Patent ID: 7171129
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: H04B,H04J

Abstract:
1. A method of receiving a plurality of optical signals that have been coherently multiplexed together and transmitted over an optical link from a first site to a second site, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an optical signal including a first coherently multiplexed optical signal and a second coherently multiplexed optical signal, wherein the first coherently multiplexed optical signal includes a first optical signal offset in time relative to a second optical signal and having the same phase as the second optical signal, and wherein the second coherently multiplexed optical signal includes a third optical signal offset in time relative to a fourth optical signal and having the same phase as the fourth optical signal; wavelength division demultiplexing the received optical signal into the first coherently multiplexed optical signal and the second coherently multiplexed optical signal; optically splitting the first coherently multiplexed optical signal into optical signals on first and second path pairs, wherein a single path pair forms an interferometer comprising an optical signal path and a reference path having different path lengths (ΔL coherently demultiplexing the first coherently multiplexed optical signal into the first and second optical signals; wherein the step of coherently demultiplexing includes polarization splitting of the first coherently multiplexed optical signal allowing the polarized signals to be directed to two separate demultiplexing interferometers.