Re: [RFC v2 01/11] Documentation: Add HTE subsystem guide

[Dipen Patel <dipenp@nvidia.com>]

Hi Randy,

Thanks for the comments, will implement all your suggestions in RFC V3.

On 10/1/21 5:18 PM, Randy Dunlap wrote:
> On 9/30/21 4:26 PM, Dipen Patel wrote:
>> Adding hte document which can help understand various APIs implemented
>> in HTE framework for the HTE producers and the consumers.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Dipen Patel <dipenp@nvidia.com>
>> ---
>> Changes in v2:
>> - Removed explanation, instead added kernel-doc references.
>>
>>   Documentation/hte/hte.rst | 83 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>   1 file changed, 83 insertions(+)
>>   create mode 100644 Documentation/hte/hte.rst
>>
>> diff --git a/Documentation/hte/hte.rst b/Documentation/hte/hte.rst
>> new file mode 100644
>> index 000000000000..c9b1badae601
>> --- /dev/null
>> +++ b/Documentation/hte/hte.rst
>> @@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
>> +============================================
>> +The Linux Hardware Timestamping Engine (HTE)
>> +============================================
>> +
>> +:Author: Dipen Patel
>> +
>> +Introduction
>> +------------
>> +
>> +Certain devices have built in hardware timestamping engines which can
>> +monitor sets of system signals, lines, buses etc... in realtime for state
>> +change; upon detecting the change they can automatically store the timestamp at
>> +the moment of occurrence. Such functionality may help achieve better accuracy
>> +in obtaining timestamp than using software counterparts i.e. ktime and friends.
>
>                 timestamps
>
>> +
>> +This document describes the API that can be used by hardware timestamping
>> +engine provider and consumer drivers that want to use the hardware timestamping
>> +engine (HTE) framework. Both consumers and providers must
>> +#include <linux/hte.h>.
>> +
>> +The HTE framework APIs for the providers
>> +----------------------------------------
>> +
>> +.. kernel-doc:: drivers/hte/hte.c
>> +   :functions: devm_hte_register_chip hte_push_ts_ns
>> +
>> +The HTE framework APIs for the consumers
>> +----------------------------------------
>> +
>> +.. kernel-doc:: drivers/hte/hte.c
>> +   :functions: devm_of_hte_request_ts hte_req_ts_by_hte_name hte_release_ts hte_enable_ts hte_disable_ts hte_get_clk_src_info
>> +
>> +The HTE framework public structures
>> +-----------------------------------
>> +.. kernel-doc:: include/linux/hte.h
>> +
>> +
>> +More on the HTE timestamp data
>> +------------------------------
>> +The struct hte_ts_data is used to pass timestamp details between the consumers
>> +and the providers. It expresses timestamp data in nano second in u64 data
>
>                                                      nanosesconds
>                                              possibly:           in a __u64 data
>
>> +type. For now all the HTE APIs using struct hte_ts_data requires tsc to be in
>
>                                                            require tsc to be in
>
>> +nano seconds. An example of the typical hte_ts_data data life cycle, for the
>
>    nanoseconds.
>
>> +GPIO line is as follows::
>> +
>> + - Monitors GPIO line change.
>> + - Detects the state change on GPIO line.
>> + - Converts timestamps in nano seconds and stores it in tsc.
>
>                              nanoseconds
>
>> + - Stores GPIO direction in dir variable if the provider has that hardware
>> + capability.
>> + - Pushes this hte_ts_data object to HTE subsystem.
>> + - HTE subsystem increments seq counter and invokes consumer provided callback.
>> + Based on callback return value, the HTE starts kernel thread and invokes
>
>                                             starts a kernel thread
>
>> + secondary callback in the thread context.
>> +
>> +HTE subsystem debugfs attributes
>> +--------------------------------
>> +HTE subsystem creates debugfs attributes at ``/sys/kernel/debug/hte/``.
>> +It also creates line/signal related debugfs attributes at
>
>                         signal-related
>
>> +``/sys/kernel/debug/hte/<provider>/<label or line id>/``.
>> +
>> +`ts_requested`
>> +        The total number of entities requested from the given provider,
>> +        where entity is the provider specific and could represent
>
>                      is specified by the provider and could
> (just guessing here; I could not parse it.)
>
>> +        lines, GPIO, chip signals, buses etc...
>> +                The attribute will be availble at
>
>                                  available
>
>> +        ``/sys/kernel/debug/hte/<provider>/``.
>> +
>> +        Read only value
>
>         Read-only value
>
>> +
>> +`total_ts`
>> +        The total number of entities supported by the provider.
>> +                The attribute will be availble at
>
>                                  available
>
>> +        ``/sys/kernel/debug/hte/<provider>/``.
>> +
>> +        Read only value
>
>         Read-only value
>
>> +
>> +`dropped_timestamps`
>> +        The dropped timestamps for a given line.
>> +                The attribute will be availble at
>
>                                  available
>
>> +        ``/sys/kernel/debug/hte/<provider>/<label or line id>/``.
>> +
>> +        Read only value
>
>         Read-only value
>>
>
>