
• A unit can be 1 bit, one character, or one block of
data.
• Each input unit becomes one output unit and
occupies one output time slot.
• However, the duration of an output sloot is n times
shorter than the duration of an input time slot.
• Is an input time slot is T s, the output time slot is T/n
s, where n is the number of connections.
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Synchronous TDM

• If the duration of the input is T, the duration of each

slot is T/n and the duration of each frame is T.
• The data rate of the output link must be n times the
data rate of a connection to guarantee the flow of
data.
• Time slots are grouped into frames.
• A frame consists of one complete cycle of time slots,
with one slot dedicated to each sending device.

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 Image source: Data Communications
Synchronous time-division multiplexing And Networking, Forouzan

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Synchronous TDM

• One or more synchronization bits are added to the

beginning of each frame
• Synchronization bits called framing bits, that allows
the demultiplexer to synchronize with the incoming
stream – can separate the time slots accurately
• This synchronization bit consists of 1 bit per frame,
alternating between 1 and 0

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 Image source: Data Communications
Framing bits And Networking, Forouzan

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Example 1
Figure 1 shows synchronous TDM with a data stream for each input and
one data stream for the output. The unit of data is 1 bit per channel.
Find:
a)The frame rate
b)The frame duration
c)The bit rate of the link
d)The bit duration

Figure 1 Image source: Data Communications

And Networking, Forouzan 23
Solution
a) Frame rate = channel rate / multiplexed bit
= 106 bps / 1 bit
= 1,000,000 frame/s
b) Frame duration = 1 / frame rate
= 1 / 1,000,000 s
= 0.000001 s @ 1µs
c) Bit rate = frame rate x no. of bits in a frame
= 1,000,000 x 4
= 4,000,000 bps = 4000 kbps
d)Bit rate duration = 1 / bit rate
= 1 / 4,000,000
= 0.00000025 s @ 0.25µs
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Example 2
Four channels are multiplexed using TDM. If
each channel sends 100 bytes/s and we
multiplex 1 byte per channel,

a)Show the frame traveling on the link

b)The size of the frame
c)The frame rate
d)The duration of a frame
e)The bit rate for the link.
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Solution

a) Frame diagram:

Image source: Data Communications

And Networking, Forouzan

26
Solution (cont.)
b) Frame size = no. of bits/bytes in a frame
= 4 bytes or 32 bits

c) Frame rate = channel rate / multiplexed bit

= (100 x 8) bps / 8 bits
= 100 f/s

d) Frame duration = 1 / frame rate

= 1 / 100
= 0.01 s

e) Bit rate = frame rate x no. of bits in a frame

= 100 x 32
= 3200 bps 27
Example 3
A multiplexer combines four 100-kbps channels
using a time slot of 2 bits.

a)Show the output with four arbitrary inputs

b)What is the frame rate?
c)What is the frame duration?
d)What is the bit rate?
e)What is the bit duration?

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Solution
a) Frame diagram:

Image source: Data Communications

And Networking, Forouzan

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Solution (cont.)
b) Frame rate = channel rate / multiplexed bit
= 100,000 bps / 2 bits
= 50,000 f/s
c) Frame duration = 1 / frame rate
= 1 / 50,000
= 0.00002 s @ 20 s
d) Bit rate = frame rate x no. of bits in a frame
= 50,000 x 8
= 400,000 bps
e) Bit rate duration = 1 / bit rate
= 1 / 400,000
= 0.0000025 s @ 2.5 s
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Example 4

We have four sources, each creating 250

characters per second. If the interleaved unit is a
character and 1 synchronizing bit is added to each
frame, find :

a)The data rate of each source

b)The frame rate
c)The number of bits in each frame
d)The data rate of the link.
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Solution
a) Data rate of each source = 250 char x 8 bits
= 2000 bps @ 2 Kbps
b) Frame rate = channel rate / multiplexed bit
= 2000 / 8
= 250 frames/s

c) No. of bits in a frame =

Each frame carries 4 characters and 1 extra synchronizing
bit. This means that each frame is 4 × 8 + 1 = 33 bits.
d)Data rate of the link = frame rate x no. of bits in a frame
= 250 x 33
= 8250 bps
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Exercise
Six channels are multiplexed using TDM. Each
channel sends 200-Kbps and multiplex 2 bits per
channel. Determine:
1. The size of the frame in bits
2. The frame rate
3. The frame duration
4. The bit rate of the link
5. The bit duration

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Solution
1. The size of the frame in bits
– Each frame contains 6 slots and each slot carry 2 bits. Therefore the
frame size is 6 x 2 = 12 bits.

2. The frame rate

– The frame rate = 200 000/2 = 100 000 frame per second

3. The frame duration

– The frame duration = 1/100000 = 0.00001 s

4. The bit rate of the link

– 100 000 x 12 = 1200000 bps or 1200 kbps

5. The bit duration

– The bit duration = 1/1200000 = 0.0000008 s
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Empty Slots

• Synchronous TDM is not as efficient as it could be

• If a source does not have data to send, the
corresponding slot in the output frame is empty
• One problem with TDM is how to handle a disparity
in the input data rates.

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 Image source: Data Communications
Empty slots And Networking, Forouzan

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Example
Show the contents of the five output frames for a
synchronous TDM multiplexer that combines four sources
sending the following characters. Note that the characters
are sent in the same order that they are typed. The third
source is silent.

Source 1 message : HELLO

Source 2 message : HI
Source 3 message :
Source 4 message : BYE
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Solution

Image source: Data Communications

And Networking, Forouzan

38
Exercise 1
Draw the synchronous TDM frames that combine four
sources sending the following characters. The
interleaved unit is a character. Note that the characters
are sent in the same order that they are typed.

Four signal sources:

Source 1 message: GIVE

Source 2 message: ME
Source 3 message: A
Source 4 message: BREAK
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Solution

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Exercise 2
Figure 2 shows a multiplexer in a synchronous TDM system.
Each output slot is only 10 bits long (3 bit taken from each
input plus 1 framing bit). What is the output stream? The
bits arrive at the multiplexer as shown by the arrows.

Figure 2 41
Solution

Image source: Data Communications

And Networking, Forouzan

42
Data rate management

• Previously, we assumed that the data rates of all

input lines were the same. However, if data rates is
not the same, three strategies can be used
• Multilevel multiplexing
• Multiple slot allocation
• Pulse stuffing

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Data Rate Management

Multilevel
Multiplexing

Data Rate
Management
* The
management
for handling
a disparity in
the input Multiple-
Pulse data rates Slot
Stuffing
Allocation

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 Image source: Data Communications

Multilevel Multiplexing And Networking, Forouzan

Used when data rate of an input line is a multiple

of others
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 Image source: Data Communications

Multiple-Slot Allocation And Networking, Forouzan

Allot more than one slot in a frame to a single

input line
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 Image source: Data Communications

Pulse Stuffing And Networking, Forouzan

Make the highest input data rate the dominant data rate and then add
dummy bits to the input lines with lower rates – will increase their
rates

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Example
We need to use synchronous TDM and combine 12 digital
sources; 4 with a bit rate of 120 Kbps, 4 with a bit rate
60 Kbps, and the last 4 with a bit rate of 116 Kbps. We
need to multiplexed 2 bits per channel.

a) What is the size of frame travelling on this link?

b) What is the frame rate?
c) What is the frame duration?
d) What is the bit rate?
e) What is the bit duration?
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Solution
The suitable technique – used
pulse stuffing and multilevel
multiplexing

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Solution (cont.)
a) The number of channel after pulse stuffing and multilevel is
10 and multiplexed 2 bits per channel. So, the frame size is
20 bits.
b) Frame rate = channel rate / multiplexed bit
= 120,000 / 2 = 60,000 frames/s
c) Frame duration = 1 / frame rate
= 1 / 60,000 = 0.0000166 s @ 16.6 s
d) Bit rate = frame rate x no. of bits in a frame
= 60,000 x 20 = 1,200,000 bps @ 1200 Kbps
e) Bit duration = 1 / bit rate
= 1 / 1,200,000 = 0.0000008 s @ 0.8 s 50
Exercise
Four channels, two with a bit rate of 200 Kbps and two with
a bit rate of 150 Kbps are to be multiplexed 1 bit per
channel using multiple slot TDM with no synchronization
bits.

a) Show the multiplexer configuration.

b) What is the size of a frame in bits?
c) What is the frame rate?
d) What is the data rate?

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Solution
a) Multiplexer configuration:

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Solution (cont.)
b) The number of channel after multiple-slot allocation is 14 and
multiplexed 1 bit per channel. So, the frame size is 14 bit.

c) Frame rate = channel rate / multiplexed bit

= 50,000 / 1 = 50,000 frames/s

d) Bit rate = frame rate x no. of bits in a frame

= 50,000 x 14 = 700,000 bps @ 700 Kbps

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Statistical TDM

• Slots are dynamically allocated to improve bandwidth

efficiency
• Only when an input line has a slot’s worth of data to
send is it given slot in the output frame
• The number of slots is less than the number of input
lines
• The multiplexer checks each input line and allocates a
slot for an input line if the line has data to send;
otherwise it skips the line and checks the next line

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 Characteristics of statistical TDM
compare to synchronous TDM
No
Addressing Slot size synchronization Bandwidth
bit

The ratio of the

data size to The frames in
The capacity of
address size must statistical TDM
A slot needs to the link is
be reasonable. A need not be
carry data as well normally less
block of data is synchronized so
as the address of than the sum of
usually many do not need
the destination the capacities of
bytes while the synchronization
each channel
address just few bits
bytes
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 Image source: Data Communications
TDM slot comparison And Networking, Forouzan
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End of Chapter 5

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