Patent attributes
An optical communication system which constructs, at low cost, a network that uses Time Division Multiplexing in at least one direction of the communication. The optical communication system includes an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer that mediates communication between a network unit and a plurality of terminal units. The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer regenerates a synchronization clock from a downstream signal light. In addition, the optical multiplexer/demultiplexer adjusts, using the regenerated synchronization clock, the delay times of a plurality of upstream signal lights received from the terminal units. The network unit and the terminal units do not need to control the timing of the upstream signal lights. Thus, the construction costs of the optical communication system are reduced.
