Method for testing wireless devices using predefined test segments initiated by over-the-air signal characteristics

1. A method of testing a packet data signal transceiver via its packet data signal interface, comprising:

establishing a packet data signal communication channel between a packet data signal tester and a packet data signal transceiver for conveying a plurality of packet data signals between said packet data signal tester and packet data signal transceiver;

transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals, wherein said one or more test packet data signals have one or more respective pluralities of packet data signal characteristics; and

receiving, with said packet data signal tester from said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals responsive to said one or more respective pluralities of packet data signal characteristics, other than and without interpreting packet data signal content, of said one or more test packet data signals, wherein said one or more test packet data signals and said one or more response packet data signals contain mutually distinct packet data signal content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said establishing a packet data signal communication channel between a packet data signal tester and a packet data signal transceiver comprises synchronizing said packet data signal tester and packet data signal transceiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said establishing a packet data signal communication channel between a packet data signal tester and a packet data signal transceiver comprises:

synchronizing said packet data signal tester and packet data signal transceiver; and

transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more command packet data signals related to said one or more test packet data signals and said one or more response packet data signals.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said one or more respective pluralities of packet data signal characteristics include one or more of data rate, data channel frequency, signal modulation type, signal power level and data packet length.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises transmitting a test packet data signal; and

receiving, with said packet data signal tester from said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals responsive to said one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a response packet data signal responsive to said test packet data signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises transmitting a test packet data signal; and

receiving, with said packet data signal tester from said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals responsive to said one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a plurality of response packet data signals responsive to said test packet data signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises transmitting a plurality of test packet data signals; and

receiving, with said packet data signal tester from said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals responsive to said one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a response packet data signal responsive to said plurality of test packet data signals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises transmitting a plurality of test packet data signals; and

receiving, with said packet data signal tester from said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals responsive to said one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a plurality of response packet data signals responsive to said plurality of test packet data signals.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises transmitting said one or more test packet data signals via a first one or more signal frequencies; and

receiving, with said packet data signal tester from said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals responsive to said one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving said one or more response packet data signals via a second one or more signal frequencies.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, in said packet data signal transceiver, a plurality of data indicative of each one of said one or more response packet data signals to be transmitted, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, responsive to a corresponding one or more of said one or more test packet data signals.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing, in said packet data signal transceiver, a plurality of data as a plurality of indices in a lookup table indicative of each one of said one or more response packet data signals to be transmitted, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, responsive to a corresponding one or more of said one or more test packet data signals.

12. A method of testing a packet data signal transceiver via its packet data signal interface, comprising:

establishing a packet data signal communication channel between a packet data signal tester and a packet data signal transceiver for conveying a plurality of packet data signals between said packet data signal tester and packet data signal transceiver;

receiving, with said packet data signal transceiver from said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals, wherein said one or more test packet data signals have one or more respective pluralities of packet data signal characteristics; and

transmitting, responsive to said one or more respective pluralities of packet data signal characteristics, other than and without interpreting packet data signal content, of said one or more test packet data signals, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals, wherein said one or more test packet data signals and said one or more response packet data signals contain mutually distinct packet data signal content.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said establishing a packet data signal communication channel between a packet data signal tester and a packet data signal transceiver comprises synchronizing said packet data signal tester and packet data signal transceiver.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said establishing a packet data signal communication channel between a packet data signal tester and a packet data signal transceiver comprises:

synchronizing said packet data signal tester and packet data signal transceiver; and

transmitting, with said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more command packet data signals related to said one or more test packet data signals and said one or more response packet data signals.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said one or more respective pluralities of packet data signal characteristics include one or more of data rate, data channel frequency, signal modulation type, signal power level and data packet length.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

said receiving, with said packet data signal transceiver from said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a test packet data signal; and

said transmitting, responsive to said one or more test packet data signals, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals comprises transmitting a response packet data signal responsive to said test packet data signal.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

said receiving, with said packet data signal transceiver from said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a test packet data signal; and

said transmitting, responsive to said one or more test packet data signals, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals comprises transmitting a plurality of response packet data signals responsive to said test packet data signal.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

said receiving, with said packet data signal transceiver from said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a plurality of test packet data signals; and

said transmitting, responsive to said one or more test packet data signals, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals comprises transmitting a response packet data signal responsive to said plurality of test packet data signals.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

said receiving, with said packet data signal transceiver from said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving a plurality of test packet data signals; and

said transmitting, responsive to said one or more test packet data signals, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals comprises transmitting a plurality of response packet data signals responsive to said plurality of test packet data signals.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

said receiving, with said packet data signal transceiver from said packet data signal tester via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more test packet data signals comprises receiving said one or more test packet data signals via a first one or more signal frequencies; and

said transmitting, responsive to said one or more test packet data signals, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, one or more response packet data signals comprises transmitting said one or more response packet data signals via a second one or more signal frequencies.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising storing, in said packet data signal transceiver, a plurality of data indicative of each one of said one or more response packet data signals to be transmitted, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, responsive to a corresponding one or more of said one or more test packet data signals.

22. The method of claim 12 , further comprising storing, in said packet data signal transceiver, a plurality of data as a plurality of indices in a lookup table indicative of each one of said one or more response packet data signals to be transmitted, with said packet data signal transceiver via said packet data signal communication channel, responsive to a corresponding one or more of said one or more test packet data signals.