Resource configuration in an integrated access and backhaul network

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from an integrated access and backhaul (TAB) central unit node, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message that includes an uplink-downlink configuration setting;

determining, using at least in part the uplink-downlink configuration setting from the RRC message, a new resource availability configuration for a backhaul resource associated with the IAB central unit node, wherein the new resource availability configuration includes a hard resource availability bitmap having one or more first bits and a soft resource availability bitmap having one or more second different bits, wherein each bit in the hard resource availability bitmap and the soft resource availability bitmap corresponds to a different backhaul resource associated with the IAB central unit node; and

in response to determining the new resource availability configuration, conditionally communicating with the IAB central unit node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that the backhaul resource is hard available, and wherein communicating with the IAB central unit node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration includes making the backhaul resource unconditionally available for transferring backhaul data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that the backhaul resource is soft available, and wherein communicating with the IAB central unit node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration includes making the backhaul resource conditionally available for transferring backhaul data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that the backhaul resource is soft available, and wherein communicating with the IAB central unit node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration includes making the backhaul resource unavailable for transferring backhaul data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of 1 in a bit in the hard resource availability bitmap indicates that the corresponding resource is unconditionally available for transferring backhaul data, and a value of 1 in a bit in the soft resource availability bitmap indicates that the corresponding resource is conditionally available for transferring backhaul data.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a value of 0 in a bit in both the hard resource availability bitmap and the soft resource availability bitmap indicates that the corresponding resource is unavailable for transferring backhaul data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backhaul resource includes one or more of: an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, an uplink slot, or a downlink slot.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uplink-downlink configuration setting comprises a number of symbols in the new resource availability configuration that are either hard resources or soft resources.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining, using at least in part a second new resource availability configuration for a second backhaul resource associated with the IAB central unit node that includes a first parameter that indicates that the backhaul resource should not be hard available and a second different parameter indicates that the backhaul resource should not be soft available, that the second backhaul resource should be unavailable for transferring backhaul data; and

in response to determining that the second backhaul resource should be unavailable for transferring backhaul data, making the second backhaul resource unavailable for transferring backhaul data.

10. A method comprising:

determining, by an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) central unit node, a new resource availability configuration for a backhaul resource associated with an IAB node and a degree of availability of the backhaul resource;

generating, in response to determining that the new resource availability configuration that indicates that the backhaul resource is unavailable, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message comprising the new resource availability configuration for the backhaul resource in an uplink-downlink configuration setting that includes a first parameter that indicates that the backhaul resource is not hard available and a second different parameter indicates that the backhaul resource is not soft available; and

transmitting the RRC message that includes the uplink-downlink configuration setting to the IAB node.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that a second backhaul resource is hard available, and wherein the new resource availability configuration directs the IAB node to make the second backhaul resource unconditionally available for transferring backhaul data.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that a second backhaul resource is soft available, and wherein the new resource availability configuration directs the IAB node to make the second backhaul resource conditionally available for transferring backhaul data.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that a second backhaul resource is unavailable, and wherein the new resource availability configuration directs the IAB node to make the second backhaul resource unavailable for transferring backhaul data.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the new resource availability configuration includes a hard resource availability bitmap having one or more bits and a soft resource availability bitmap having one or more bits, wherein each bit in the hard resource availability bitmap and the soft resource availability bitmap corresponds to a different backhaul resource associated with the IAB node.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a value of 1 in a bit in the hard resource availability bitmap indicates that the corresponding resource is unconditionally available for transferring backhaul data, and a value of 1 in a bit in the soft resource availability bitmap indicates that the corresponding resource is conditionally available for transferring backhaul data.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a value of 0 in a bit in both the hard resource availability bitmap and the soft resource availability bitmap indicates that the corresponding resource is unavailable for transferring backhaul data.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the backhaul resource includes one or more of: an uplink symbol, a downlink symbol, an uplink slot, or a downlink slot.

18. The method of claim 10 , comprising communicating, at least in part in response to transmitting the RRC message that includes the uplink-downlink configuration setting to the IAB node, with the IAB node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration.

19. An apparatus for an integrated access and backhaul (TAB) network comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage device having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from an TAB central unit node, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message that includes an uplink-downlink configuration setting;

determining, using at least in part the uplink-downlink configuration setting from the RRC message, a new resource availability configuration for a backhaul resource associated with the TAB central unit node, wherein the new resource availability configuration includes a hard resource availability bitmap having one or more first bits and a soft resource availability bitmap having one or more second different bits, wherein each bit in the hard resource availability bitmap and the soft resource availability bitmap corresponds to a different backhaul resource associated with the TAB central unit node; and

in response to determining the new resource availability configuration, conditionally communicating with the TAB central unit node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the new resource availability configuration defines that the backhaul resource is hard available, and wherein communicating with the TAB central unit node over the backhaul resource according to the new resource availability configuration includes making the backhaul resource unconditionally available for transferring backhaul data.