Method and system for coexistence of radar and communication systems

1. A method for coexistence with a pulsed interference source in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a communications signal at a receiver of the communications network;

determining a first portion of the communications signal that is affected by the pulsed interference source;

comparing a size of the first portion to a threshold value;

blanking the first portion of the communications signal; and

processing the communications signal,

wherein blanking the first portion is performed only when the size is greater than the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first portion of the communications signal includes dividing a transmission time interval (TTI) into a plurality of subunits.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining energy values for the subunits;

determining an average energy for the subunits; and

calculating ratios between the energy value for each subunit and the average energy.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

comparing the ratios to a second threshold value; and

when a ratio exceeds the threshold value, blanking the subunit associated with the ratio that exceeds the threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the size of the first portion to a threshold value includes comparing a number of symbols that are affected by the pulsed interference source to the predetermined value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first portion of the communications signal includes comparing pulse times of the pulsed interference source to transmission times of communications signals.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pulse times of the pulsed interference source are input into the communications network.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pulse times of the pulsed interference source are determined by measuring pulses at a receiver in the communications network.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the communications signal includes decoding symbols present in a second portion of the communications signal.

10. A communications system, the system comprising:

a receiver that receives a communications signal;

a blanking module that determines a first portion of the communications signal that is affected by a pulsed interference source and blanks the first portion of the communications signal; and

a processing module that processes the communications signal after the first portion has been blanked,

wherein the blanking module compares a size of the first portion to a threshold value, and

wherein blanking the first portion is performed only when the size is greater than the threshold value.

11. The communications system of claim 10 , wherein determining the first portion of the communications signal includes dividing a transmission time interval (TTI) into a plurality of subunits.

12. The communications system of claim 11 , wherein the blanking module determines energy values for the subunits, determines an average energy for the subunits, and calculates ratios between the energy value for each subunit and the average energy.

13. The communications system of claim 12 , wherein the blanking module compares the ratios to a second threshold value, and when a ratio exceeds the threshold value, blanks the subunit associated with the ratio that exceeds the threshold value.

14. The communications system of claim 10 , wherein comparing the size of the first portion to a threshold value includes comparing a number of symbols that are affected by the pulsed interference source to the predetermined value.

15. The communications system of claim 10 , wherein determining the first portion of the communications signal includes comparing pulse times of the pulsed interference source to transmission times of communications signals.

16. The communications system of claim 15 , wherein the pulse times of the pulsed interference source are input into the communications network.

17. The communications system of claim 15 , wherein the pulse times of the pulsed interference source are determined by measuring pulses at a receiver in the communications network.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, perform the following method:

for a communications signal received at a receiver of a communication node, determining a first portion of the communications signal that is affected by a pulsed interference source;

comparing a size of the first portion to a threshold value;

blanking the first portion of the communications signal; and

processing the communications signal,

wherein blanking the first portion is performed only when the size is greater than the threshold value.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein determining the first portion of the communications signal includes dividing a transmission time interval (TTI) into a plurality of subunits, and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining energy values for the subunits;

determining an average energy for the subunits; and

calculating ratios between the energy value for each subunit and the average energy.

20. A method for coexistence with a pulsed interference source in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a communications signal at a receiver of the communications network;

determining a first portion of the communications signal that is affected by the pulsed interference source, wherein determining the first portion of the communications signal includes dividing a transmission time interval (TTI) into a plurality of subunits;

determining energy values for the subunits;

determining an average energy for the subunits;

calculating ratios between the energy value for each subunit and the average energy;

comparing the ratios to a threshold value; and

when a ratio exceeds the threshold value, blanking the first portion of the communications signal by blanking the subunit associated with the ratio that exceeds the threshold value; and

processing the communications signal.