Before entering fully into the meaning of the term commutation, we are going to proceed to discover its etymological origin. Specifically, it derives from Latin, from "commutatio", which is the result of the sum of two clearly differentiated parts such as:
-The prefix «con-«, which means «together» or «union».
-The verb «mutare», which can be translated as «change».
The notion of commutation refers to the act and consequence of commuting : replacing or changing something. The term has several meanings depending on the context .
In the field of telephony , switching refers to determining the path that links two users during the development of a communication . Switching, in this way, makes it possible for a signal to arrive at its destination after leaving its origin.
Computer science uses the idea of packet switching to refer to a certain way of sending data. A packet is a set of data that has two parts: the information itself and the information that indicates which route the packet should follow on the network until it reaches its destination. Packet switching seeks the appropriate way for information to be transmitted as quickly as possible.
In order to learn more about packet switching, it is worth discovering its advantages and disadvantages. In this case, among its most positive aspects we can highlight the fact that it increases the profitability of the network, offers interactive communication, increases the flexibility of the network and that if there is an error it only affects one packet and not the rest.
With respect to its disadvantages, we can point out that cases of packet duplication may occur, that greater difficulty is required with regard to intermediate switching equipment and that, on occasions and in certain specific circumstances, a decrease in channel performance.
Another use of commutation appears in the field of chemistry . In this case, switching is the process that leads an element to have a single oxidation state after having had two different states. In this way, switching causes the same element to be reduced and, at the same time, oxidized, all in the same reaction.
At the judicial level, a partial pardon that benefits a convicted person, modifying their punishment, is known as commutation of sentence . Commutation means nullifying a punishment to adopt a more lenient one. A person who was sentenced to two years in prison for a crime may benefit from a commutation of his sentence that allows him to obtain conditional release while performing community service.
In the field of Criminal Law is where this commutation of sentence takes center stage, which we can establish can be of various types. Thus, it can mean a reduction in the duration of the aforementioned sentence or it can refer to the quality of the sentence itself. An example of the latter would be if a person had his death sentence replaced by life imprisonment.