Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies protocols and test procedures for repeatable and reproducible measurements of incident power density (IPD) that provide conservative estimates of exposure incident to a human head or body due to radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) transmitting communication devices, with a specified measurement uncertainty. These protocols and procedures apply for exposure evaluations of a significant majority of the population during the use of hand-held and body-worn RF transmitting communication devices. The methods apply for devices that can feature single or multiple transmitters or antennas, and can be operated with their radiating structure(s) at distances up to 200 mm from a human head or body.

The methods of this document can be used to determine conformity with applicable maximum IPD requirements of different types of RF transmitting communication devices being used in close proximity to the head and body, including if combined with other RF transmitting or non-transmitting devices or accessories (e.g. belt-clip), or embedded in garments. The overall applicable frequency range of these protocols and procedures is from 6 GHz to 300 GHz.

The RF transmitting communication device categories covered in this document include but are not limited to mobile telephones, radio transmitters in personal computers, desktop and laptop devices, and multi-band and multi-antenna devices.

NOTE 1 System validation tests are specified in Annex B for 10 GHz, 30 GHz, 60 GHz, and 90 GHz to cover the frequency range from 6 GHz to 110 GHz. Additional validation antennas to cover the frequency range up to 300 GHz will be developed in a future revision of this document. Further discussion on rationales is given in Annex I.

NOTE 2 The protocols and test procedures in this document can be adapted to evaluate exposure also due to non-communication types of devices operating in close proximity to the head and body, but these devices are not in the scope of this document.

NOTE 3 For the assessment of the combined exposure from simultaneous transmitters operating on frequencies below 6 GHz, the relevant standards for SAR measurements are IEC/IEEE 62209-1528:2020 and IEC/IEEE 62209‑3:2019 [1].

NOTE 4 Between 6 GHz and 10 GHz, the scopes of this document and IEC/IEEE 62209-1528:2020 overlap. According to ICNIRP [2] guidelines and IEEE ICES TC95 [3] standard, power density is the conformity metric in this frequency range. SAR can be used as conformity metric if local regulatory requirements allow it. (e.g. in case where a single transmit band includes test channels at both below and above 6 GHz).

The procedures of this document do not apply for EMF measurements of devices or objects intended to be implanted in the body.