WL18xx Bluetopia PM Bluetooth RF Testing

1 Introduction

This application note is a testing guide for WL18xx Bluetopia devices. PLT tests are used at the production line after designing the board with the Wilink™8 device. This is to sanity check the board works properly and detects any major design issues and manufacturing defects.

Basic RF commands like continuous TX/RX are required as well as part of the Regulatory certification process.

The Connection-less RF tests modes are connection-less RF spectrum tests which uses a spectrum analyzer for verification.

The BT SIG RF Testmode is meant for connecting with a Bluetooth® tester where the Wilink8 device is controlled over the LMP (Link Management Protocol)

There are two ways of issuing these test commands to Wilink8 device

From a PC that runs HCITester. The commands in sections 2 to 4 are run in HCITester
On the target using either the BluetopiaPM tool SS1Tool or the Bluez tool hcitool . These commands are used the same way and section 5 shows how to run the tests. Users must run "./SS1BTPM &" before running "./SS1Tool cmd"

Note: The firmware initialization script must be run prior to any scripts. The BTS file that is part of the BT Service Pack (referenced below) is the initialization script. To use it in HCITester, it needs to be modified and converted into text format. For information on this process, follow the instructions described in the Firmware Initialization Script section of the HCITester User's Guide.

Useful Links:

Trademarks

Wilink™ is a trademark of Texas Instruments.

Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

5.1.1 Connectionless RF Tests

The Connection-less RF tests are connection-less RF spectrum tests which uses a spectrum analyzer for verification.

Note: The Wilink_X device must be power cycled when switched between different FCC modes.

5.1.1.1 Continuous TX

This is a non-packet continuous transmission with either GFSK (BR), π/4-DQPSK (2-EDR) or 8DPSK (3-EDR).

Steps and the HCI commands to put the device in the constant TX mode are:

run init script.
#set TxMode: 0x0 = un-modulated Single carrier, 0x1 = GFSK, 0x2 = EDR2, 0x3 = EDR3, 0x4 = BLE, 0x5 = ANT TxMode = 1
Send_HCI_VS_DRPb_Enable_RF_Calibration_Enhanced 0xFDFB, 0x1, 0xFF, 0x00000000, 0x01
Wait_HCI_Command_Complete_VS_DRPb_Enable_RF_Calibration_Enhanced_Event 5000, any,HCI_VS_DRPb_Enable_RF_Calibration_Enhanced, 0x00
Send_HCI_VS_DRPb_Tester_Con_TX 0xFDCA, 2402, TxMode, 0, 7, 0x00000000, 0x00000000 // For TxMode relevant value please see step2
Wait_HCI_Command_Complete_VS_DRPb_Tester_Con_TX_Event 5000, any, HCI_VS_DRPb_Tester_Con_TX, 0x00

The parameters for the HCI_VS_DRPb_Tester_Con_TX are:

Opcode
- 0xFDCA
Figure 5-3 Typical Test Setup for Continuous TX Mode
Frequency
- f=2402 ~ 2479
Modulation scheme
- 0=CW
- 1=GFSK (BR)
- 2=π/4-DQPSK (2-EDR)
- 3=8DPSK (3-EDR)
- 4=BLE
- 5=ANT
Test pattern
- 0=PN9
- 1=PN15
- 2=Z0Z0
- 3=all 1
- 4=all 0
- 5=F0F0
- 6=FF00
Power level index
- 0-7 where 0 is the lowest and 7 is the highest
Internal setting
- 0x00000000
Internal setting
- 0x00000000

The HCI commands for Stopping continuous Tx mode are:

TX Stop :

Send_HCI_VS_Write_Hardware_Register 0xFF01, 0x20014044, 0x0010
Wait_HCI_Command_Complete_VS_Write_Hardware_Register_Event 5000, any, HCI_VS_Write_Hardware_Register, 0x00

Send_HCI_VS_Write_Hardware_Register 0xFF01, 0x20014048, 0x0014
Wait_HCI_Command_Complete_VS_Write_Hardware_Register_Event 5000, any, HCI_VS_Write_Hardware_Register, 0x00

Stop PN Generator:

Send_HCI_VS_Write_Hardware_Register 0xFF01, 0x2001900C, 0x0000
Wait_HCI_Command_Complete_VS_Write_Hardware_Register_Event 5000, any, HCI_VS_Write_Hardware_Register, 0x00