Method of testing bluetooth low energy devices over-the-air and testing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10707973-B2
Application number	US-201816117972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A method of testing a Bluetooth low energy device over-the-air is described, wherein a Bluetooth low energy connection is established. An enable test mode command is transmitted to the device under test. The testing is started with transmitting at least one of a test transmission command and a test receiving command. Test radio frequency test physical layer packets are transmitted in a channel to be tested. A channel switching sequence takes place. At least one of a stop transmission command and a stop receiving command is transmitted once the intended testing on the channel to be tested has been completed. Further, a testing system is described.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of testing a Bluetooth low energy device over-the-air, comprising:
establishing a Bluetooth low energy connection between a device under test and a tester;
transmitting, via the tester, an enable test mode command to the device under test to enable a test mode on the device under test;
transmitting, via the device under test, an acknowledgement signal indicating that the test mode is enabled on the device under test;
starting the testing with transmitting, via the tester, at least one of a test transmission command or a test receiving command to start a transmission testing or a receiving testing, respectively, wherein said transmission testing and/or said receiving testing relates to performing transmission and/or receiving measurements of the device under test;
transmitting, via the device under test, an acknowledgement signal in response to the test transmission command received or the test receiving command received, the acknowledgement signal indicating that at least one of the transmission testing or the receiving testing is started successfully;
transmitting, via at least one of the tester or the device under test, radio frequency test physical layer packets in a channel to be tested during a connection interval of the Bluetooth low energy connection;
changing, when the duration of the connection interval is over, the channel to a next hopping channel;
transmitting a continue command from the tester to the device under test when the testing in the channel to be tested is incomplete;
receiving from the device under test as a response to the continue command at least one of a null in the transmission testing or a receiving report in the receiving testing;
changing the channel to the channel to be tested since the continue command effecting that the Bluetooth low energy connection is maintained in the channel to be tested; and
transmitting, via the tester, at least one of a stop transmission command or a stop receiving command once the intended testing on the channel to be tested has been completed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel changing sequence is performed as often until all testing has been performed on the channel to be tested.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection interval is set when the Bluetooth low energy connection is established.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the duration of the connection interval is adjustable.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enable test mode command comprises a key to secure the testing.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the transmission testing, the device under test transmits the radio frequency test physical layer packets that are received by the tester.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the receiving testing, the tester transmits radio frequency test physical layer packets that are received by the device under test.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the channel to be tested is selected when starting the test by transmitting the respective test command.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical layer packets are transmitted in the channel to be tested repetitively in regular intervals during the connection interval.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a link layer channel map request is used so as to avoid changing to a channel already tested.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving report comprises information about at least one of the number of packets received, the number of bit errors and the number of cyclic redundancy check errors.

12. A testing system for testing a Bluetooth low energy device over-the-air, comprising a tester with at least one antenna, the testing system being configured to:
establish a Bluetooth low energy connection between a device under test and a tester;
transmit, via the tester, an enable test mode command to the device under test to enable a test mode on the device under test;
transmit, via the device under test, an acknowledgement signal indicating that the test mode is enabled on the device under test;
start the testing with transmitting, via the tester, at least one of a test transmission command or a test receiving command to start a transmission testing or a receiving testing, respectively, wherein said transmission testing and/or said receiving testing relates to performing transmission and/or receiving measurements of the device under test;
transmit, via the device under test, an acknowledgement signal in response to the test transmission command received or the test receiving command received, the acknowledgement signal indicating that at least one of the transmission testing or the receiving testing is started successfully;
transmit, via at least one of the tester or the device under test, radio frequency test physical layer packets in a channel to be tested during a connection interval of the Bluetooth low energy connection;
change, when the duration of the connection interval is over, the channel to a next hopping channel;
transmit a continue command from the tester to the device under test when the testing in the channel to be tested is incomplete;
receive from the device under test as a response to the continue command at least one of a null in the transmission testing or a receiving report in the receiving testing;
change the channel to the channel to be tested since the continue command effecting that the Bluetooth low energy connection is maintained in the channel to be tested; and
transmit via the tester at least one of a stop transmission command or a stop receiving command once the intended testing on the channel to be tested has been completed.

13. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the testing system is configured perform the channel changing sequence as often until all testing has been performed on the channel to be tested.

14. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the testing system is configured to set the connection interval when the Bluetooth low energy connection is established.

15. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the testing system is configured to adjust the duration of the connection interval.

16. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the enable test mode command comprises a key to secure the testing.

17. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein, in the transmission testing, the device under test transmits the radio frequency test physical layer packets that are received by the tester.

18. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein, in the receiving testing, the tester transmits radio frequency test physical layer packets that are received by the device under test.

19. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the testing system is configured to select the channel to be tested when starting the test by transmitting the respective test command.

20. The testing system of claim 12 , wherein the physical layer packets are transmitted in the channel to be tested repetitively in regular intervals during the connection interval.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Glover Brian

Classifications

• H04B17/191

  Over-the-air testing · CPC title

• H04B17/0085 Primary

  using test signal generators · CPC title

• H04B17/29

  Performance testing · CPC title

• H04B17/15

  Performance testing · CPC title