Patent ID: 7596319

Claim:
A wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network system comprising: a light source provider configured: to generate light sources for upward signals, to wavelength-division-multiplex the light sources, and to optical-power-divide the multiplexed light source; a plurality of multiplexer/demultiplexer elements remotely located from the light source provider; and a plurality of optical line terminals each configured: to transmit the divided light source to a corresponding one of the plurality of multiplexer/demultiplexer elements, to receive, from the corresponding multiplexer/demultiplexer element, upward optical signals modulated using the light source, and to convert the upward optical signals into electric signals, wherein each of the multiplexer/demultiplexer elements is configured: to separate the light sources from a corresponding one of the plurality of optical line terminals into each wavelength component, to transmit the separated light sources to optical network units, to wavelength-division-multiplex the upward optical signals from the optical network units, and to transmit the multiplexed upward optical signal to the corresponding optical line terminal.