US Patent 9143234 Optical communication systems and methods

Systems and methods presented herein provide for optical communications with a remotely located laser. In one embodiment, a communication system includes an optical link and a communication hub comprising the laser optically coupled to a first end of the optical link and operable to transmit light along the optical link. The communication system also includes a communication node comprising an optical modulator optically coupled to a second end of the optical link, wherein the optical modulator is operable to receive a signal, to modulate the light from the laser with the signal, and to propagate the modulated light to the communication hub.