APPLICATION NOTE

A Cost-Effective Way of Testing

Bluetooth® Modules on Smart Devices
Introduction
The internet of things (IoT) will encompass all aspects of our everyday lives as it enables literally billions
of things to be connected anytime, anywhere, with anything and anyone. Consumer use of smart devices
plays an important application in IoT.

A smart device is an electronic device with ubiquitous computing capability, generally connected to other
devices or networks via different wireless protocols. Several notable types of smart devices are phones,
tablets, watches, smart bands, healthcare devices, and home security devices.

Interconnection of Smart Devices

Most smart devices use Bluetooth as the wireless protocol to interconnect with other devices or networks.
As one of the major technologies for personal area network (PAN), Bluetooth has evolved in the past a
few years from Bluetooth 4 (Low energy) to Bluetooth 5 (5.1, 5.2, and 5.3), that enable higher data rate,
longer range, as well as direction finding features: AoA (angle of arrival) and AoD (angle of departure)

Table 1. Bluetooth technology evolution

Bluetooth 1.0 Bluetooth 2.1 Bluetooth 4 Bluetooth 5

(Basic rate) (Enhanced data rate) (Low-energy) 5.1, 5.2, 5.3
Frequency range 1 2400 to 2483.5 MHz 2400 to 2483.5 MHz 2400 to 2483.5 MHz 2 2400 to 2483.5 MHz
Header: GFSK
Modulation GFSK Data: n/4-DQPSK, GFSK GFSK
8DPSK
FHSS with 1600 FHSS with 1600 FHSS with 1600 FHSS with 1600
Frequency hopping hops/s (in normal hops/s (in normal hops/s (in normal hops/s (in normal
operation) 3 operation) 3 operation) 3 operation) 3
Duplex method TDD TDD TDD TDD
Channel spacing 1 MHz 1 MHz 2 MHz 2 MHz
Data rate 1 Mbps 2 to 3 Mbps 1 Mbps 1 to 2 Mbps

1. The Bluetooth specification includes a special frequency-hopping pattern to provide provisions for compliance with national
limitations such as those in France. The frequency range for France is 2445.4 to 2483.5 MHz and the corresponding RF
channels are
f = 2454 + k MHz, K = 0, …, 22.
2. The Bluetooth low energy system uses center frequencies 2402 + k x 2 MHz (k = 0…39)
3. Hop speed may vary, depending on packet length

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Standard based Bluetooth PHY Test Cases
The Bluetooth specifications are developed and licensed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).
The Bluetooth Test Specification document contains the Test Suite Structure (TSS) and Test Purpose
(TP) to test the Bluetooth RF layer including Basic Rate, Enhanced Data Rate, Low Energy, Bluetooth 5,
5.1 and 5.3. This specification is a basis for conformance tests of Bluetooth devices, giving a high
probability of air interface inter-operability between different manufacturer’s Bluetooth devices.

Table 2 provides a list of tests with their test purpose identifiers 1 and corresponding measurement
applications for transmitter tests only.

Bluetooth transmitter test Identifier N/E/W9081EM0E Pathwave Bluetooth measurement application

Basic rate
Output power TRM/CA/01/C Transmit analysis
Tx output spectrum – 20 dB bandwidth TRM/CA/05/C Output spectrum bandwidth
Tx output spectrum – adjacent CHP TRM/CA/06/C Adjacent channel power
Modulation characteristics TRM/CA/07/C Transmit analysis
Initial carrier frequency tolerance TRM/CA/08/C Transmit analysis
Carrier frequency drift TRM/CA/09/C Transmit analysis
Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
EDR relative transmit power TRM/CA/10/C Transmit analysis
EDR carrier frequency stability and modulation accuracy TRM/CA/11/C Transmit analysis
EDR differential phase encoding TRM/CA/12/C Transmit analysis
EDR in-band spurious emissions TRM/CA/13/C EDR in-band spurious emissions
Low Energy (LE) or Ultra Low Power (ULP)
Output power at NOC TRM-LE/CA/01/C Transmit analysis
Output power at EOC TRM-LE/CA/02/C Transmit analysis
In-band emission at NOC TRM-LE/CA/03/C LE in-band emission
In-band emission at EOC TRM-LE/CA/04/C LE in-band emission
Modulation characteristics TRM-LE/CA/05/C Transmit analysis
Carrier frequency offset and drift at NOC TRM-LE/CA/06/C Transmit analysis
Carrier frequency offset and drift at EOC TRM-LE/CA/07/C Transmit analysis

1. Identifier format is: (Test)/CA/NN/C, in which

● TRM = Transmitter test
● CA = Capability test (defines the type of testing)
● NN = Test purpose number
● C = Conformance test performed on dedicated Bluetooth test system

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Testing Bluetooth devices
Most manufacturers develop smart devices with Bluetooth-certified chipsets and modules. Although the
chipset vendors and module vendors provide reference designs that guarantee the RF performance,
smart device manufacturers usually cannot leverage 100 percent of the reference design due to various
requirements of the smart devices. For example, the small footprint of a device may require a different
antenna design, or the design of a printed circuit board may cause the Bluetooth circuit to get crosstalk
from the device’s other digital and RF circuits. Therefore, smart device manufacturers need to test the
Bluetooth RF performance in both R&D and manufacturing phases, in order to make sure their products
meet the Bluetooth RF specifications.

For general purpose RF designers or system engineers, the solution for RF layer test procedure and
specifications (TSS/TP 4) is the X-series signal analyzer, and N//E/W9081EM0E Pathwave Bluetooth
measurement application for RF transmitter test. For receiver test, the solution is with a N5166B CXG
vector signal generator and N7606EMBC Pathwave signal generation software for Bluetooth.

W9081EM0E Bluetooth
signal analysis
application runs inside
the N9000B CXA signal

Figure 1. General purpose transmitter test solution for Bluetooth devices

N7606EMBC signal
studio for Bluetooth
creates and downloads
waveform files into the

N7606EMBC Signal Studio for Bluetooth

Figure 2. General purpose receiver test solution for Bluetooth devices

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A cost-effective Bluetooth Test solution
Many of the smart device manufacturers are small to medium size, and some are even start-ups. Since
Bluetooth is a mature technology, these types of manufacturers often search for low-cost RF solutions.

One cost-effective Bluetooth test solution uses the Keysight Technologies N9321C basic spectrum
analyzer (BSA).

To use this test solution, the device-under-test (DUT) is set to test mode to disable frequency hopping.
Keysight recommends measuring the three advertising channels, shown in Table 3 below.

RF center frequency Channel type Data channel index Advertising channel index

2402 MHz Advertising channel 37

2404 MHz Data channel 0
2406 MHz Data channel 1
- Data channel -
2424 MHz Data channel 10
2426 MHz Advertising channel 38
2428 MHz Data channel 11
2430 MHz Data channel 12
- Data channel -
2478 MHz Data channel 36
2480 MHz Advertising channel 39
2402 MHz Advertising channel 37

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When the DUT transmits in the advertising channels in table 3, the N9321C BSA spectrum analyzer
measures the frequency and power of the transmitted signals. The following screenshots show some
measurement results on a smart band:

Figure 3. Bluetooth pulse Figure 3. Peak search

Figure 3. Channel power Figure 3. –20 dB bandwidth

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Conclusion
There are pros and cons for this cost-effective test solution. When selecting a test solution, these
attributes should be assessed along with the alternative test techniques. The small to medium size
companies may find the N9321C-based cost-effective solution appealing for the following reasons:

• Bluetooth is a mature technology so complete Bluetooth RF test may not be necessary, especially for
production test.
• The N9321C basic spectrum analyzers costs only a fraction of a Bluetooth test set.
• In test mode, Bluetooth devices do not hop over frequencies, so it is easier to make stable power
measurement.
• This solution measures only three advertising channels to save test time.

The major limitations of this cost-effective solution are:

• It cannot measure modulation characteristics.

• The N9321C do not provide an automatic Bluetooth test application. An external computer and
custom-developed software are required for an automated test solution. However, since the N9321C
support USB, LAN, and GPIB ports, as well as SCPI programming, it is possible for customers to
develop their own test software.

For customers who needs deeper dive into Bluetooth signal analysis, the N9000B CXA signal analyzer
with W9081EM0E Bluetooth measurement application is a preferred solution.

Bluetooth and the Bluetooth logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., U.S.A. and
licensed to Keysight Technologies, Inc.

Keysight enables innovators to push the boundaries of engineering by quickly solving

design, emulation, and test challenges to create the best product experiences. Start your
innovation journey at www.keysight.com.

This information is subject to change without notice. © Keysight Technologies, 2015 – 2022,
Published in USA, November 4, 2022, 5992-1118EN