Two-way optical amplifier module

Abstract

A two-way optical amplifying module directs an upward signal light into an optical amplifier through a first optical circulator and a first Wavelenght Division Multiplexer (WDM), and amplifies by exciting light sent from a light source through the first WDM. The exciting light excites an erbium-doped fiber to amplify the upward signal light, following which the amplified upward signal light passes through a second WDM and circulates within a second optical circulator where ASE (Amplified Spontaneous Emission) is eliminated by a reflecting bandpass filter during circulation, and transmitted from an output port. A downward signal light is directed to the optical amplifier through the second optical circulator and the second WDM. Exciting light sent from another light source is directed into the optical amplifier through the second WDM to excite the erbium-doped fiber of the optical amplifier so that the downward signal light is amplified, following which the amplified downward signal light passes through the first WDM and flows into the second optical circulator to circulate within the first optical circulator where ASE is removed by reflecting a second bandpass filter, and finally transmitted from another output port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.