Electrical Engineers and Master Electricians (EEAME) Portal

Dictionary of Electrical Engineering

Commonly used terms in the Electrical industry.

(1) the process of transmitting a large number of information units over a smaller number of channels or lines. For example, if we have N independent signals that we want to transmit, then without using a multiplexer we need N independent channels to do so. Using a multiplexer to control the flow of these signals in only one channel reduces the number of wires, thus decreasing cost and increasing efficiency. Multiplexing is the superimposition of multiple signals to make up one signal. This is done to make the transmission of the signals efficient. Signals are multiplexed at the sending end of communication systems, and demultiplexed at the receiving end, in order to obtain the original signals.

(2) of or being a communication system that can simultaneously transmit two or more messages on the same circuit or radio channel.