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Abstract

An optical node system for an optical ring network reduces certain costs associated with current ring architectures by using at least a portion of the light from an incoming optical signal to transmit an outgoing optical signal. In accordance with certain embodiments, the node includes an optical multiplexer which receives optical signals having a plurality of wavelengths. The optical multiplexer can be configured to output optical signals having certain wavelengths and to route at least one optical signal from the ring of at least one particular wavelength (or wavelength band) to a corresponding optical transceiver. The optical transceiver receives the incoming optical signal of the particular wavelength routed from the optical multiplexer and transmits at least a portion of the light from the incoming optical signal having the particular wavelength. The optical transceiver can modulate user information onto the light of the particular wavelength and/or pass at least a portion of the incoming optical signal for transmission as an outgoing optical signal onto the optical ring network. Thus, the optical node system alleviates the need for nodes to have a laser tuned to the particular wavelength for transmitting an outgoing optical signal having the particular wavelength.

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First Claim