Instrument Combines Bluetooth RF, Interoperability Testing

May 26, 2003

The R4870 is the first single instrument that performs both RF and interoperability tests in accordance with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) specifications. A proprietary WMT architecture allows the R4870 to be used during R&D and manufacturing to test a Bluetooth product's RF characteristics plus its interoperability with other Bluetooth-enabled products. The instrument tests output power, power control, modulation characteristics, initial carrier-frequency tolerance, and receiver sensitivity. It can also automatically start testing Bluetooth modules via its embedded Host Control Interface (HCI) and performs tests using a "dirty" transmitter signal, which is an irregularly modulated signal used to test a product's receiver characteristics.

The R4870 has frequency and level resolutions of 1 kHz and 1 dB, respectively, when conducting transmitter tests from 2402 to 2480 MHz. For receiver tests, it covers the 300-Hz to 300-kHz frequency range and has a power measurement range of −15 to + 23 dBm (Channel 1). It costs $24,800.

Advantest America Measuring Solutionswww.advantest.com (732) 346-2600

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About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.