Patent ID: 7542681

Claim:
A network TAP that provides access to data communicated in a network, comprising: a transceiver port configured to be connected to an optical transceiver module, wherein the transceiver port comprises a first interface for receiving outgoing signals from a transmitter optical subassembly of the optical transceiver module and a second interface for passing incoming signals to a receiver optical subassembly of the optical transceiver module; a link port configured to interface with a network link that is in communication with the optical transceiver module, wherein at least one optical path is configured to relay optical signals between the transceiver port and the link port; at least one coupler in the optical path for splitting the optical signals such that a portion of the optical signals is directed to a TAP port; and the TAP port, wherein the TAP port is configured to relay a portion of the optical signals received at the transceiver port and a portion of the optical signals received at the link port to a connected device, wherein the at least one optical path comprises: a first optical conductor for relaying outgoing optical signals from the transmitter optical subassembly to a first optical fiber of the network link; and a second optical conductor for relaying incoming optical signals from a second optical fiber of the network link to the receiver optical subassembly; and the at least one coupler comprises: a first coupler for splitting off a portion of the outgoing optical signals relayed on the first optical conductor and directing the split portion of the outgoing optical signals to the TAP port, wherein the split portion contains the same data as the outgoing optical signal relayed on the first optical conductor; and a second coupler for splitting off a portion of the incoming optical signals relayed on the second optical conductor and directing the split portion of the incoming optical signals to the TAP port, wherein the split portion contains the same data as the incoming optical signal relayed on the second optical conductor.