Patent ID: 7970280

Claim:
A wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communication system, comprising: a plurality of optical transmitters, each of which outputting a corresponding one of a plurality of optical signals, each of the plurality of optical signals having a corresponding one of a plurality of wavelengths, each of the plurality of optical transmitters includes a corresponding one of a plurality of lasers; an optical combiner configured to receive each of the plurality of optical signals and combine the plurality of optical signals into a WDM optical signal; an optical demultiplexer having an input and a plurality of outputs, the input of the optical demultiplexer being configured to receive the WDM optical signal, a number of the plurality of outputs being greater than a number of the plurality of optical signals, such that each of first outputs within the plurality of outputs supply a respective one of a plurality of portions of the WDM signal, and second outputs within the plurality of outputs do not supply a part of the WDM signal; and a plurality of receivers, each of which being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of outputs of the optical demultiplexer, first receivers within the plurality of receivers being coupled to a corresponding one of the first outputs within the plurality of outputs of the optical demultiplexer and receiving a corresponding one of the plurality of portions of the WDM signal, and each of second receivers within the plurality of receivers being coupled to a corresponding one of the second outputs within the plurality of outputs of the optical demultiplexer, such that no remaining portion of the WDM optical signal is fed to any of the second receivers, each of the first receivers supplying a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical receiver signal channels; and a circuit that is configured to receive the plurality of electrical receiver signal channels and select a group of electrical receiver signal channels from the plurality of electrical receiver signal channels, the circuit supplying a plurality of electrical outputs, each of which being indicative of a corresponding one of the selected group of the plurality of electrical receiver signal channels, wherein a number of the plurality of receivers is greater than the number of the plurality of optical signals and a number of the plurality of lasers, and a number of the first receivers is greater than a number of the plurality of optical signals.