Method for testing a low power radio frequency (RF) data packet signal transceiver

• US 9,749,065 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LitePoint Corporation (Teradyne Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LitePoint Corporation (Teradyne Incorporated)
• Inventors: Olgaard, Christian Volf, Wang, Ruizu, Liu, Ke, Peng, Fei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US14/852,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/14 of the whole transmission and reception path, e.g. self-test loop-back
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Method for testing a radio frequency (RF) data packet signal transceiver device under test (DUT) including communicating via at least one of multiple available signal channels. Data packets exchanged between a tester and DUT as a normal part of a communication link initiation sequence are selectively exchanged and suppressed to enable testing of the DUT without requiring inclusion of special drivers within the DUT, special test software within the tester or establishment of a synchronized communication link between the tester and DUT. For example, in the case of a Bluetooth low energy transceiver, advertisement, scan request and scan response data packets can be used in such manner.

Claims

1. A method for testing a radio frequency (RF) data packet signal transceiver device under test (DUT) including communicating via at least one of a plurality of signal channels, comprising:

receiving, with a tester via one of said plurality of signal channels, a link initiation data packet from said DUT;

transmitting, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a tester response data packet responsive to said link initiation data packet;

receiving, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a DUT response data packet responsive to said tester response data packet;

refraining, with said tester, from transmitting via said one of said plurality of signal channels another tester response data packet responsive to said received DUT response data packet; and

repeating

receiving, with said tester via one of said plurality of signal channels, another link initiation data packet from said DUT, and

transmitting, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, another tester response data packet responsive to said another link initiation data packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said repeating results in said receiving and transmitting, with said tester, via at least first and second ones of said plurality of signal channels.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said DUT comprises a Bluetooth low energy device;

said link initiation data packet comprises an advertisement data packet;

said tester response data packet comprises a scan request data packet; and

said DUT response data packet comprises a scan response data packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said transmitting, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, said tester response data packet responsive to said link initiation data packet comprises transmitting said tester response data packet with a first signal power; and

said repeating of transmitting, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, said another tester response data packet responsive to said another link initiation data packet comprises transmitting said another tester response data packet with a second signal power less than said first signal power.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said DUT response data packet includes a plurality of signal characteristics, and further comprising analyzing, with said tester, at least one of said plurality of signal characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said receiving, with said DUT via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a tester response data packet responsive to said link initiation data packet comprises receiving said tester response data packet with a first signal power; and

said repeating of receiving, with said DUT via said one of said plurality of signal channels, another tester response data packet responsive to another link initiation data packet comprises receiving said another tester response data packet with a second signal power less than said first signal power.

6. A method for testing a radio frequency (RF) data packet signal transceiver device under test (DUT) including communicating via at least one of a plurality of signal channels, comprising:

transmitting, with said DUT via one of said plurality of signal channels, a link initiation data packet;

receiving, with said DUT via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a tester response data packet responsive to said link initiation data packet;

transmitting, with said DUT via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a DUT response data packet responsive to said tester response data packet;

failing, with said DUT, to receive via said one of said plurality of signal channels another tester response data packet responsive to said transmitted DUT response data packet; and

repeating

transmitting, with said DUT via one of said plurality of signal channels, another link initiation data packet, and

receiving, with said DUT via said one of said plurality of signal channels, another tester response data packet responsive to said another link initiation data packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said repeating results in said transmitting and receiving, with said DUT, via at least first and second ones of said plurality of signal channels.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

said DUT comprises a Bluetooth low energy device;

said link initiation data packet comprises an advertisement data packet;

said tester response data packet comprises a scan request data packet; and

said DUT response data packet comprises a scan response data packet.

10. A method for testing a radio frequency (RF) data packet signal transceiver device under test (DUT) including communicating via at least one of a plurality of signal channels, comprising:

transmitting, with said DUT via one of said plurality of signal channels, a link initiation data packet;

receiving, with a tester, said link initiation data packet and in response thereto transmitting, via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a tester response data packet;

receiving, with said DUT, said tester response data packet and in response thereto transmitting, via said one of said plurality of signal channels, a DUT response data packet;

receiving, with said tester, said DUT response data packet and in response thereto refraining from transmitting via said one of said plurality of signal channels another tester response data packet; and

repeating

transmitting, with said DUT via one of said plurality of signal channels, a link initiation data packet,

receiving, with said tester, another link initiation data packet, and in response thereto transmitting, via said one of said plurality of signal channels, another tester response data packet, and

receiving, with said DUT, said another tester response data packet and in response thereto transmitting, via said one of said plurality of signal channels, another DUT response data packet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said repeating results in said transmitting, with said DUT and said tester, via at least first and second ones of said plurality of signal channels.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said repeating results in said transmitting, with said DUT, via at least first and second ones of said plurality of signal channels.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said DUT comprises a Bluetooth low energy device;

said link initiation data packet comprises an advertisement data packet;

said tester response data packet comprises a scan request data packet; and

said DUT response data packet comprises a scan response data packet.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said transmitting, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, said tester response data packet comprises transmitting said tester response data packet with a first signal power; and

said repeating of transmitting, with said tester via said one of said plurality of signal channels, said another tester response data packet comprises transmitting said another tester response data packet with a second signal power less than said first signal power.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said receiving, with said DUT, said tester response data packet comprises receiving said tester response data packet with a first signal power; and

said repeating of receiving, with said DUT, said another tester response data packet comprises receiving said another tester response data packet with a second signal power less than said first signal power.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said DUT response data packet includes a plurality of signal characteristics, and further comprising analyzing, with said tester, at least one of said plurality of signal characteristics.