SallyAnn:
If you're familiar with Internet Protocol (IP), data packets/streams from any source are uniquely encapsulated. The receiving "host" knows where the packets are coming from due to unique identifiers contained within encapsulated datagram. This receiving host can "receive" many, many streams of such uniquely identified data, and then passes them on if need be.
I'm just wondering if something similar can be done with aircraft communications, that's all.