Patent ID: 9300399
Filing Date: 2016-03-29
CPC Classification: H04B,H04J

Claim Text:
1. A communication system, comprising: an optical fiber; a communication hub comprising an optical circulator coupled to a first end of an optical fiber, an optical receiver coupled to the first end of the optical fiber via the optical circulator, and a laser coupled to the first end of the optical fiber via the optical circulator, wherein the optical circulator is operable to separate optical signals traveling in opposite directions along the optical fiber by directing incoming optical signals to the optical receiver and directing outgoing unmodulated light from the laser to a second end of the optical fiber; a communication node comprising an optical modulator optically coupled to the second end of the optical fiber, wherein the optical modulator is operable to modulate the unmodulated light, received from the laser of the communication hub, with one or more modulating signals, and to propagate the modulated light to the communication hub, wherein the communication node further comprises an optical circulator that is coupled to the second end of the optical fiber and is operable to separate optical signals traveling in opposite directions along the optical fiber; and a multiplexer operable to multiplex the outgoing unmodulated light with outgoing modulated light from the communication hub, wherein the multiplexer is located between the optical circulator of the communication hub and the optical circulator of the communication node.