Multiplexing- Back to Basics

Okay, in our introductory video for our ISIS Power install in our F100 panel truck, we told you that we were going to take you all the way back to multiplexing fundamentals.  Here you go...

I've always liked this image.  It is from a telecom example but it gets the point across. 

Multiplexing takes multiple inputs and converts them into a single stream of data.  The inverse of this process takes this single stream of data and converts it back to multiple outputs. 

In the picture above, our MASTERCELL would be doing the Mux functions and the POWERCELL would be doing the Demux functions.  The single line between the two would represent our CAN cable.  (CAN stands for Controller Area Network.)

Instead of having individual wires from each switch to its function, ISIS converts the switch inputs into a stream of data and sends this to the POWERCELLs.  You place the POWERCELLs where you need in the car and they take the data and convert the data to outputs.  For example, you press your brake pedal with your foot, the MASTERCELL sees this switch close and sends a packet of data to the rear POWERCELL.  The rear POWERCELL gets the packet of data and turns on the brake lights in the back of the car.  The same goes for all of the switched functions in your car. 

Check out this video for a more detailed explanation on how ISIS uses multiplexing to help you wire your car.