# US 12,225,413 B2 · Long term evolution-M resource reservation using bitmap > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,225,413 B2 - Document ID: US12225413B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/630,778 - Filed: 2020-08-13 - Published: 2022-08-25 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-15 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Mohammad Mozaffari; Johan Bergman; Anders Wallén; Mattias Frenne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225413B2 ## CPC - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04W 28/26: Resource reservation - H04L 1/1614: {using bitmaps} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04W 4/70: Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 88/10: adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and network node for flexible indication of resources in LTE-M using bitmaps are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method includes indicating to the wireless device a set of reserved resources for machine communications in compatibility with a broadband radio access technology sharing resources in a time frame and frequency band that encompasses the set of reserved resources, the indicating using a two level bitmap operating in the time-domain, a first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a first set of subframes containing reserved resources, and a second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating reserved symbols within an indicated subframe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD), the network node comprising processing circuitry configured to: indicate to the wireless device a set of reserved resources for machine communications in compatibility with a broadband radio access technology sharing resources in a time frame and frequency band that encompasses the set of reserved resources, the indicating using a two level bitmap operating in the time-domain, a first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a first set of subframes containing reserved resources, and a second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating reserved symbols within an indicated subframe, wherein the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicates whether a subframe is available or partially available for Long Term Evolution Machine Communications (LTE-M). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the indicated reserved resources are unused for Long Term Evolution Machine Communications (LTE-M) transmissions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein resources not indicated as reserved resources are used for LTE-M transmissions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to indicate to the wireless device a set resource blocks using a third bitmap, the third bitmap indicating for which resource blocks in frequency domain the time-domain resource reservation indicated by the two level bitmap applies. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein a granularity of a resource reservation is based on an overhead of bitmaps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to define multiple pairs of two-level bitmaps, within each pair, the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a subset of subframes and the second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a granularity of resource reservation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The network node of claim 5, wherein the second bitmap level of a first pair of two-level bitmaps is of indicates a resource reservation granularity that is different from a second bitmap level of a second pair of two-level bitmaps. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The network node of claim 5, wherein a first subset of subframes indicated by the first bitmap level of a first pair of two-level bitmaps and a second subset of frames indicated by the first bitmap level of a second pair of two-level bitmaps do not overlap. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The network node of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to jointly encode a bitmap indicated by the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap with a bitmap indicating that a particular subframe indicated by the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap is fully valid, partially valid or invalid. ### Claim 10 A method in a network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD), the method comprising: indicating to the wireless device a set of reserved resources for machine communications in compatibility with a broadband radio access technology sharing resources in a time frame and frequency band that encompasses the set of reserved resources, the indicating using a two level bitmap operating in the time-domain, a first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a first set of subframes containing reserved resources, and a second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating reserved symbols within an indicated subframe, wherein the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicates whether a subframe is available or partially available for Long Term Evolution Machine Communications (LTE-M). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the indicated reserved resources are unused for Long Term Evolution Machine Communications (LTE-M) transmissions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein resources not indicated as reserved resources are used for LTE-M transmissions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising indicating to the wireless device a set resource blocks using a third bitmap, the third bitmap indicating for which resource blocks in frequency domain the time-domain resource reservation indicated by the two level bitmap applies. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a granularity of a resource reservation is based on an overhead of bitmaps. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising defining multiple pairs of two-level bitmaps, within each pair, the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a subset of subframes and the second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a granularity of resource reservation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second bitmap level of a first pair of two-level bitmaps is of indicates a resource reservation granularity that is different from a second bitmap level of a second pair of two-level bitmaps. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a first subset of subframes indicated by the first bitmap level of a first pair of two-level bitmaps and a second subset of frames indicated by the first bitmap level of a second pair of two-level bitmaps do not overlap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising jointly encoding a bitmap indicated by the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap with a bitmap indicating that a particular subframe indicated by the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap is fully valid, partially valid or invalid. ### Claim 19 A wireless device (WD) configured to communicate with a network node, the wireless device comprising processing circuitry configured to: receive an indication from the network node, the indication indicating a set of reserved resources for machine communications in compatibility with a broadband radio access technology sharing resources in a time frame and frequency band that encompasses the set of reserved resources, the indicating using a two level bitmap, a first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a first set of subframes containing reserved resources, and a second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating reserved symbols within an indicated subframe, wherein the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicates whether a subframe is available or partially available for Long Term Evolution Machine Communications (LTE-M). ### Claim 20 A method in a wireless device (WD), the method comprising: receiving an indication from the network node, the indication indicating a set of reserved resources for machine communications in compatibility with a broadband radio access technology sharing resources in a time frame and frequency band that encompasses the set of reserved resources, the indicating using a two level bitmap, a first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating a first set of subframes containing reserved resources, and a second bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicating reserved symbols within an indicated subframe, wherein the first bitmap level of the two level bitmap indicates whether a subframe is available or partially available for Long Term Evolution Machine Communications (LTE-M).