Patent ID: 7433596

Claim:
An apparatus for bidirectional communication between an optical transceiver having at least one output pin and a distal processor, the apparatus comprising: a first full-duplex circuit coupled to the optical transceiver for receiving a first signal from the distal processor along a first signal line, the first full-duplex circuit coupled to the optical transceiver for transmitting a second signal on the first signal line to the distal processor; and a second full-duplex circuit coupled to the distal processor for receiving the second signal from the first full-duplex circuit and along a second signal line coupled to the first signal line, the second full-duplex circuit coupled to the distal processor for transmitting the first signal to the optical transceiver on the second signal line, wherein the first full-duplex circuit comprises: a voltage source coupled to the first signal line and for producing the second signal; and a difference amplifier coupled to the voltage source and to the first signal line, for providing a difference output signal responsive to the first signal received on the first signal line.