Methods and apparatuses for testing inductive coupling circuitry

A method comprising:

• auto-sweeping impedance-matching circuitry, the impedance-matching circuitry being configured and arranged to match an impedance of a radio frequency (RF) antenna and to communicate signals between the RF antenna and receiver circuitry that processes RF signals received via the RF antenna, by
• using a transmitter configured and arranged to transmit signals to remote devices via the RF antenna, communicating a plurality of test signals to the impedance-matching circuitry;
• detecting a characteristic of each of the test signals as passed through the impedance-matching circuitry;
• for each of the test signals generated for the auto-sweep, comparing the detected characteristic of the test signal to an expected characteristic for the test signal;
• and
• in response to the comparisons, generating an output indicative of compliance of the impedance-matching circuitry with a design specification.

An apparatus comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) antenna;
• a transmitter;
• a receiver;
• impedance-matching circuitry configured and arranged to match an impedance of the RF antenna, to communicate signals from the transmitter to the RF antenna, and to communicate RF signals received on the RF antenna to the receiver;
• testing circuitry configured and arranged with the transmitter and receiver to auto-sweep the impedance-matching circuitry by:
• operating the transmitter to transmit continuous wave test signals to the impedance-matching circuitry;
• detecting amplitude and phase of each continuous wave test signal as having passed through the impedance-matching circuitry and having been received at the receiver;
• comparing the detected amplitude and phase of each of the continuous wave test signals to expected amplitude and phase for a particular frequency at which the continuous wave test signals are transmitted;
• and
• generating and transmitting an output indicative of compliance of the impedance-matching circuitry with a design specification based on the comparison.