Optical communication system with a simplified remote optical power supply

An optical data communication system, comprising:

• an optical power supply including a plurality of lasers, each of the plurality of lasers configured to generate and output a beam of continuous wave light of a different one of a plurality of wavelengths;
• an electro-optical chip that exists separate and remote from the optical power supply, the electro-optical chip including a plurality of transmit macros, each of the plurality of transmit macros including an optical waveguide and a plurality of ring resonators positioned along the optical waveguide within an evanescent optical coupling distance of the optical waveguide,
• wherein the electro-optical chip includes an optical distribution network implemented onboard the electro-optical chip, the optical distribution network having a plurality of optical inputs and a plurality of optical outputs, wherein each of the plurality of optical inputs is connected to receive a single and different wavelength of light from a corresponding beam of continuous wave light output by the optical power supply,
• wherein the plurality of optical inputs is delineated into a plurality of subsets of optical inputs, wherein each of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs includes at least two of the plurality of optical inputs, wherein each of the plurality of optical inputs is in any given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs and just in the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs,
• wherein the plurality of optical outputs is delineated into a plurality of subsets of optical outputs, wherein each of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs includes at least two of the plurality of optical outputs, wherein each of the plurality of optical outputs is in any given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs and just in the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs,
• wherein the optical distribution network is configured to convey a portion of light received at a given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs to a given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs and just to the given one of the plurality of subsets of the optical outputs, such that light conveyed to each optical output of the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs includes all wavelengths of light conveyed to each of the optical inputs of the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs, wherein the optical distribution network is configured so that light conveyed into the optical inputs of any one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs is conveyed to each of the optical outputs of a corresponding one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs,
• wherein each of the plurality of optical outputs of the optical distribution network is optically connected to the optical waveguide in a corresponding one of the plurality of transmit macros;
• and
• an optical network configured to optically convey the beams of continuous wave light as output by the plurality of lasers within the optical power supply to respective ones of the plurality of optical inputs of the optical distribution network within the electro-optical chip, wherein each one of the plurality of optical inputs of the optical distribution network is connected to receive a different one of the beams of continuous wave light as output by the plurality of lasers.

A method for generating a modulated optical data communication signal, comprising:

• operating an optical power supply to generate a plurality of beams of continuous wave light, wherein each of the plurality of beams of continuous wave light has a different wavelength;
• conveying the plurality of beams of continuous wave light from the optical power supply to an electro-optical chip that exists separate and remote from the optical power supply;
• configuring an optical distribution network within the electro-optical chip, the optical distribution network having a plurality of optical inputs and a plurality of optical outputs, wherein each of the plurality of optical inputs is connected to receive a single and different wavelength of light from a corresponding beam of continuous wave light output by the optical power supply,
• wherein the plurality of optical inputs is delineated into a plurality of subsets of optical inputs, wherein each of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs includes at least two of the plurality of optical inputs, wherein each of the plurality of optical inputs is in any given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs and just in the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs,
• wherein the plurality of optical outputs is delineated into a plurality of subsets of optical outputs, wherein each of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs includes at least two of the plurality of optical outputs, wherein each of the plurality of optical outputs is in any given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs and just in the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs,
• wherein the optical distribution network is configured to convey a portion of light received at a given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs to a given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs and just to the given one of the plurality of subsets of the optical outputs, such that light conveyed to each optical output of the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs includes all wavelengths of light conveyed to each of the optical inputs of the given one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs, wherein the optical distribution network is configured so that light conveyed into the optical inputs of any one of the plurality of subsets of optical inputs is conveyed to each of the optical outputs of a corresponding one of the plurality of subsets of optical outputs;
• conveying light from the plurality of optical outputs of the optical distribution network into a respective plurality of optical waveguides of a respective plurality of transmit macros within the electro-optical chip;
• and
• operating the plurality of transmit macros within the electro-optical chip to generate one or more modulated light signals that convey digital data.