Smart Bluetooth Forum Discussions

SW Tools and Drivers set up

Before testing,SW tools and drivers are needed to be installed in the computer:

• Anritsu 8852B Low Energy
  Measurement Software
• BRCM WICED-Smart-SDK-2. 1 or above version
• NV GPIB USB Driver

Instruments configuration

Main equipment:

• Anritsu
  MT8852B
• Power Supply AgilentE3631 or other(Output Voltage
  3.6V~4.2V)
• Notebook or PC

Other accessory：

• GPIB to USB convertor cable NI488.2
• Micro USB cable

MT8852B                                                                                       

E3631

 
GPIB-USB-HS                                              

RF cable

Setup Preparation Procedures

First connect 2073x TAG EVB board and computer with USB cable. Second, configure the BCM2073X to run in the HCI mode, and make sure all the switches on the board are on the correct position. Check USB COM port in device manager, two ports will be found as the following diagram, the com port would be used in the next testing procedures.

Connecting EVB board to Anristu MT8852B with RF cable, and make sure the cable to be well
connected with devices, otherwise  RF performance
will be greatly affected.

Next, we will use MBT tool to do the test. MBT is a manufacturing Bluetooth test tool and used for
the RF performance test of the BCM2073x family of SoC. Each test sends an HCI
command to the device and then waits for an HCI Command Complete event from the
device, MBT tool will be installed together as BRCM WICED-Smart-SDK-2. 1  or above version installed in the computer.

Reset Test

To run the test,we need open CMD window, find WICED-Smart-SDK-2. 1 set up path where MBT is located, inputting the commands below: mbt reset comx. Here in the example, com port is 21, we will input com21 directly, same in the later chapter. If the below response message given, then everything is ok, we can go on to do the next testing.

This test verifies whether the device is correctly configured and verifies whether the device can enter into testing mode normally.

TX Testing

We will use MBT LE transmitter test to configure the testing device to send test packets at a fixed interval. Extenal test equipment may be used to receive and analyze the reference packets, here we will use Anritsu MT8852B for the example.

Input the commands of mbt le_transmitter_test com21 0 37 0, the below result showing.The testing device is in TX running testing mode now.

Attention please: command of mbt le_transmitter_test com21 0 37 0 comes from mbt le_transmitter_test  comx  tx_channel  data_length  packet_payload, has the following meaning:

Tx_channel=transimt frenquency minus 2402 divided by 2, the example here is 0, that is transimt frequency here is 2402 MHZ,
tx_channel=(2402-2402)/2=0.

The channle range is 0-39(2402-2480MHZ).

Data_length=0-37

Here we choose data legnth is 37

Data_pattern=0-7

0=Pseudo-random bit sequence 9

1=Pattern of alternating bits:11110000

2=Pattern of alternating bits:10101010

3=Pseduo-random bit sequence 15

4=Pattern of all 1s

5=Pattern of all 0s

6=Pattern of alternating bits:00001111

7=Pattern of alternating bits:0101

Here in the example, we choose Data_pattern=0, Pseudo-random bit sequence 9.

Next,open  MT8852B SW analyzing tool- Low Energy Measurement Software, configure the frequency and payload items  according to the modes we choosed in the above MBT command way, other configuration items refer to the below pictures. After that, click “run” button, power result will come out soon.

RX Testing

Return to the command window, input the commands of mbt le_receiver_test com21 0, the below result showing.The testing device is in RX running testing mode now.

Command of mbt le_receiver_test com21 0 comes from mbt le_ receiver_test  comx  rx_channel.

Rx_channel=receiver frequency minus
2402 divided by 2, the example here is 0, that is receiver frequency here is
2402 MHZ, here Rx_channel=(2402-2402)/2=0.

The channel range is 0-39(2402-2480MHZ).

Return to Bluetooth Low Energy Measurement Software, make the related configurations and run, receive packets will be shown on the log of Bluetool, manually calculate for PER is needed.

Testing End

Input the commands of mbt le_test_end com21, as the below picture shows:

This command stops the transmitter or receiver test that is in progress.

The number of packets received during the test is reported by the device and printed out. The value will be zero(0) if transmitter test is active. But for receiver test, the actual receiver package will be showed, which can be used to calculated receiver BER rate.

In summary, the above are all the testing procedures we need do for WICED Smart RF testing. For the testing results demand, please
refer to Bluetooth specification 4.1.