diff --git a/include/villas/bitset.h b/include/villas/bitset.h
index c92a95187..757774361 100644
--- a/include/villas/bitset.h
+++ b/include/villas/bitset.h
@@ -31,18 +31,35 @@ struct bitset {
 	size_t dimension;
 };
 
+/** Allocate memory for a new betset */
 int bitset_init(struct bitset *b, size_t dim);
+
+/** Release memory of bit set */
 int bitset_destroy(struct bitset *b);
 
+void bitset_set_value(struct bitset *b, uintmax_t val);
+uintmax_t bitset_get_value(struct bitset *b);
 
+/** Return the number of bits int the set which are set (1) */
+size_t bitset_count(struct bitset *b);
+
+/** Set a single bit in the set */
 int bitset_set(struct bitset *b, size_t bit);
+
+/** Clear a single bit in the set */
 int bitset_clear(struct bitset *b, size_t bit);
 
+/** Set all bits in the set */
 void bitset_set_all(struct bitset *b);
+
+/** Clear all bits in the set */
 void bitset_clear_all(struct bitset *b);
 
+/** Test if a single bit in the set is set */
 int bitset_test(struct bitset *b, size_t bit);
 
+/** Compare two bit sets bit-by-bit */
 int bitset_cmp(struct bitset *a, struct bitset *b);
 
+/** Return an human readable representation of the bit set */
 char * bitset_dump(struct bitset *b);
diff --git a/lib/bitset.c b/lib/bitset.c
index a08e4b995..0963668c6 100644
--- a/lib/bitset.c
+++ b/lib/bitset.c
@@ -47,6 +47,36 @@ int bitset_destroy(struct bitset *b)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void bitset_set_value(struct bitset *b, uintmax_t val)
+{
+	bitset_clear_all(b);
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < b->dim; i++) {
+		if (val & (1 << i))
+			bitset_set(b, i);
+	}
+}
+
+uintmax_t bitset_get_value(struct bitset *b)
+{
+	uintmax_t v = 0;
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < b->dim; i++)
+		v += bitset_test(b, i) << i;
+
+	return v;
+}
+
+size_t bitset_count(struct bitset *b)
+{
+	size_t cnt = 0;
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < b->dim; i++)
+		cnt += bitset_test(b, i);
+
+	return cnt;
+}
+
 int bitset_set(struct bitset *b, size_t bit)
 {
 	int s = bitset_slot(bit);