Multiplexed is a word with a tricky spelling, but it follows the general pattern of English phonetics. To break it down with IPA symbols, the first syllable is "mʌlti," pronounced "muhl-tee" with a short 'u' sound, phonetic symbol ʌ, and a stressed 'i' sound, phonetic symbol i. The next syllable is "pleksed," pronounced "plekst" with a silent 'e' at the end, symbol ə, and a voiceless 'k' sound, symbol k. Putting it all together, the word is pronounced mul-tee-plekst.
Multiplexed is an adjective that describes the process or technique of combining multiple signals, data streams, or communications channels into a single transmission medium. It refers to the capability of transmitting multiple signals or information simultaneously over a shared medium, such as a cable, fiber-optic line, or wireless channel.
In multiplexing, data from various sources is combined into a unified signal, allowing the efficient use of network resources and maximizing bandwidth utilization. This technique enables multiple users or devices to transmit and receive information over the same physical infrastructure simultaneously.
Multiplexed systems utilize different methods of combining and separating multiple signals. Time-division multiplexing (TDM) allocates fixed time slots to each input signal, allowing data to be transmitted in a cyclical manner. Frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) assigns different frequency ranges to each signal, separating them in the frequency domain. Code-division multiplexing (CDM) assigns unique codes to each signal, which are then combined and separated using correlation techniques.
Multiplexed transmission offers enhanced efficiency, as it eliminates the need for separate physical channels for each signal or user. It is widely used in various applications, including telecommunications, data communication, satellite communications, and digital television broadcasting.
The word "multiplexed" is derived from the combination of two Latin roots: "multi-" meaning many or multiple, and "-plex" meaning fold or interweave. The suffix "-ed" is added to form the past participle of the verb "multiplex", meaning to transmit multiple signals or streams of data simultaneously over a single communication channel.