Multiplexers

What is a Multiplexer?
A digital multiplexer is a combinational

logic circuit that selects binary

information from one of many input lines
and directs it to a single output line.
It has many inputs but one output.
Multiplexer is a device that links a large
number of user terminals to a computer
system. It helps in transmitting several signals
through a single channel.

They connect multiple input lines 2, 4, 8, 16

etc one at a time to a common output line and

are used as one method of reducing the
number of logic gates required in a circuit.
It also keeps at every moment track of current
status of each data channel and the internal
location of data in the main memory of the
computer.
It is basically a switch which scans
sequentially a number of terminal interfaces.
But only one data line is active at an instance
with high (1) value.
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Multiplexers
As per the decoders , we know that , the

input combination decides which AND gate

is to be selected for output. Now ,if you
add one more input line to each of the AND
gates ( i.e I0,I1,I2,I3),the new circuit would
be like as given on next slide.

C1

C2

F0

I0
I1

I2

I3

F1

F2

F3

Now, as you see, the input combination of

C1 and C2 ( control lines) would determine

which of the four AND gates F0,F1,F2,F3
would be chosen. And whichever AND gate
is chosen , it would produce the same result
as that of the extra input line to it.
For example , if F0 is chosen , it will produce
the same result as that of I0 which is the
extra input line (similarly for others).
Now if you put all these outputs of AND
gates to an OR gate ,the circuit is like on
the next slide, and the final result is the
same as that of the extra input line as
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selected by the input combination.

4x1 Multiplexer with 2

control lines
C1

C2
2n data inputs ,where n address inputs
( select lines) are used as a binary number
to select one of the data inputs.
F0

I0
I1

F1
Y

I2

F2
Output

I3

F3

The function table of 4 to 1 line multiplexer is as follows:

C1

C2

Output (Input
Selected)

I0

I1

I2

I3

2x1 Multiplexer with

1control line
C
C

Output (Input
selected)

I0

I1

I0

I1

Applications of
Multiplexer
Networking or cable transmission.
Construction of a common bus system.
Parallel to serial data converter.
Routing several cords to the same

destination.

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