Patent ID: 7369780

Claim:
An optical communication device, comprising: a plurality of optical remodulators, each being configured to receive a respective one of a first plurality of optical signals, and output a respective one of a second plurality of optical signals in response to a corresponding one of said first plurality of optical signals, each of said second plurality of optical signals being at a respective one of a plurality of wavelengths, selected ones of said plurality of wavelengths being spectrally spaced from one another by substantially 0.8 nm; and an optical combiner configured to receive said second plurality of optical signals and supply said optical signals to an optical communication path; wherein each of said optical remodulators further comprises an external modulator, and a laser, said external modulator being configured to modulate an optical output from said laser in response to one of said first plurality of optical signals to thereby generate one of said second plurality of optical signals, and wherein at least one of said plurality of optical remodulators includes an electro-optical converter, and an encoder circuit, said electro-optical converter being configured to sense one of said plurality of first plurality of optical signals, and generate an electrical signal in response thereto, said electrical signal being supplied to said encoder circuit, one of said second plurality of optical signals being generated in response to an output of said encoder circuit.