Re: Re: Hilscher NetX mach-netx refactorings

[Michael Trensch <MTrensch@hilscher.com>]

Hi all,

I am working for Hilscher and responsible with my group for linux
running on our new SoCs (netX4000 currently), due to a corporate
guideline all public mail addresses for github projects is set to
github@hilscher.com to distribute them to the proper department.

Maybe I can shed some light into this matter.

On 13.01.2019 13:14, Linus Walleij wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 12, 2019 at 1:03 PM Arnd Bergmann <arnd@arndb.de> wrote:
>> On Sat, Jan 12, 2019 at 9:35 AM Linus Walleij <linus.walleij@linaro.org> wrote:
>>
>> On a related note, there does appear to be active work on
>> newer netx machines that were never upstreamed, see
>> https://github.com/Hilscher/netx4000-linux/commits/v4.9-netx4000-stable

This work is not combatible with the mainlined netx platform, which is
netX100/500, but for a new netX SoC, called netX 4000. Currently we have
not had any plans or schedule to get it mainline yet, as we needed to
get it finished first. That does not mean we don't want it to become
mainline. This surely depends on the number of requests that arise for
this specific SoC.

More information on the netX 4000 SoC itself can be found here:
https://www.hilscher.com/products/product-groups/network-controller/asics/netx-4000/

When trying to bring it mainline, I see, at the current point, some more
work arising, as we needed to patch some mainline sources due to some
chip specialties like:
  * nbpfaxi: static-wired-dma-channels ->
https://github.com/Hilscher/netx4000-linux/commit/a3fb58c531caf0da1d8eba90171bc4a8ce2d1da3.
I don't know if such a patch is legit or if it should be more universal
  * nand specialities from a pl353 driver starting at ->
https://github.com/Hilscher/netx4000-linux/commit/f7da2b259b71439a0c6662af8697292fe2c3afda
  *  Device-tree files are currently hosted in yocto recipes
(https://github.com/Hilscher/meta-hilscher-netx4000/tree/master/files/dts)
to prevent maintenance / syncing issues on our side
  * CAN driver which is taken / ported from rza1_can ->
https://github.com/Hilscher/netx4000-linux/commit/46ca8736f44bf8000ac41717efb77f188db1f68e
https://github.com/Hilscher/netx4000-linux/commit/f08e62e0c114b5e8037e44979317f6e777671140
  * Framebuffer display driver ->
https://github.com/Hilscher/netx4000-linux/commit/ceee73345214504bf8e7c2a9124519e55e2b2b79

> That RS485 addition to PL011 using GPIOs is a bit hacky but
> looks like very useful for industrial applications.
> Ladislav, have you been in contact with Hilscher?
>
>> I wonder if anyone has contacts into the company so we can
>> work together with them to include them into mainline Linux.
>
> They have a mail address github@hilscher.com, let's knock
> on the door and see if somebody answers it :D
>
It indeed is hacky, and derived from a patch found on the mailing list /
patchwork to get it quickly working for one of our customers, who is not
using any delays at all.
As already stated somewhere, the problem indeed is the missing modem
control signals, due to pin count limitations and lack of more pin
function multiplexers, on some uarts on this chip. That's why they need
to be emulated via GPIOs. More or less, when it comes to delays the
PL011s modem control line would need to be set manually as well.

> I'd personally be able to take a stab at converting this machine
> to device tree and multiplatform if I only had access to the
> hardware, as it seems to be in the same class as EP93xx
> and MOXA ART: deployed in industrial systems as we speak.
>

The netX4000 platform is only built using a device tree. The device tree
files were sometime ago moved out of the kernel into our yocto layer to
reduce maintenance and have a single location. I know this conflicts
with mainlining.
I don't know what needs additionally to be done for working
multiplatform support.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Michael Trensch
--
Michael Trensch | netX System
Phone: +49 (0) 6190 9907-0 | Fax: +49 (0) 6190 9907-50

Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation mbH   |  Rheinstrasse 15  |  65795 Hattersheim  |  Germany  |  www.hilscher.com<http://www.hilscher.com>
Sitz der Gesellschaft / place of business: Hattersheim  |  Geschäftsführer / managing director: Dipl.-Ing. Hans-Jürgen Hilscher
Handelsregister / commercial register: Frankfurt B 26873  |  Ust. Idnr. / VAT No.: DE113852715
Registergericht / register court: Amtsgericht Frankfurt/Main

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