Patent ID: 6940624

Claim:
An optical communication system, comprising: a plurality of optical transmitters, each of said plurality of optical transmitters emitting a respective one of a plurality of optical signals, each of said plurality of optical signals being at a corresponding one of a plurality of optical frequencies, each of a group of said plurality of optical frequencies having an associated first adjacent optical frequency and an associated second adjacent optical frequency, both said associated first and second optical frequencies being among said plurality of optical frequencies, said each of said group of said plurality of optical frequencies being spaced from said associated first adjacent optical frequency by a first frequency spacing and spaced from said associated second optical frequency by a second frequency spacing, a magnitude of said first frequency spacing being twice a magnitude of said second frequency spacing, a number of said optical frequencies in said group being at least equal to 10, said plurality of optical frequencies conform to a channel plan, said channel plan having a bandwidth expansion factor less than or equal to 1.7; an optical communication path coupled to said plurality of transmitters and carrying said plurality of optical signals; and a plurality of optical receivers, each coupled to said optical communication path and sensing a respective one of said plurality of optical signal.