Optical coupler module in a distributed processing system

An optical coupler for a distributed data processing system having a plurality of stations, a first transmission line from an optical source in each of said stations, and a second transmission line to an optical detector in each of said stations, the coupler comprising:

• optical waveguide means for receiving optical signals from any said first transmission line and directing the optical signals to a single optical path;
• means for amplifying the optical signals on the single optical path, including optical detector means for converting the optical signals on the single optical path to electrical signals, electrical amplifying means for amplifying the electrical signals from said optical detector means, and optical source means for converting the amplified electrical signals to optical signals, said optical source means including an optical source driver;
• and
• means for distributing the amplified optical signals to each said second transmission line, including a waveguide interface for receiving the optical signals from said optical source means at one end face and having an opposite end face cooperating with a plurality of waveguide segments to provide the optical signals received at the one end face to each of the waveguide segments, one of the waveguide segments providing a feedback signal to said optical source driver, and each of the other waveguide segments providing the optical signals from the waveguide interface to an associated second transmission line.