Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • appreciate that data can be transmitted using 1 of 3 formats: simplex, duplex or half-duplex depending on the technology.
  • understand that data can be transmitted bit by bit along a serial line, or in parallel along multiple lines.
  • understand that 2 devices should agree on, and use, an Error Detection/Correction protocol.

Data Transmission

send wifi router

Jeremy wants to send his message to his mum but he is busy blowing his nose. Click the send button for him!

We can see that data is being transmitted and received by both the WIFI router and the smartphone.

Mr. Mourinho is talking to his lawyer on the phone. Switch the television off for him. It's a little distracting.

Oh! Some data is being transmitted by the remote control!

Joe is daydreaming. Give him a prod and get him to answer the phone!

These are 3 common Data Transmission scenarios. Each one is a little different to the others. Can you explain the differences that you see?

Here are 3 types of Data Transmission, each one is represented above. Can you figure out which one is which?

  1. simplex
  2. duplex
  3. half-duplex

Food For Thought

Data can be transmitted between two devices. For example, smartphone to router; computer to printer; remote control to television.

How the data is transitted and received depends on the system. Amazingly, wifi is still half-duplex and engineers are frantically trying to figure out how to enable wi-fi to be a duplex system!

Units

Exam samples

Past Paper Questions

Tags

simplex duplex half-duplex transmit receive