Patent ID: 8064771

Claim:
A system comprising: a first banded channel source module that outputs a first banded optical channel group including a first plurality of optical channels, each of the first plurality of optical channels having a corresponding one of a first plurality of wavelengths, a second banded channel source module that outputs a second banded optical channel group including a second plurality of optical channels, each of the second plurality of optical channels having a corresponding one of a second plurality of wavelengths, a first optical tap, coupled to the first banded channel source module, that supplies a portion of the first banded optical channel group, the portion of the first banded optical channel group including a portion of each of the first plurality of optical channels, a first photodiode, coupled to the first optical tap, that simultaneously receives said portion of each of the first plurality of optical channels and outputs a first electrical signal; a control circuit coupled to receive the first electrical signal, the control circuit being configured to supply a first control output in response to the first electrical signal; a first variable optical attenuator configured to receive the first banded optical channel group and the first control output, such that an attenuation of the first variable optical attenuator being adjusted in response to said first control output, wherein the first control output is based, at least in part, on said portion of each of the first plurality of optical channels simultaneously received by the first photodiode; a second optical tap, coupled to the second banded channel source module, that supplies a portion of the second banded optical channel group, a second photodiode that simultaneously receives the portion of the second banded optical channel group including a portion of each of the second plurality of optical channels, wherein the control circuit is coupled to receive the second electrical signal, the control circuit further supplying a second control output in response to the second electrical signal; and a second variable optical attenuator configured to receive the second banded optical channel group and the second control output, an attenuation of the second variable optical attenuator being adjusted in response to the second control output, wherein the second control output is based, at least in part, on said portion of each of the second plurality of optical channels simultaneously received by the second photodiode.