Patent ID: 8320761

Claim:
A bidirectional 3-way optical splitter, comprising an optical splitter having a first external node, a second external node, a third external node, and a fourth external node, wherein in one mode of operation the optical splitter is configured to receive an external input optical signal on the first external node and to provide external output optical signals on all of the other external nodes; and wherein in another mode of operation the optical splitter is configured to receive the external input optical signal on the third external node and to provide the external output optical signals on all of the other external nodes, wherein the 3-way optical splitter comprises a wavelength-selective optical splitter that couples at least one carrier wavelength in the received external input optical signal to the external output optical signals, wherein the received external input optical signal comprises a plurality of carrier wavelengths, and wherein the at least one carrier wavelength is based on a position of the 3-way optical splitter in an array of 3-way optical splitters.