Communication structures refer to the layout of the existing communication groups and channels.

We would like to introduce the //four// best known types of layouts:

  * **Point to Point**: this is the most straightforward. It only involves two participants. It may be ’simplex’, meaning that only one participant communicates (therefore the process is only a one-way process). It may be ’full-duplex’, which means that the communication partners can equally send information to each other (for example Skype, or Hangouts where the participants can talk simultaneously).

  * **Star-structure**: In this case, the whole process is controlled by a main unit, and the other participants have to use this main unit to communicate with each other. Nowadays, modern routers and Wi-Fi work in this way.

  * **Bus structure**: The participants send their messages through a shared channel (bus). Only one participant can send a message at a time; the others must wait until the transmission is completed.

  * **Tree structure**: almost the same as a bus structure, but the whole layout also consists of hierarchy levels.

Of course mixed configurations are also well-known in these communication layouts.

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