Multiplexing Techniques

By
Dr. Taimoor Khan
Multiplexing means Sharing a Medium
Multiplexing and Demultiplexing
Multiplexing: An overview

→Multiplexing means Sharing a Medium

→Multiplexing is a method by which multiple analog or digital signals are combined into one signal over a shared
medium.
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 used to extract the original signals (analog or digital) on the receiver end, is known as
Demultiplexing.
→A device that performs the multiplexing is called a multiplexer (MUX), and a device that performs the reverse
process is called a demultiplexer (DEMUX ).
→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.
→it is considered the back bone for telecommunication and computer networks.
(a) Frequency Division Multiplexing, (b) Time Division Multiplexing, and (c) Code Division Multiplexing
Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM)
• In FDM, different message signals are separated from each other in frequency domain.
• Each signal is modulated to a different carrier frequency.
• Carrier frequencies separated so signals do not overlap (guard bands).
• FDM is used in telephony, commercial radio broadcast (both AM and FM), television broadcast, communication
networks and telemetry.
• In commercial AM broadcast, the career frequencies for different signals are generally spaced 10 KHz apart with
a spectral coverage of 15Hz-15KHz. Thus, AM broadcast stations using adjacent carrier frequencies are usually
geographically for apart to minimize interference.
• In case of FM broadcast, the carrier frequencies are spaced apart at 200 KHz or more.
• In the case of long distance telephony, 600 or more voice channels each with a spectral band of 200Hz to 3.2
KHz can be transmitted over a coaxial or microwave link using SSB modulation and a carrier frequency separation
of 4 KHz.
FDM System
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FDM of Three Voice-band Signals (An Example): Advantages of FDM
→Simple and Inexpensive
→Popular with Radio, TV, Cable TV
→All the receivers, cellular telephones, need not
to be at the same location
→It is not sensitive to propagation delays.
→It allows maximum transmission link usage.
Disadvantages of FDM
→In FDM there is need of filters, which are very
expensive and complicated to construct and design.
→Analog signal only having limited frequency range.
→Sometimes, it is necessary to use more complex
linear amplifiers in FDM systems.
Application of FDM
→FDM is used for A.M. Radio & Radio broadcasting.
→550 KHz bandwidth is assign to each station.
→FDM is used for T.V broadcasting.
→In this frequency range is 80-108 MHz.
→In this each channel is of 700 MHz.
 Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)

Prior to discussing TDM, Sampling Theorem (Sampling

Strategy) is to be discussed first
Sampling Strategy
• Analog signal is sampled every TS seconds. Ts is referred to as the sampling interval.
• fs = 1/Ts is called the sampling rate or sampling frequency.
• There are 3 sampling methods: Ideal-an impulse at each sampling instant. Natural-a pulse of short
width with varying amplitude. Flattop-sample and hold, like natural but with single amplitude value.
Sampling Theorem states that “A signal can be converted into sampled version and can also be
recovered back from its sampled version, if the sampling rate is at least two times of the maximum
frequency component available in the spectrum”.
Note: In Nyquist rate, the sampling rate must be at least 2 times the highest frequency contained
in the signal.
Nyquist Theorem Illustration:
For an intuitive example of the Nyquist
Nyquist sampling rate for low-pass and bandpass signals theorem, let us sample a simple sine wave at
three sampling rates:
(a) fs = 2f (Nyquist rate),
(b) fs = 4f (2 times the Nyquist rate i.e.
oversampling) and
(c) fs = f (one-half the Nyquist rate i.e. under
sampling).
Figure A shows the sampling and the
subsequent recovery of the signal.
Figure A: Recovery of a sampled sine wave for different sampling rates
Conclusion: It can be seen that
sampling at the Nyquist rate can
create a good approximation of the
original sine wave (part a).
Oversampling in part b can also
create the same approximation, but it
is redundant and unnecessary.
Sampling below the Nyquist rate
(part c) does not produce a signal
that looks like the original sine
wave.
Illustration of Nyquist Rate, Oversampling and Under sampling
 Numerical Problem-1: A complex low-pass signal has a bandwidth of 200 kHz. What is the minimum sampling rate
for this signal?
Solution: The bandwidth of a low-pass signal is between 0 and f, where f is the maximum frequency in the signal.
Therefore, we can sample this signal at 2 times the highest frequency (200 kHz). The sampling rate is therefore
400,000 samples per second.
Numerical Problem-2: A complex band-pass signal has a bandwidth of 200 kHz. What is the minimum sampling rate
for this signal?
Solution: We cannot find the minimum sampling rate in this case because we do not know where the bandwidth starts
or ends. We do not know the maximum frequency in the signal.
Numerical Problem-3: Three message signals m1t, m2t and m3t with respective bandwidth of 2.4 KHz, 3.2 KHz and
3.4 KHz are to be transmitted over a common channel in time multiplexed manner. Determine the minimum sampling
rate for each of three signals if a uniform sampling rate is to be chosen. Also determine sampling interval of the
composite signal.
Solution: Minimum sampling rate (fs) = 2×highest frequency component = 2×3.4 = 6.8KHz. Hence, sampling
interval of the composite signal = 1/fs = 49µsec.
Numerical Problem-4: In a certain digital telephony system comprising 24 voice channels, with each voice channel
band limited to 3.2 KHz and using an 8-bit PCM (pulse code modulation) is transmitted over a communication
channel using TDM approach. If the signal is sampled at 1.2 times the Nyquist rate and a signal synchronization bit is
added in the end of each frame, determine (a) duration of each bit and (b) bit transmission rate.
Solution: Sampling rate (fs) = 2×3.2×1.2 = 7.68KHz
Hence, time period of each multiplexed frame is given by = 1/fs = 130.2µsec
Now, Number of bits in each frame (n) = 24×8+1 = 193
(a) Therefore, Bit duration (T) = 130.2/193 µsec = 0.675µsec
(b) Transmission Rate = 1/T = 1.482 Mbps
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
A Basic TDM System
Time Division Multiplexing
• In TDM, different message signals are separated from each other in time domain.
• TDM is used for simultaneous transmission of more than one pulsed signal over a communication channel.
• Multiple pulsed signals are fed to a type of electronic switching circuitry.
• All the message signals, which have been sampled at least at the Nyquist rate (the sampling is done at 1.1 times the
Nyquist rate to avoid aliasing problem) are fed to the electronic switching circuitry.
• The switching circuitry interleaves different samples from different sampled message signals so as to form a
composite interleaved signal.
• This composite signal is then transmitted over the link.
• If all the message signals have the same bandwidths, one computation cycle will contain one sample from each of
the messages. However, if signals have different bandwidths, then one would need to transmit more number of
samples per second of the signals having larger bandwidth.
- For example, if there are three message signals with respective sampling rates of 2.4 KHz, 2.4 KHz and 4.8 KHz,
then each cycle of switch rotation, will have one sample of each from the first two messages and two samples from
the third message.
• At the receiving end, the composite signal is demultiplexed using the same electronic switching circuitry as used at
the transmitter.
• TDM is widely used in telephony, telemetry, radio broadcast and data processing applications.
TDM System
Time Multiplex
• A channel gets the whole spectrum for a certain amount of time
• Advantages:
→only one carrier in the medium at any time
→throughput high even for many users
• Disadvantages:
→precise synchronization necessary

Time and Frequency Multiplex

• Combination of both methods
• A channel gets a certain frequency band for a
certain amount of time
• Example: GSM
• Advantages:
→better protection against tapping
→protection against frequency selective interference
→higher data rates compared to code multiplex
• but: precise coordination required
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t Frequency Multiplex
Time Multiplex
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Time and Frequency Multiplex
Types of TDM
→Synchronous TDM. →Asynchronous TDM or Statistical TDM

Types of Synchronous TDM

→T-1 multiplexing (the classic). →ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Networks)
multiplexing. →SONET (Synchronous Optical NETwork)

Advantages of Synchronous TDM

→Digital signals. →Relatively simple

Disadvantages of Synchronous TDM

→Wastage of bandwidth
Reference
• Communication System by Simon Haykin.
• Modern Digital and Analog Communication
System by B.P. Lathi.
Thank You