Patent ID: 7734180

Claim:
A single fibre bidirectional optical transmission system performing bidirectional transmission between a first optical terminal and a second optical terminal through a single bidirectional transmission path, wherein an optical amplifier is provided in either said first optical terminal or said second optical terminal, wherein said optical amplifier comprises: an optical amplifying portion; an optical multiplexer; an optical demultiplexer; and a first optical dispersion compensator, wherein said optical multiplexer and said optical demultiplexer are provided on opposing sides of said optical amplifying portion, wherein said first optical dispersion compensator is provided between said optical amplifying portion and an optical transmitter, wherein said optical transmitter is either one of a first optical transmitter connected to said first optical terminal or a second optical transmitter connected to said second optical terminal, wherein said optical amplifier is configured to collectively amplify bidirectional wavelength multiplexing optical signals, wherein said first optical dispersion compensator is configured to adjust a difference between a first power level, at which a first optical signal from said first optical transmitter is inputted to said optical amplifying portion, and a second power level, at which a second optical signal from said second optical transmitter is inputted to said optical amplifying portion, such that said difference is small.