(STDM, StatMUX) A system developed to
overcome some inefficiencies of standard
time division multiplexing, where time slices are still allocated to
channels, even if they have no information to transmit.
STDM uses a variable time slot length and by allowing channels
to vie for any free slot space. It employs a buffer memory
which temporarily stores the data during periods of peak
traffic. This scheme allows STDM to waste no high-speed line
time with inactive channels. STDM requires each transmission
to carry identification information (i.e. a channel
identifier). To reduce the cost of this overhead, a number of
characters for each channel are grouped together for
transmission.
["Data Communications, Computer Networks and Open Systems",
Halsall & Fred, Addison Wesley, p160-161, 1995].
["Digital, Analog, and Data Communication", Sinnema &
McGovern, Prentice Hall, p245, 1986].