Patent ID: 7075712

Claim:
An optical node for distributing optical signals, comprising: a plurality of optical splitter stages within the optical node, the optical splitter stages each operable to passively split each of one or more optical signals provided to the stage into a plurality of optical signals having substantially identical content, the plurality of optical stages comprising: a first optical splitter stage including an optical splitter operable to split a first stage ingress signal into a plurality of first stage egress signals; and a second optical splitter stage including a different optical splitter for each of the first stage egress signals, each second-stage optical splitter operable to split the associated first stage egress signal into a plurality of second stage egress signals; the first and second optical splitter stages each comprising an amplification stage, the amplification stage including a plurality of gain media; the gain media each operable to amplify an associated egress signal from the associated optical splitter stage with pump power; and wherein the optical splitter stages comprise a plurality of branches, and further comprising couplers connecting at least two of the branches to reduce an imbalance of signal power of the branches.