Patent ID: 7391954

Claim:
An attenuated planar splitter module for providing optical communication with at least one external output device, comprising: a splitter chip having a body, an input end, an output end, and a branching waveguide network associated with the body and that includes an input waveguide optically coupled to an input connector at the input end, the branching waveguide network having j≧1 50:50 splitters that form up to n≦2 j output waveguides having associated n output ports, m<n output ports configured for transmitting light to the at least one external output device at or above an optical transmission specification; (n−m) output ports intentionally or unintentionally configured for attenuating light transmitted to the at least one external output device below said optical transmission specification; and a fiber array attached to the output end and adapted to provide optical coupling to the m output ports of the splitter chip such that the m output ports have associated therewith an attenuation in decibels of A O =10 log(2 j ).