Patent ID: 8380068
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. An optical assembly comprising: an input optical port for receiving a mixed optical signal containing a combination of coherent optical wavelength channels and non-coherent optical wavelength channels; an optical demultiplexer configured to separate the combination of optical wavelength channels present on the input optical port such that a plurality of coherent optical wavelength channels and no non-coherent optical wavelength channels are provided onto a coherent optical path, and such that a plurality of non-coherent optical wavelength channels and no coherent optical wavelength channels are provided onto a non-coherent optical path; a dispersive element disposed in one or both of the coherent and non-coherent optical paths and that operates such that a different amount of dispersion is applied to the plurality of non-coherent optical wavelength channels traveling through the non-coherent optical path than the amount of dispersion, if any, that is applied to the coherent optical path; and an optical multiplexer configured to receive and combine the optical wavelength channels from the coherent and non-coherent optical paths to form a mixed coherent and non-coherent optical output signal on an output of the optical multiplexer.