Apparatus, system and method for calibrating and verifying a wireless communication device

1. An apparatus for testing circuitry of a wireless communication device, comprising:

a receiver that is operative to receive at least one test packet transmitted from said wireless communication device;

a capture module that is operative to capture, for later analysis, a respective single portion only of each one of said at least one test packet;

a control module that is operative to selectively control said capture module to capture at least said portion based on a predetermined test flow; and

a device under test (DUI) that includes

a transmitter that is operative to transmit said at least one test packet, and

a second control module that is operative to periodically adjust a transmission characteristic of said transmitter from a first transmission characteristic to a second transmission characteristic based on said predetermined test flow and to control said transmitter to transmit said at least one test packet based on said predetermined test flow.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one test packet is transmitted by said wireless communication device according to said predetermined test flow.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control module selectively controls said capture module to capture at least said portion based on an expected calibration value associated with said at least one test packet.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said control module controls said capture module to capture at least said portion when said wireless communication device transmits said at least one test packet based on a calibration value that is substantially equal to said expected calibration value.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said expected calibration value is based on a plurality of values including at least one of a transmit power calibration value, an oscillator calibration value, a phase calibration value, an amplitude calibration value, an in-phase DC offset calibration value, and a quadrature DC offset calibration value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control module selectively controls said capture module to capture at least said portion based on a predetermined value of interest.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said control module controls said capture module to capture at least said portion when said wireless communication device transmits said at least one test packet based on a transmission value that corresponds with said predetermined value of interest.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said predetermined value of interest is based on at least one of a transmit power value, a data rate value, and a modulation type value.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said DUT further comprises a calibration register that is operative to store a calibration value, wherein said transmission characteristic is based on said calibration value.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said calibration value is based on a plurality of values including at least one of a transmit power calibration value, an oscillator calibration value, a phase calibration value, an amplitude calibration value, an in-phase DC offset calibration value, and a quadrature DC offset calibration value.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said transmission characteristic is based on a transmission data rate.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first and second transmission characteristics are based on at least one of a transmit power, a data rate, and a modulation type.

13. A wireless communication system in a test environment comprising:

a wireless communication device, comprising:

a transmitter that is operative to transmit at least one test packet; and

a first control module that is operative to periodically adjust a transmission characteristic of said transmitter from a first transmission characteristic to a second transmission characteristic based on a predetermined test flow and to control said transmitter to transmit said at least one test packet based on said predetermined test flow; and

further comprising:

a receiver that is operative to receive said at least one test packet;

a capture module that is operative to capture at least a portion of said at least one test packet; and

a second control module that is operative to selectively control said capture module to capture at least said portion based on said predetermined test flow.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 13 , wherein the wireless communication device further comprises a calibration register that is operative to store a calibration value, wherein said transmission characteristic is based on said calibration value.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 14 wherein said calibration value is based on a plurality of values including at least one of a transmit power calibration value, an oscillator calibration value, a phase calibration value, an amplitude calibration value, an in-phase DC offset calibration value, and a quadrature DC offset calibration value.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 13 wherein said transmission characteristic is based on a transmission data rate.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 16 wherein said first and second transmission characteristics are based on at least one of a transmit power, a data rate, and a modulation type.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said second control module selectively controls said capture module to capture at least said portion based on an expected calibration value associated with said at least one test packet.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said second control module controls said capture module to capture at least said portion when said wireless communication device transmits said at least one test packet based on a calibration value that is substantially equal to said expected calibration value.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said expected calibration value is based on a plurality of values including at least one of a transmit power calibration value, an oscillator calibration value, a phase calibration value, an amplitude calibration value, an in-phase DC offset calibration value, and a quadrature DC offset calibration value.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein said second control module selectively controls said capture module to capture at least said portion based on a predetermined value of interest.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said second control module controls said capture module to capture at least said portion when said wireless communication device transmits said at least one test packet based on a transmission value that corresponds with said predetermined value of interest.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein said predetermined value of interest is based on at least one of a transmit power value, a data rate value, and a modulation type value.

24. A method of testing circuitry of a wireless communication device, comprising:

receiving at least one test packet from said wireless communication device;

selectively capturing, for later analysis, a respective single portion only of each one of said at least one test packet based on a predetermined test flow;

transmitting said at least one test packet; and

periodically adjusting a transmission characteristic of said transmitter from a first transmission characteristic to a second transmission characteristic based on said predetermined test flow and to control said transmitting of said at least one test packet based on said predetermined test flow.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said at least one test packet is transmitted by said wireless communication device based on said predetermined test flow.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising selectively capturing at least said portion based on an expected calibration value associated with said at least one test packet.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising capturing at least said portion when said wireless communication device transmits said at least one test packet based on a calibration value that is substantially equal to said expected calibration value.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said expected calibration value is based on a plurality of values including at least one of a transmit power calibration value, an oscillator calibration value, a phase calibration value, an amplitude calibration value, an in-phase DC offset calibration value, and a quadrature DC offset calibration value.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising selectively capturing at least said portion based on a predetermined value of interest.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising capturing at least said portion when said wireless communication device transmits said at least one test packet based on a transmission value that corresponds with said predetermined value of interest.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein said predetermined value of interest is based on at least one of a transmit power value, a data rate value, and a modulation type value.

32. The method of claim 24 further comprising storing a calibration value, wherein said transmission characteristic is based on said calibration value.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said calibration value is based on a plurality of values including at least one of a transmit power calibration value, an oscillator calibration value, a phase calibration value, an amplitude calibration value, an in-phase DC offset calibration value, and a quadrature DC offset calibration value.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said transmission characteristic is based on a transmission data rate.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said first and second transmission characteristics are based on at least one of a transmit power, a data rate, and a modulation type.