Patent ID: 7457543

Claim:
A single-fiber optical add/drop multiplexer for accessing and transmitting optical signals on a single optical fiber in a wavelength division multiplexing architecture, comprising: a first port configured to relay and receive optical signals to and from a first portion of the single optical fiber; a second port configured to relay and receive optical signals to and from a second portion of the single optical fiber; a third port in communication with each of the first port, the second port, and a first optical transceiver; and a fourth port in communication with each of the first port, the second port, and a second optical transceiver, wherein the first port is configured to communicate substantially simultaneously with the third and fourth ports, and the second port is configured to communicate substantially simultaneously with the third and fourth ports wherein the first optical transceiver transmits and receives optical signals over a first wavelength channel and the second optical transceiver transmits and receives optical signals over a second wavelength channel that is different from the first wavelength channel.