ESP32-S3&ESP32-C3

BLE DTM Test Guide

Related Product
ESP32-S3
ESP32-C3

Version 1.0

Espressif Systems

Copyright © 2022
Table of Content

1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3

1.1 Test Introduction.......................................................................................................................3

1.2 Product Introduction.................................................................................................................3

2. Test Structure........................................................................................................................................ 3

3. Preparation before Test........................................................................................................................ 4

3.1 Hardware Preparation............................................................................................................. 4

3.2 Software Preparation............................................................................................................... 5

4. DTM Test - HCI....................................................................................................................................... 5

4.1 Hardware Connection..............................................................................................................5

4.2 Test Execution.......................................................................................................................... 6

5. DTM Test - 2-wire UART........................................................................................................................7

5.1 Hardware Connection..............................................................................................................7

5.2 Test Execution.......................................................................................................................... 8

Appendix A. Bin Download................................................................................................................ 9

Appendix B. UART0 Commands Introduction................................................................................. 11

1. Introduction

1.1 Test Introduction

This guide will introduce how to conduct BLE DTM Test based on ESP32-S3&ESP32-C3
products, by using related software and equipment.

1.2 Product Introduction

Details about product can be found in data sheet, please enter espressif official website.

2. Test Structure

Figure 1. Test Structure (e.g.HCI)

DUT(Device Under test): Products based on ESP32-S3&ESP32-C3 platform, which will be

called as DUT in the rest of the article.

PC: When testing, run serial port tool on PC. PC and DUT communicate through UART, to set
configurations for different test purposes.

Signaling Tester: To test performance of DUT,e.g. Rohde&Schwarz CMW500

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3. Preparation before Test

3.1 Hardware Preparation

Name Picture Number Introduction

Used as USB -to-Serial

adapter.

DUT communicates with PC

Serial port board 2 through UART, to set test
configurations.

Used for connection

between DUT and PC.
Micro USB Cable
2

PC - 1 Run EspTestTool

Used to test BLE

performance
Test Instruments - 1
parameters.Can be other
（e.g.CMW500） instruments which can
realize same function.
- 1
RF Cable Used to transmit and
receive radio signal
between tester and DUT

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3.2 Software Preparation

Name Introduction

ft232r-usb-uart.zip Driver for USB to Serial Port(will be

downloaded automatically when serial port
board is plugged)

SecureCRT or other serial port tools DUT receives commands from PC to set up
test configurations.

EspRFTestTool_vX.X_Manual(downloaded from To configure and conduct different test modes

espressif website)

4. DTM Test - HCI

4.1 Hardware Connection

(1) UART 0

This UART is used to communication between PC and DUT. DUT receive commands from PC
to set up test configurations and download bin file. Here is the connection details:
 DUT TXD0：Connected to Serial port board TX0.

 DUT RXD0：Connected to Serial port board RX0.

 DUT GND：Connected to Serial port board GND.

 DUT 3V3：Connected to Serial port board 3V3.

(2) UART 1

HCI Serial port, used for connection between DUT and Tester. Here is the connection details:

 DUT pin IO4：Connected to Serial port board TX0.

 DUT pin IO5：Connected to Serial port board RX0.

Note: If you are not using ESP serial port board, connection may be different.(IO4 - RX0, IO5
- TX0)

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4.2 Test Execution

(1) Connect DUT with PC by UART0, and connect DUT with Tester by UART1.

(2) Open serial port tool, open the serial port of UART0 and set baud rate as 115200. After

DUT being powered on (connect RF cable between DUT and tester before electrifying DUT),

the following content will be printed on serial port interface.

Figure 2. Log of DUT entering BLE DTM mode

(3) Send following commands in sequence in command bar:

 bqb -z set_ble_tx_power -i 9

 bqb -z set_uart_param -f 0 -b 115200

 bqb -z init

After sending every command , serial port interface will print “BT: OK”, which
represents the command has taken effect. After sending the last command, the serial
port interface will show as the following:

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 Figure 3. Log of BLE DTM successfully set up

(4) Now, the BLE DTM HCI configuration is finished. You are able to conduct BLE tests by
operating the tester.

Figure 4. EUT Control Configuration on Tester - HCI

5. DTM Test - 2-wire UART

5.1 Hardware Connection

When conducting 2-wire DTM, only UART1 is necessary.

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(1) UART1

This UART is used to communication between Tester and DUT. Here is the connection details:

 DUT pin IO4：Connected to Serial port board TX0.

 DUT pin IO5：Connected to Serial port board RX0.

Note: Hardware Flow Control is disabled by default.

5.2 Test Execution

The initialization of 2-wire UART DTM function will be conducted after power on
automatically.

Figure 5. EUT Control Configuration on Tester - 2-wire UART

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Appendix A - Bin Download

1. Hardware Connection

Besides connect DUT with PC through UART0 as following, lower ESP32-S3_IO0 (For ESP32-C3,
lower IO9 and pull up IO8). Then electrify DUT. In this way , the chip will enter bin download
mode.

 DUT TXD0：Connected to Serial port board TX0.

 DUT RXD0：Connected to Serial port board RX0.

 DUT GND：Connected to Serial port board GND.

 DUT 3V3：Connected to Serial port board 3V3.

You may check serial port log to verify that chip has successfully entered bin download
mode. If chip enters bin download mode, the log will be like this:

Figure 6.Log of bin download mode

For ESP32-S3, keep IO0 floating or pull it up(for ESP32-C3, keep IO8&IO9 floating) and re-electrify
the DUT, chip will enter work mode, in which the chip realizes its functions.

2. Download bin by EspRFTestTool

You can use EspRFTestTool to download related bin. Here are the operation steps.

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(1) Select Tool - Download Tool.

(2) Choose correct Chip Type, Com Port and Baud Rate. Click Open.

(3) Choose Flash. Check the checkbox in first row. Click “ ” to select bin file.Fill in 0x0 as bin

download address.

(4) Click Start Loading.

Figure 7.Download bin using EspRFTestTool (1)

Figure 8.Download bin using EspRFTestTool (2)

When “SUCC” with yellow background appears, it means the bin has been successfully
downloaded.
Note:The download address may vary from different chip types and bin files.

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Appendix B - UART0 Commands Introduction
1. Set up BLE TX Power

Command: bqb -z set_ble_tx_power -i [Power_level_index]

Introduction: Power level index corresponds to TX power, varies from 0 ~ 15.

Power Level Index TX Power/dBm
0 -24
1 -21
2 -18
3 -15
4 -12
5 -9
6 -6
7 -3
8 0
9 3
10 6
11 9
12 12
13 15
14 18
15 21
For instance, command bqb -z set_ble_tx_power -i 9 will set BLE TX power as 3 dBm.

2. Change pin for UART1

Command: bqb -z set_uart_pin -t [TX_pin] -r [RX_pin] -q [RTS_pin] -c [CTS_pin]

Introduction: If GPIO7\GPIO4\GPIO18\GPIO10 can not be the pins for UART1, you can use

this command to configure other GPIO as the pins for UART1.

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For instance, command bqb -z set_uart_pin -t 7 -r 8 -q 9 -c 10 will set GPIO7 as UART1 TX pin,

GPIO8 as UART1 RX pin, GPIO9 as UART1 RTS pin, GPIO10 as UART1 CTS pin.

Note: If you choose not to use flow control(RTS & CTS), you still need to configure the two

pins using above command in DTM HCI test. Though, do not connect GPIOs with RTS and CTS

on the serial port board.

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