Patent ID: 7646532

Claim:
An optical signal processor device for use with means ( 10 ) for optically transmitting an information-carrying signal and a back-propagated pump signal for amplifying said information-carrying signal, said device comprising means for suppressing backscattered signals in the optical transmission means and comprising: an optical propagation medium arranged for being connected in parallel with the optical transmission means, divertor means being arranged for connecting, in parallel, at two connection points, the optical propagation medium to the optical transmission means and being arranged for diverting to this optical propagation medium, said pump signal and a Rayleigh backscattering signal propagating in the opposite direction of the information-carrying signal in the optical transmission means, at least a portion of the means for optically transmitting an information-carrying signal extending between the two divertor means, and wavelength discrimination means for discriminating between said pump signal said Rayleigh backscattering signal, said discrimination means being connected to the optical propagation medium, between the two connection points, to suppress the Rayleigh backscattering signal by allowing only the pump signal to pass.