time division multiplexing


time division multiplexing

(communications)(TDM) A type of multiplexing where two ormore channels of information are transmitted over the samelink by allocating a different time interval ("slot" or"slice") for the transmission of each channel. I.e. thechannels take turns to use the link. Some kind of periodicsynchronising signal or distinguishing identifier is usuallyrequired so that the receiver can tell which channel is which.

TDM becomes inefficient when traffic is intermittent becausethe time slot is still allocated even when the channel has nodata to transmit. Statistical time division multiplexingwas developed to overcome this problem.

Compare wavelength division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing, code division multiplexing.