Rohde & Schwarz will present the world’s first Bluetooth LE signalling test solution at the Bluetooth World 2018 in Santa Clara, California, on September 18 and 19.

Telecom engineers can use the R&S CMW270 test platform with signaling test functionality for Bluetooth Low Energy from the global provider of telecom testing solutions for signaling RF tests under realistic conditions.

The R&S CMW test platform from Rohde & Schwarz will assist engineers at manufacturers of Bluetooth Low Energy components to reduce risks in conducting advance testing modules and sensors in compliance with the standard.

These devices often have no port or interface to connect to a control line for testing them in direct test mode (DTM) as stipulated by the Bluetooth LE standard. The R&S CMW test platform from Rohde & Schwarz now enables over-the-air (OTA) tests as well as conducted measurements on these devices.

The latest testing solution assumes significance because Bluetooth Low Energy has emerged as a major transmission technology for the internet of things (IoT). When drafting the BLE test specifications in 2010, Bluetooth SIG specified a direct test mode (DTM, non-signaling) but did not specify an OTA signaling test mode.

DTM requires a dedicated control line to be connected to the device under test. The control line does not allow RF tests under realistic conditions since the measured RF characteristics are distorted compared with a realistic test.

Engineers are considering testing BLE components in direct test mode at the board level during development as a complicated task. Engineers are facing difficulties to carry out DTM RF tests in production and for OTA applications, e.g. in shielded chambers.

Telecom engineers will gain as they can use the BLE signaling test solution to determine the RF characteristics of a Bluetooth LE device via a Bluetooth OTA link or over a wired connection to the antenna. Users can measure the level, modulation and receiver characteristics of individual or all data channels for frequency-hopping transmissions, which are typical of Bluetooth.

Rohde & Schwarz also offers an advertiser testing option for its R&S CMW test platform to measure the RF parameters of advertiser channels. The BLE signaling functionality enhances the BLE direct test mode and the BLE advertiser mode.

Engineers can use the latest capabilities to solve complex measurement tasks in development, production and for OTA applications. R&S CMW enables users to select among three BLE RF test modes to match their respective applications.