A demultiplexer, often abbreviated as DEMUX, is a digital electronic circuit that performs the opposite function of a multiplexer (MUX). While a multiplexer takes multiple input signals and selects one of them to route to a single output line, a demultiplexer takes a single input and distributes it to one of multiple output lines based on control signals.
In simpler terms, a demultiplexer takes a single data input line and routes it to one of several output lines based on the binary combination of control signals. This is particularly useful for distributing data, control signals, or addressing information to multiple destinations.
A basic demultiplexer consists of three main components:
Data Input: This is where the single input signal is provided.
Control Inputs: These are the control signals that determine which output line the input signal should be directed to. The number of control inputs corresponds to the number of output lines. For example, if there are 2^n output lines, n control inputs are required.
Output Lines: These are the lines where the input signal can be directed based on the control inputs.
A common use case of a demultiplexer is in memory addressing. In computer systems, memory is often organized as an array of storage locations, each having a unique address. When data needs to be read from or written to a specific memory location, a demultiplexer can be used to select the appropriate memory cell based on the address provided.
Another example is in communication systems. In digital communication, data often needs to be transmitted to multiple devices, and each device is identified by a unique address. A demultiplexer can be used to route incoming data to the correct recipient based on the address information.
In summary, a demultiplexer is a crucial component in digital systems that enables the distribution of data from a single source to multiple destinations based on control signals. It plays a vital role in various applications such as memory addressing, communication systems, and more.