Frequency Ranges and Radio Licensing Regulations - RFID: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards and Identification - page 177

wide variety of applications, for example cordless telephones, biometry and telemetry
transmitters, on-campus radio stations, toy remote controls and door openers for cars.
Inductively coupled or backscatter RFID systems are not explicitly mentioned in the
FCC regulation, but they automatically fall under its scope due to their transmission
frequencies, which are typically in the ISM bands, and their low transmission power.
Table 5.16 lists the frequency ranges that are important for RFID systems. In all
other frequency ranges the permissible limit values for spurious radiation given in
Table 5.17 apply to RFID systems. It should be noted here that, unlike the European
licensing regulation ETS 300 330, the maximum permissible field strength of a reader is
principally defined by the electrical field strength E . The measuring distance is selected
such that a measurement is made in the far field of the generated field. This also applies
for inductively coupled RFID systems in the frequency range below 30MHz, which
primarily generate a magnetic high frequency field.

5.4.2 Future development: USA-Japan-Europe

The USA and Japan are currently planning to adapt their national regulations for RFID
systems to 13.56MHz, and to the values permitted in Europe in accordance with REC
70-03. At the time of preparation of this topic a final decision had not been taken on

Table 5.16 Permissible field strengths for RFID systems in accordance with FCC Part 15

Frequency range (MHz) Max. E field Measuring distance

(m)

Section

1.705-10.000 100 µ V/m 30 15.223

13.553-13.567 10mV/m 30 15.225

26.960-27.280 10mV/m 30 15.227

40.660-40.700 1mV/m 3 15.229

49.820-49.900 10mV/m 3 15.235

902.0-928.0 50mV/m 3 15.249

2435-2465 50mV/m 3 15.249

5785-5815 50mV/m 3 15.249

24075-24175 250mV/m 3 15.249

Table 5.17 Permissible interference field strength in all other frequency ranges in
accordance with FCC Part 15, Section 15.209

Frequency range (MHz) Maximum E field Measuring distance

(m)

0.009-0.490 2400/f µ V/m 300

0.490-1.705 24/f mV/m 30

1.705-30.00 30 µ V/m 30

30.00-88.00 100 µ V/m 3

88.00-216 150 µ V/m 3

216-960 200 µ V/m 3

> 960 500 µ V/m 3