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Abstract

The present invention relates to a bidirectional optical network including an optical bridge for selectively transferring optical channels between two bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical communication systems. Two counterpropagating WDM optical signals are carried on each bidirectional waveguide. An optical bridge is interposed between the bidirectional waveguides and includes an optical coupler and channel selector configured to select one or more optical channels from a first WDM optical signal and a second optical coupler and channel selector configured to select one or more optical channels from the counterpropagating WDM optical signal. At least one optical path is positioned between the first bidirectional optical waveguide and the second bidirectional optical waveguide which carries at least the selected one or more first optical channels to an optical combiner interposed along the second bidirectional optical waveguide. In this manner, the selected optical channels are combined with either counterpropagating WDM signal on the second bidirectional waveguide. Optionally, the optical bridge can be reciprocal such that channels from each of the four WDM optical signals may be transferred between the bidirectional waveguides.

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First Claim