How to perform RF Test with QN9020 MiniDK?

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How to perform RF Test with QN9020 MiniDK?

1,447 Views
wmtanada
Contributor I

Hello, We would like to perform RF Test on QN9020 MiniDK that we acquired for a project. 

We have already read the AN11942, UM10895, AN11814.  We tried the Test Tool 12 but QN902x is not supported.

Can we have the details on how to do this?    

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8 Replies

1,161 Views
Sebastian_Del_Rio
NXP Employee
NXP Employee

Hi William, I hope you're doing well!

 

To perform RF PHY tests for the QN9020, you can use the "controller.bin" file in the QN9020's SDK. This binary will set the device in UART HCI at 9600, N, 8, 1.

 

By configuring the device with this, you can send HCI commands to perform the necessary tests.

 

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

 

If you want to perform PER test, you can program another device, like a KW41Z or a KW36Z with the HCI Black Box, and in the Test Tool, set this other device as the tester, and the QN9020 as the tested device.

 

Best regards,

Sebastian

1,161 Views
wmtanada
Contributor I

Hello Sebastian,

Thank you so much for your reply. 

1. I was hoping to have it setup so that we could use our Rohde & Schwarz CBT tester to test it. 

    Just like what we do with our other BLE chip running Direct Test Mode

    (2wire connection, 9600, no flow-control, connected to the CBT BLE tester only,

      and the PC is controlling the CBT via R&S CBTgo Software).

2. On the project folder of the QN902x SDKv1.4, I flashed the \prj_proxr (proximity application,

     Keil MDK lite compiled).

    I was hoping the described CFG_TEST_CTRL_PIN (which I enabled) in user_config.h

    once defined will automatically enable the DIRECT TEST MODE whenever the assigned

    pin  (GPIO_P31 in this case) is connected to ground before powering the board.

3. I tested the proximity application and it worked fine.  After which, I shorted the GPIO_P31 to ground.

    so that powering-on the board will prepare it in test mode.

4. On the devkit, we removed the R36 and R35 resistors to have the BLE UART0 directly connected

    to the MAX3232 board we made (using pins for TXD,RXD,CTS,RTS)  since the CBT we use

    only supports DB-9 connection.  We ensure that the connections are correct prior to running the

    BLE Tester application (CBTgo : HCI, 9600, hardware flow-control)

5. But, it seems the CBT is not receiving any response from the QN9020 devkit.

6. I was searching the web for documentations regarding this, and found the

    QBlue Production Tool document.

    It describes the procedure (in chinese) on how to test the QN9020

    with the BLE TESTER (I'm not really sure what BLE test equipment is used).

7. On the NXP website it is the NXP BLE Production Tool (but it supports QN9080 only).

Will try your suggestion.  But, we are hoping to get the production tool software I mentioned above

for QN9020 from NXP since our project's deadline for the testing phase is almost over.

Will post again any inquiries/issues we will encounter regarding this matter.

Again, thank you very much!

Best regards,

William

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Sebastian_Del_Rio
NXP Employee
NXP Employee

Hi William,

 

The Qtool is installed alongside the QN908x's SDK, it's located inside the <C:\NXP\QN902x_SDK_1.4.0\Tools\QN902x Qtool> folder. However, when you try to launch it, it will give you an error. There's currently a workaround to this error, you have to take the two attached .dll files and put them inside the "QN902x Qtool" folder, then you should be able to open the tool.

 

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Best regards,

Sebastian

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wmtanada
Contributor I

Hello Sebastian,

I already got the QTool v4.15 working before (installed QTool v1.0 and copied the missing dll files).

I used it to test the devkit board using the simple proximity demo application (powering the board with a CR2032 battery).

QTool is a different application than the BLE Production Tool that I described in the message.  It is the software that is used for mass production.  It is used together with a BLE TESTER like the Anritsu MT8825B or QN9000.

Long before NXP acquired Quintic, they have the software (dated 2015) for the QN9020.   Now, the one that NXP has is for QN9080.  I have already requested our management to ask our supplier about this software.  If we are allowed to extend the schedule maybe we will just have to develop our own production software using our own Bluetooth Tester.

Again, thank you very much!

Best regards,

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Sebastian_Del_Rio
NXP Employee
NXP Employee

Hi William,

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best regards,

Sebastian

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1,161 Views
wmtanada
Contributor I

Hello Sebastian,

I forgot to mention, I also defined the CFG_9020_B2 and use the qn9020b2_lib_peripheral.lib in the project file when I compiled the aforementioned bin files.

William

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1,161 Views
wmtanada
Contributor I

Hello Sebastian!

We're making progress.(",).  we were able to make the controller.bin and the proxm.bin (DTM enabled) work with our test equipment!  But, this is using the development kit (QN9020).  Can  you please provide details on how to make the application work with QN9021?  It seems that simply routing UART0 to UART1, and defining CFG_QN9021_MINIDK is not enough to make it work.

Hope you could reply soon!

Again, many thanks!

Best regards,

William

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Sebastian_Del_Rio
NXP Employee
NXP Employee

Hi William,

 

I ran the test and answered your question on this other community post.

 

Please let me know if that works for you.

 

Best regards,

Sebastian

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