Patent ID: 8131150

Claim:
A tunable bidirectional multiplexer/demultiplexer for adding and dropping wavelength channels between an optical transmission system and a tunable optical transceiver, comprising: an add port for adding wavelength channels to the optical transmission system; a drop port for dropping wavelength channels from the optical transmission system; a transceiver port coupled to the add port and the drop port and coupling added and dropped wavelength channels to the tunable optical transceiver wherein the transceiver port, add port, drop port and tunable optical transceiver comprise an integrated component and wherein the tunable optical transceiver comprises a tunable laser supporting a plurality of wavelengths, the tunable optical transceiver configured to dynamically select a specific wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths for optical signals communicated between the transceiver port, add port and drop port; a 1×N wavelength-selective switch in communication with the add port, the drop port, and the transceiver port; and an optical circulator coupled to a bidirectional input/output port on a first side of the 1×N wavelength-selective switch; the add port, the drop port and the transceiver port configured such that an optical signal communicated from the transceiver port follows a first optical path from the 1×N wavelength-selective switch to the optical circulator to the add port, and an optical signal communicated from the drop port follows a second optical path from the optical circulator to the 1×N wavelength-selective switch to the transceiver port, a portion of the first and second optical paths being the same.