Device and method for reducing level dynamics in an optical transmission system

A method for reducing level dynamics in an optical transmission system having at least two electro-optical transmitters for sending optical signals of modulated light, at least two opto-electrical receivers for receiving said signals, and a plurality of light-conducting fibers connected to and from an optical star bus for carrying said signals from said transmitters to said receivers, said signals normally arriving at said receivers at different power levels, and said receivers, for a given received optical power level, generating a corresponding electrical output level at a given point in the receiver which may differ from receiver to receiver in comparison to one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing selectively adjustable means in each of said transmitters for controlling an output optical power level of each of said transmitters;
• providing selectively adjustable means in each of said receivers for controlling the electrical output level at said given point in each of said receivers;
• adjusting said adjustable means in each of said transmitters so that at a selected receiver each of the transmitters generates the same electrical output level;
• and
• thereafter adjusting said adjustable means in each of said receivers so that when one specific transmitter which was previously adjusted is transmitting optical power into the system, the same electrical output level at said given point in said selected receiver is provided at said given point in all of the other receivers;
• whereby level dynamics of signals received at any of the receivers relative to the other receivers when any one of the transmitters is transmitting is substantially reduced.