# US 2020/0404641 A1 · Channel configuration and downlink/uplink configuration for narrow band internet of things (nb-iot) systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0404641 A1 - Document ID: US20200404641A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/007,835 - Filed: 2020-08-31 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-19 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Wenting CHANG; Huaning NIU; Salvatore TALARICO; Rongrong SUN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200404641A1 ## CPC - H04B 1/713: using frequency hopping - H04L 1/1614: {using bitmaps} - H04L 5/0094: {Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated} - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04W 56/001: {Synchronization between nodes} - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04W 72/20: Control channels or signalling for resource management - H04L 27/2602: {Signal structure} - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods, systems, and storage media are described for the indication of frequency hopping and downlink (DL)/uplink (UL) configuration in narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) systems. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a memory to store downlink (DL)/uplink (UL) configuration information; and processing circuitry, coupled with the memory, to: retrieve the DL/UL configuration information stored in the memory, generate a message comprising a master information block (MIB) that includes the DL/UL configuration information and channel information, the channel information including a frequency hopping indication for use in an unlicensed narrowband Internet of things (NB-IoT) spectrum and one or more bitmaps associated with the frequency hopping indication, and encode the message for transmission to a user equipment (UE). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each bit of the one or more bitmaps corresponds to a specific channel, wherein a logical one indicates that the specific channel has been chosen for frequency hopping, and wherein a logical zero indicates that the specific channel will not be chosen for the frequency hopping. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frequency hopping indication comprises: a channel number and a channel group utilized for frequency hopping. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frequency hopping indication comprises: a state indicating all channels within a channel group are to be utilized for frequency hopping. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the channel information comprises: a separate physical channels index for anchor channels and data channels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the separate physical channels index indicates thirty channels for anchor channel transmission and two groups of fifty data channels ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DL/UL configuration is configured per channel dwell. ### Claim 8 A method of operating on an unlicensed narrowband Internet of things (NB-IoT) spectrum, the method comprising: retrieving downlink (DL)/uplink (UL) configuration information; generating a message comprising a master information block (MIB) that includes the DL/UL configuration information and channel information, the channel information including a frequency hopping indication for use in the unlicensed NB-IoT spectrum and one or more bitmaps associated with the frequency hopping indication; and encoding the message for transmission to a user equipment (UE). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein each bit of the one or more bitmaps corresponds to a specific channel, wherein a logical one indicates that the specific channel has been chosen for frequency hopping, and wherein a logical zero indicates that the specific channel will not be chosen for the frequency hopping. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the frequency hopping indication comprises: a channel number and a channel group utilized for frequency hopping. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the frequency hopping indication comprises: a state indicating all channels within a channel group are to be utilized for frequency hopping ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the channel information comprises: a separate physical channels index for anchor channels and data channels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the separate physical channels index indicates thirty channels for anchor channel transmission and two groups of fifty data channels ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the DL/UL configuration is configured per channel dwell. ### Claim 15 A system for operating on an unlicensed narrowband Internet of things (NB-IoT) spectrum, the system comprising: an access node configured to: retrieve downlink (DL)/uplink (UL) configuration information, and generate a message comprising a master information block (MIB) that includes the DL/UL configuration information and channel information, the channel information including a frequency hopping indication for use in an unlicensed narrowband Internet of things (NB-IoT) spectrum and one or more bitmaps associated with the frequency hopping indication; and a user equipment (UE) configured to receive the message. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein each bit of the one or more bitmaps corresponds to a specific channel, wherein a logical one indicates that the specific channel has been chosen for frequency hopping, and wherein a logical zero indicates that the specific channel will not be chosen for the frequency hopping. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the frequency hopping indication comprises: a channel number and a channel group utilized for frequency hopping. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the frequency hopping indication comprises: a state indicating all channels within a channel group are to be utilized for frequency hopping ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the channel information comprises: a separate physical channels index for anchor channels and data channels. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the DL/UL configuration is configured per channel dwell.