Inverse multiplexer

An inverse multiplexer (often abbreviated to "inverse mux" or "imux") allows multiple low data rate communications links to be combined together to give one end to end data stream of a higher rate. Note that that this the reverse of a multiplexor.

example:

                                     |---low rate communications link #1
 DTE ---high rate data---inverse mux |---low rate communications link #2
                                     |---low rate communications link #3

 DTE = Data terminal equipment

This provides an end to end connection of 3 x the data rate available on each of the low rate data links. (Strictly, slightly less than 3 x, because the inverse mux will use some of the available bandwidth to communicate with the inverse mux at the far end of the link)

Inverse muxes are used, for example, to combine a number of ISDN channels together into one high rate circuit, where the DTE needs a higher rate connection than is available from a single ISDN connection.