CORRECTING  FOR  DUTY  CYCLE  IN  PULSED  

OPERATION  TRANSMITTERS    
HOW  TO  CALCULATE  A  CORRECTION  FACTOR  WHEN  LIMITS  ARE  EXPRESSED  AS  AVERAGE  VALUES    
BY   R YAN   M .   U RNESS,   L ABORATORY   M ANAGER  
 
The   Compliance   Department   of   LS   Research   repeatability  when  representing  a  pulsed  average  
commonly  answers  questions  regarding  application   emission.  
of   a   “relaxation   factor”   to   a   measurement   for    
demonstrating   compliance   to   FCC   regulations.   This   With  this  established,  it  is  very  important  to  note  
article   will   show   when   it   is   appropriate   to   apply   that  this  correction  is  only  applicable  to  pulsed  
these   “relaxation   factors,”   how   to   appropriately   transmissions  whose  applicable  limits  are  expressed  
calculate   the   applicable   correction,   and   which   in  terms  of  average  emissions.  Emissions  which  are  
considerations   must   be   observed   when   applying   expressed  in  terms  other  than  average  emissions,  
any  correction  to  a  measurement.   such  as  Peak  or  CISPR  Quasi-­‐Peak,  are  not  subject  to  
  any  duty  cycle  correction.  
WHEN  IS  IT  APPLICABLE?    
  HOW  IS  IT  CALCULATED?  
First,  it  is  necessary  to  establish  when  and  how  it  is    
appropriate  to  utilize  this  “relaxation”  of  a   Second,  it  is  paramount  that  the  duty  cycle  
measurement.  FCC  regulations  outlined  in  CFR  Title   correction  be  calculated  accurately.  Miscalculations  
47  FCC  Part  15  Subpart  A  Section  15.35  (b)  specify   in  duty  cycle  correction  may  lead  to  incorrectly  
that  unless  otherwise  noted,  emission  limits  above  1   assessing  a  transmission’s  compliance  to  the  
GHz  are  expressed  employing  a  measurement   applicable  regulations.  The  procedure  for  calculating  
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instrument’s  average  detector .  However,  because   the  average  value  of  pulsed  emissions  is  specified  in  
of  an  average  detector’s  dependency  on  the   the  American  National  Standard  for  Testing  
characteristics  of  the  pulse  train  and  the   Unlicensed  Wireless  Devices  IEEE  ANSI  C63.10-­‐2009,  
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specifications  of  the  measuring  instrument,   section  7.5 ,  which  is  a  recognized  and  accepted  
repeatability  is  nearly  impossible  from  instrument  to   methodology  by  the  FCC,  as  announced  in  Public  
2 4
instrument .  The  FCC  regulations  provide  an   Notice  DA  09-­‐2478  released  November  25,  2009 .  
allowance  for  correcting  pulsed  transmissions  when   The  Duty  Cycle  Correction  Factor  δ,  when  expressed  
the  limits  are  expressed  in  terms  of  an  average,  and   in  dB,  is  calculated  using  the  formula:    
the  average  measurement  may  be  derived  from  the    
peak  pulse  amplitude  corrected  for  the  duty  cycle  of   δ  (dB)  =  20log  (δ)  
the  pulse  modulation.  This  is  the  “relaxation  factor,”    
henceforth  referred  as  a  duty  cycle  correction,  which   The  correction  factor  δ  is  applied  to  the  peak  pulse  
is  in  fact  a  normalized  duty  cycle  correction  applied   amplitude  (including  the  fundamental  and  
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to  a  peak  measurement  to  increase  accuracy  and   harmonics)  to  calculate  the  average  emissions .  The  
  

key  component  needed  for  calculating  the  duty  cycle    

correction  factor  of  a  transmission  is  a  100  ms   Refer  to  the  100  ms  capture  represented  in  figure  1.    
capture  of  a  characteristic  pulse  train  of  “on  time”   The  pulse  train  period  is  64.5  ms,  and  it  is  comprised  
pulses;  in  the  event  the  pulse  train  is  greater  than   of  nine  wide  pulses  and  eight  narrow  pulses  with  
100  ms,  the  100  ms  pulse  train  captured  must   durations  of  2  ms  and  300  µs  respectively.  
include  a  representation  of  worst-­‐case  “on  time”  
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pulses .  The  100  ms  is  significant,  as  it  is  specified  in  
CFR  Title  47  FCC  Part  15  Subpart  A  Section  15.35  (c),  
which  states:  
 
Unless  otherwise  specified  […]  when  the  
radiated  emission  limits  are  expressed  in  
terms  of  the  average  value  of  the  emission,  
and  pulsed  operation  is  employed,  the  
 
measurement  field  strength  shall  be   Figure  1  -­‐  100  ms  Capture  Pulse  Train  
determined  by  averaging  over  one  complete    
pulse  train,  including  blanking  intervals,  as   n  =  9  
long  as  the  pulse  train  does  not  exceed  0.1   m  =  8  
t1  =  2  ms  
seconds.  As  an  alternative  (provided  the  
t2  =  0.3  ms  
transmitter  operates  for  longer  than  0.1   T  =  64.5  ms  
seconds)  or  in  cases  where  the  pulse  train    
exceeds  0.1  seconds,  the  measured  field   Thus,  substituting  the  equation:    
strength  shall  be  determined  from  the  average    
absolute  voltage  during  a  0.1  second  interval   δ  (dB)  =  20log  [  Σ  (nt1  +  mt2  +  ...  +  ξtx)  /  T  ]  
during  which  the  field  strength  is  at  its        
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maximum  value.         δ  =  (9*2  +  8*0.3)  /  64.5  
  δ  =  0.32  
 
  δ  (dB)  =  20Log  (0.32)    
From  this,  we  can  derive  the  equation:     δ  (dB)  =  -­‐9.9  dB  
     
δ  (dB)  =  20log  [  Σ  (nt1  +  mt2  +  ...  +  ξtx)  /  T  ]   The  equation  above  demonstrates  that  the  duty  
  cycle  correction  factor,  expressed  in  dB,  for  this  
Where   transmitter  is  -­‐9.9  dB.  For  instance,  if  a  harmonic  of  
n  is  the  number  of  pulses  of  duration  t1   the  transmitter  for  the  above  pulse  train  had  a  peak  
m  is  the  number  of  pulses  of  duration  t2   measurement  of  60.8  dBµV/m  at  a  measurement  
ξ  is  the  number  of  pulses  of  duration  tx   distance  of  3  meters,  the  reported  average  
T   is   the   period   of   the   pulse   train   or   100   ms   (if   measurand  would  be  50.9  dBµV/m.  
the  pulse  train  length  is  greater  than  100  ms)    
 
EXAMPLE  
  

Furthermore,  the  theoretical  worst-­‐case  duty  cycle  

  must  be  represented  when  calculating  the  correction  
factor  if  the  applicable  duty  cycle  is  unknown.  For  
ADDITIONAL  CONSIDERATIONS   instance,  when  a  transmitter  employs  a  “rolling  
  code,”  the  duty  cycle  can  vary  as  much  as  19%  (from  
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Utilizing  a  duty  cycle  correction  factor  is  an  effective   45%  to  64%) .  In  this  instance,  the  theoretical  worst  
method  of  demonstrating  compliance  through  a   case  of  the  duty  cycle  (64%)  must  be  utilized  in  the  
mathematical  correction  when  representing  an   calculation,  and  multiple  sample  pulse  trains  plots  
average  measurement  of  a  pulsed  transmitter.     should  be  reported  to  demonstrate  the  duty  cycle’s  
However,  there  are  other  considerations  when  a   non-­‐repeating  characteristics.  
duty  cycle  correction  is  required  in  order  to    
demonstrate  compliance.   It  is  worth  noting  that  the  worst-­‐case  duty  cycle  only  
  must  be  considered  when  the  applicable  duty  cycle  
Foremost  among  these  considerations:  the  limits   is  unknown;  otherwise,  an  application-­‐specific  
expressed  for  the  transmitter  being  evaluated  are   representation  of  duty  cycle  may  be  employed.  As  
based  on  the  use  of  an  instrument  employing  an   an  example,  an  Ember  EM260  RCM  ZigBee  
average  detector,  in  addition  to  the  confirmation   transmitter  uses  a  -­‐11.34  dB  correction  factor  for  its  
that  the  transmitter  employs  a  pulsed  operation.     demonstration  of  compliance.  This  correction  is  
  based  on  a  27%  duty  cycle,  which  is  specific  to  this  
Additionally,  FCC  regulations  outlined  in  CFR  Title  47   transmitter’s  application;  however,  the  theoretical  
FCC  Part  15  Subpart  A  Section  15.35  (b)  specify  that   worst-­‐case  duty  cycle  of  an  IEEE  802.15.4  compliant  
unless  otherwise  notated,  emission  limits  above  1   ZigBee  stack  is  66%,  yielding  only  a  -­‐3.6  dB  
5
GHz  are  expressed  employing  a  measurement   correction .      
instrument’s  average  detector;  however,  when  a    
limit  is  expressed  as  an  average  emission,  there  is   IN  CONCLUSION  
also  a  peak  emission  requirement.  The  peak  limit,  
 
unless  otherwise  specified,  is  realized  as  20  dB  above  
A  duty  cycle  correction  factor  provides  an  effective  
the  maximum  permitted  average  emission  limit  to  
1 means  of  representing  a  true  average  emission  in  a  
the  applicable  emission  measured .    
pulsed  operation  transmitter  and  can  be  an  effective  
 
tool  in  demonstrating  compliance  to  the  applicable  
Fundamentally,  this  requirement  states  that  if  the  
FCC  regulations.  However,  it  is  important  to  
required  compliance  is  expressed  as  an  average  limit  
recognize  what  it  is,  when  it  can  be  applied,  and  how  
and  the  peak  emission  measured  (independent  of  
to  calculate  it  correctly.  The  difference  between  
any  duty  cycle  correction)  is  greater  than  20  dB  
correctly  assessing,  addressing,  and  calculating  a  
above  said  average  limit,  then  the  transmitter  being  
duty  cycle  correction  could  be  the  difference  
evaluated  immediately  fails  the  requirements  of  
between  accurate  FCC  regulatory  compliance  and  
47CFR15.35  (b),  regardless  of  any  correction  factor.  
unintentionally  misrepresenting  applicable  
 
emissions.    
 
  

WORKS  CITED  

1.     FCC.  Section  15.35  Measurement  Detector  Functions  and  Bandwidths.  Code  of  Federal  Regulations  Title  47  Part  
15.  Washington,  D.C.:  United  States  Government  Printing  Office,  2009,  p.  767.  

2.     Dichoso,  Joe.  FCC  OET  Presentation:  FCC  Basics  of  Unlicensed  Transmitters.  FCC  Office  of  Engineering  
Technology  Web  Site.  [Online]  October  9,  2007.  [Cited:  February  18,  2011.]  
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/presentations/files/oct07/Oct_07-­‐Basics_of_Unlicensed_Trans-­‐JD.pdf.  

3.     Accredited  Standards  Committee  C63.  American  National  Standard  for  Testing  Unlicensed  Wireless  Devices.  
IEEE  ANSI  C63.10.  New  York:  IEEE,  2009,  pp.  60-­‐64.  

4.   FCC.  Public  Notice  DA  09-­‐2478.  FCC  News  Media.  [Online]  November  25,  2009.  [Cited:  February  18,  2011.]  
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-­‐09-­‐2478A1.pdf.  

5.     Ember.  Tips  for  FCC  certification  on  the  EM2xx  or  EM35x  chips.  Ember  FAQs.  [Online]  Ember.  [Cited:  February  
18,  2011.]  http://support.ember.com/fcc.  

 
ABOUT  THE  AUTHOR    
Ryan  Urness  is  laboratory  manager  and  a  senior  EMC  engineer  for  LS  Research.    Ryan  can  be  reached  at  
rurness@lsr.com  or  262.421.4969.