Method for Controlling Block Error Rate (BLER) Testing of a Cellular Communication Device for a System Having a Fixed Number of BLER Data Packets

1 . A method for testing a data packet signal transceiver device under test (DUT), comprising:

transmitting, from a tester to a DUT, a plurality of sequences of downlink (DL) data packets, wherein each of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets includes a packet identifier with either a first state or a second state;

transmitting, from said DUT to said tester, a plurality of sequences of uplink (UL) data packets;

counting of DL data packets received by said DUT that have packet identifiers only with said second state, wherein

during each of at least first and second ones of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets,

each one of earlier DL data packets includes a packet identifier with the first state,

each one of later DL data packets includes a packet identifier with the second state, and

during a third one of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets that is temporally between said first and second ones of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets, each one of said DL data packets includes a packet identifier with said first state; and

following at least said first, second and third ones of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets, determining an accumulated count of DL data packets received by said DUT that had packet identifiers only with said second state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said packet identifier comprises a new data indicator (NDI).

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing said final accumulated count of DL data packets with a known number.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

during each of said first and second ones of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets, each of said DL data packets has a DL power lower than a predetermined power; and

during said third one of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets, each of said DL data packets has a DL power higher than said predetermined power.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of sequences of UL data packets has a respective final power following a transition from a prior power.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein, during each of said first and second ones of said plurality of sequences of DL data packets, said earlier DL data packets include packet identifiers with said first state during at least a portion of said transition from a prior power.