10/25/2011

Federal Communications Commission

Office of Engineering and Technology
Laboratory Division

Emissions Testing of Transmitters with Multiple Outputs in the Same Band

(e.g., MIMO, Smart Antenna, etc)

This document provides guidance for measurements of conducted output emissions of devices that
employ a single transmitter with multiple outputs in the same band, with the outputs occupying the same
or overlapping frequency ranges. It applies to EMC compliance measurements on devices that transmit
on multiple antennas simultaneously in the same or overlapping frequency ranges through a coordinated
process. Examples include, but are not limited to, devices employing beamforming or multiple-input
and multiple-output (MIMO.) This guidance applies to both licensed and unlicensed devices wherever
the FCC rules call for conducted output measurements. Guidance is provided for in-band, out-of-band,
and spurious emission measurements.

For devices having two outputs driving a cross-polarized pair of antennas, see Attachment 662911 D02
of this publication for additional guidance.

This guidance does not apply to the multiple transmitters included in a composite device, such as a
device that combines an 802.11 modem with a cell phone in one enclosure with each driving its own
antenna.

INTRODUCTION
This document addresses two issues associated with conducted testing of emissions from transmitters
with multiple outputs in the same band.

(1) Summing emissions. The FCC’s emission limits apply to the total of emissions from all
outputs of the transmitter. Thus, emissions from the transmitter outputs must be summed before
comparing measured emissions to the emission limit. (An exception exists for devices having
two outputs driving a cross-polarized pair of antennas and operating under a rule part that
specifies radiated rather than conducted limits. See Attachment 662911 D02 of this publication
for more information.)

(2) Accounting for array gain. Correlation between signals transmitted from different antennas
can lead to array gain, which increases the directional gain of the device and leads to higher
radiated levels in some directions. The contribution of array gain to the directional gain of the
transmitter must be considered in rule parts where conducted in-band emission limits vary with
directional gain, or in situations in which conducted measurements are combined with directional
antenna gain to determine compliance with in-band radiated limits.

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These issues are unique to conducted emissions measurements. In most cases, radiated measurements
automatically combine the power emitted from multiple outputs and include the effects of directional
gain if the measurements are performed in the direction of maximum response of the transmitter.
However, for a device driving cross-polarized antennas, special considerations apply, as described in
Attachment 662911 D02 of this publication.

This document provides guidance only with respect to summing of emissions from multiple outputs and
and performing directional gain computations. It makes no change in other aspects of measurements
and compliance, such as the type of power or power spectral density measurement to be made (e.g., peak
or average) or the methods for making those measurements (e.g., spectrum analyzer setup parameters).

AVAILABLE METHODOLOGIES FOR COMBINING EMISSIONS FROM MULTIPLE

OUTPUTS OF A TRANSMITTER
In most rule parts where conducted output emission limits are specified, the limits are defined in terms
of the total power, or the power within a specified measurement bandwidth. These power levels are
intended to include the total power from all of the outputs of the transmitter.

Two techniques have commonly been used to combine emissions from multiple outputs in order to
characterize the total emission level: measure-and-sum; and use of a combiner. Use of a combiner is
no longer permitted for any conducted testing of emissions--either in-band or out-of-band and
spurious—because correlation between outputs can cause the power of the combined output to be an
inaccurate representation of the total power. (Previous guidance had permitted use of a combiner for
measuring out-of-band and spurious emissions.)

In the measure-and-sum approach, the conducted emission level (e.g., transmit power or power in
specified bandwidth) is measured at each antenna port. The measured results at the various antenna
ports are then summed mathematically to determine the total emission level from the device. Summing
is performed in linear power units (e.g., mW—not dBm).

The next section of this document provides guidance on the application of the measure-and-sum
technique and another simpler approach for addressing the need to combine emissions from multiple
outputs before comparison to the emission limit.

GUIDANCE FOR COMBINING EMISSIONS FROM MULTIPLE OUTPUTS OF A

TRANSMITTER
Acceptable methodologies for combining emissions from multiple outputs of a transmitter depend on the
type of emission measurement being performed. Three types of emission measurements are considered:
in-band power measurements; in-band power spectral density measurements; and out-of-band and
spurious emissions measurements.

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In-Band Power Measurements

The measure-and-sum technique should be used for measuring in-band transmit power of a device.

In-Band Power Spectral Density (PSD) Measurements

The guidance shown in item (1) in this section represents a clarification of previous guidance provided
by the FCC. Item (2) is an alternative measurement method that was not included in previous guidance.

When performing measurements for compliance with PSD limits within the band of operation of a
transmitter, either of two techniques may be used to combine the emissions from multiple outputs prior
to comparing to the emission limit. The first is the most accurate method. The second technique is
offered as a simpler alternative, but it may lead to an overestimate of the total PSD when emission levels
differ between outputs; consequently, if measurements performed using method (2) exceed the emission
limit, the test lab may wish to retest using method (1) before declaring that the device fails the emission
limit.

(1) Measure and sum the spectra across the outputs. With this technique, spectra are measured
at each output of the device at the required resolution bandwidth. The individual spectra are then
summed mathematically in linear power units. Unlike in-band power measurements, in which
the sum involves a single measured value (output power) from each output, measurements for
compliance with PSD limits involve summing entire spectra across corresponding frequency bins
on the various outputs [i.e., for a device with N transmitter outputs, if the spectrum
measurements of the individual outputs are all performed with the same span and number of
points, the spectrum value (in watts or milliwatts) in the first spectral bin of output 1 is summed
with that in the first spectral bin of output 2 and that from the first spectral bin of output 3, and so
on up to the Nth output to obtain the value for the first frequency bin of the summed spectrum.
The summed spectrum value for each of the other frequency bins is computed in the same way).]
This will likely require transferring the measured spectra to a computer, where the bin-by-bin
summing can be performed.

(2) Measure and add 10 log(N) dB, where N is the number of outputs. With this technique,
spectrum measurements are again performed at each output of the device, but rather than
summing the spectra across the outputs, the quantity 10 log(N) dB is added to each spectrum
value before comparing to the emission limit. The addition of 10 log(N) dB serves to apportion
the emission limit among the N outputs so that each output is permitted to contribute no more
than 1/Nth of the PSD limit specified in the rules. (Note that the 10 log(N) term in this calculation
is not related to that used in array gain calculations, to be discussed later in this document.)

With either method, existing rules and guidance should be applied in performing the measurements on
the individual outputs and in determining the maximum permitted PSD for the device.

Out-of-Band and Spurious Emission Measurements

The guidance in this section represents a change from previous guidance provided by the FCC. Use of
a combiner is no longer permitted. Emissions measured on individual channels must either be summed

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across the outputs or adjusted by 10 log(N) before comparison to the emission limit. New guidance is
also provided for cases involving relative emission limits.

When performing measurements outside of the band of operation of a transmitter (i.e., out-of-band and
spurious emissions), either of two techniques may be used to combine the emissions from multiple
outputs prior to comparing to the emission limit. The first is the most accurate method. The second is
offered as a potentially simpler alternative, but may lead to an overestimate the total PSD when emission
levels differ between outputs; consequently, if measurements performed using method (2) exceed the
emission limit, the test lab may wish to retest using method (1) before declaring that the device fails the
emission limit.

(1) Measure and sum the spectra across the outputs (as described in the preceding section).

(2) Measure and add 10 log(N) dB (as described in the preceding section).

When testing out-of-band and spurious emissions against relative emission limits, tests may be
performed on each output individually without summing or adding 10 log(N) if the measurements are
made relative to the in-band emissions on the individual outputs. For example, if a rule states that out-
of-band emissions in a 100 kHz bandwidth must be at least 20dB below the highest power 100 kHz in-
band, compliance may be established by confirming that the maximum total out-of-band emission is at
least 20 dB below the maximum in-band PSD, as determined by the “measure and sum the spectra”
technique in both instances; alternatively, compliance may be demonstrated by confirming that the
maximum out-of-band emission on each individual output is at least 20 dB below the maximum in-band
PSD on that output. Similarly, if a rule states that out-of-band emissions in a 1MHz bandwidth must be
at least X dB below the transmit power (where X does not vary with transmit power), compliance may be
established by confirming that the maximum total out-of-band emission, as determined by the “measure
and sum the spectra” technique, is at least X dB below the total transmit power; alternatively,
compliance may be demonstrated by confirming that the maximum out-of-band emission on each
individual output is at least X dB below the maximum transmit power on that output.

Emission limits specified as X + 10 log(P) dB below the transmit power (where P is the transmit power)
are absolute limits and are not considered “relative limits” for purposes of this guidance. Out-of-band
and spurious emissions must be tested against absolute limits using techniques (1) or (2) described
above.

GUIDANCE ON DIRECTIONAL GAIN CALCULATONS

The guidance in this section clarifies previous guidance and identifies an additional category of devices
(relative to previous guidance) that may be considered to have uncorrelated output transmissions.

Some rule parts define a limit on output power or power spectral density that is a function of the
directional gain of the antenna system. There may also be cases in which conducted measurements are

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combined with directional antenna gain to determine compliance with in-band radiated limits. In such
cases, the effect of array gain must be included in the calculation of overall directional antenna gain for
devices that transmit on multiple outputs simultaneously in the same band, in the same or in overlapping
frequency ranges.

Array gain results when the signals transmitted on different antennas are positively correlated when
viewed from a specific direction. In most cases, beamforming systems attempt to achieve 100 percent
correlation between the transmitted signals when viewed from the intended beam direction, though
actual correlation may be slightly lower. A transmitter that transmits correlated signals from its multiple
antennas has the potential to create array gain even when that is not the intent.

For simplicity, the guidance presented here categorizes transmissions as correlated (i.e., correlation
exists between the signals on at least two antennas) or completely uncorrelated. Unless the transmitted
signals are categorized as completely uncorrelated based on the guidance provided below, the signals
must be considered correlated for the purposes of computing directional gain. In the case of correlated
signals, array gain will be computed based on 100 percent correlation even if the actual correlation is
lower.

Categorization as Correlated or Completely Uncorrelated

For the purposes of this guidance, transmitter output signals are considered correlated if any of the
following are true:
• The same digital data are transmitted from two or more antennas in a given symbol period, even
with different coding or phase shifts; or,
• Correlation between two transmitted signals exists at any frequency and time delay; or,
• Multiple transmitter outputs serve to focus energy in a given direction or to a given receiver; or,
• The operating mode combines correlated techniques with uncorrelated techniques.

Otherwise, the output signals are considered completely uncorrelated.

Correlated signals include, but are not limited to, signals transmitted in any of the following modes:
• Any transmit beamforming mode, whether fixed or adaptive (e.g., phased array modes, closed
loop MIMO modes, Transmitter Adaptive Antenna modes, Maximum Ratio Transmission
(MRT) modes, and Statistical Eigen Beamforming (EBF) modes).
• Cyclic Delay Diversity (CDD) modes (e.g., legacy modes in 802.11n devices). In CDD modes,
the same digital data is carried by each transmit antenna, but with different cyclic delays. The
signals are highly correlated at any one frequency, though not necessarily at zero time delay. In
particular, correlations tend to be high over the bandwidths specified for in-band PSD
measurements in FCC rule parts that require reductions in PSD when directional gain exceeds a
threshold.

Completely uncorrelated signals include those transmitted in the following modes, if they are not
combined with any correlated modes, such as beamforming:

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• Space Time Block Codes (STBC) or Space Time Codes (STC) for which different digital data is
carried by each transmit antenna during any symbol period (e.g., WiMAX Matrix A [Alamouti
coding]).
• Spatial Multiplexing MIMO (SM-MIMO), for which independent data streams are sent to each
transmit antenna (e.g., WiMAX Matrix B. WiMAX Matrix C, which adds diversity, also
produces uncorrelated transmit signals).
[Note that under previous guidelines, only SM-MIMO signals could be considered uncorrelated for
purposes of directional gain computation.]

The FCC Laboratory may consider adjustments to this guidance as new modes of operation are brought
to its attention.

Directional Gain Calculations

In the commonly occurring case of N transmit antennas, each with the same directional gain GANT dBi,
being driven by N transmitter outputs of equal power, directional gain is to be computed as follows:
• If any transmit signals are correlated with each other,
Directional gain = GANT + 10 log(N) dBi
• If all transmit signals are completely uncorrelated with each other,
Directional gain = GANT

In the following special cases, directional gain should be computed as specified below:
• Sectorized antenna systems. In sectorized antenna systems in which each antenna is used to
transmit different data in a different direction from the other antennas, directional gain is
equal to the gain of an individual sector antenna.
• Cross-polarized antennas with N = 2. In the case of a transmitter with only two outputs
driving antennas that are cross-polarized (e.g., vertical and horizontal or left-circular and
right-circular), directional gain is the gain of an individual antenna.
• Unequal antenna gains, with equal transmit powers. For antenna gains given by G1, G2, …,
GN dBi
◊ If transmit signals are correlated, then
Directional gain = 10 log[(10G1 /20 + 10G2 /20 + … + 10GN /20)2 /N] dBi [Note the “20”s
in the denominator of each exponent and the square of the sum of terms; the object is
to combine the signal levels coherently.]
◊ If all transmit signals are completely uncorrelated, then
Directional gain = 10 log[(10G1 /10 + 10G2 /10 + … + 10GN /10)/N] dBi

CHANGE NOTICE
10/25/2011: 662911 D01 Multiple Transmitter Output v01 change to 662911 D01 Multiple Transmitter Output v01r01 to add
references to new attachment 662911 D02 in the second paragraph of the document and in the INTRODUCTION section.
The referenced attachment identifies an exception to the requirement for summing emissions across outputs in certain cases
involving devices that drive cross-polarized antennas and identifies the need to sum radiated emissions across polarizations in
certain other cases.

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