Can I use NI TestStand for testing ZigBee and Bluetooth transceivers and processors

[ethen99]

Hi , I should create , maintain snd excute  software test plans for testing low power wireless networks such as ZigBee, Bluetooth  using Python scripts and QA Methodology .The test design includes testing 

 RF transceivers, RF transmitters, RF receivers, System-on-Chips, Front Ends, ZigBee Processors, Bluetooth LE Processors, and RFID reader

I am a LabVIEW Developer and familiar with testing RF Components using NI Hardware such as PXIe system but I am new to TestStand and Python. Can I use Teststand to develop and deploy the tests for this purpose and also LabVIEW instead of Python

If it is possible could you please let me know that are the advantage and disadvantage of using LabVIEW and NI Test Stand for these kind of test design and implementation.

I greatly appercaite your help and advice on this matter .Many thanks.

[RaviShrigiri]

I have used TestStand and Labview for testing Bluetooth in the past.

Testing of other interfaces should be similar.

Few advantages of TestStand :

Integrates with Labview,C++,C# ( Visual studio)

Takes care of process task like serial number,generating different reports.

Simple to use.

If you already installed TestStand you can go through the different examples to get a better view of TestStand.

[ethen99]

Dear SunRS

many thanks for your help. It is great know haven't installed it yet. I may attend TestStand 1 training so I want to wait and install the evaluation version before the training. have you ever used Pytho. Or any other scripting language for performing these tests? if yes , how did you find  Teststand Considering that I have to pay for license .

Do you have access to your source files? I greatly appreciate if you could send me some of your source files so I can dig into it them to get more idea about Teststand for Rf test purpose

many thanks

[RaviShrigiri]

I started with TestStand so dont have much idea about other scripting language.

Sorry i no longer work for the company where i was involved in the BT testing.

We had used Unistone BT device from Infineon for the testing.You can have a look.

The base drivers were developed in Labview ( different functions like connect,send data,disconnect).

These functions were called from TestStand.

If the drivers are already present with the BT device that you will use for testing in C++ or C# then it can be called directly from TestStand.

You can also refer to few labview examples :

https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/supplemental/06/developing-bluetooth-applications-with-l...

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Interfacing-Zigbee-with-Labview-VIA-RS232/td-p/1122013

Please refer Labview forums for different interfaces.

[LaThoS]

Hi en99,

I am unsure what you mean by usign LabVIEW instead of Python - what part of the system would LabVIEW replace? Usually if you were using Python in automated test, it would be to handle the test processing, which in this case is done by TestStand.

As for advantages of TestStand over LabVIEW, the main one which SunRS mentioned is that TestStand has a test management engine, which covers result logging and passing test parameters to the various test modules, which can be written in many languages. As I mentioned above, it is Python which is commonly used to write alternative test managament engines. It is possible to write one in LabVIEW, but for good results it must be carefully architected and is typically a very time-consuming task if you want to keep it modular and use it for other applications. TestStand also has a number of built in tools which help to monitor various aspects of the test sequences, as well as provide multithreading optimisations.

I hope this helps