Patent ID: 7460298

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an integrated optical dual amplifier (IODA), including: a first optical amplifier including a first set of components and a shared set of components, where the shared set of components includes at least a pump laser, the first optical amplifier operable to amplify a transmit optical signal; a second optical amplifier including a second set of components and the shared set of components, the second optical amplifier operable to amplify a receive optical signal, the receive optical signal being distinct from the transmit optical signal; a coupler coupling the pump laser to each of the first optical amplifier and the second optical amplifier; a variable optical attenuator positioned between the coupler and one of the optical amplifiers; and a controller configured to monitor a first signal strength of the transmit optical signal and a second signal strength of the receive optical signal and to control an output of the pump laser to adjust an output optical signal of at least one of the first and second optical amplifiers using monitored values of the first signal strength and the second signal strength.