Hi,

Some applications require to start watchdog before userspace software. 
This patch enables such feature. Only WATCHDOG_KERNEL_PING flag is 
necessary to enable it (attached example for stmp3xxx_rtc_wdt.c). 
Moreover kernel's ping is re-enabled when userspace software closed 
watchdog using the magic character. The features improves kernel's 
reliable if hardware watchdog is available.
* Can you comment the proposed patch?
* Shoud dynamic or static timer_list be used (small structure...)?
* I also added wdd->ops->ref/unref calls but I'm afraid that even 
original code is buggy in watchdog_dev.c. Is any driver that uses the 
pointers? In my opinion watchdog_open() should call wdd->ops->ref() 
before watchdog_start() and watchdog_release() should call  
wdd->ops->unref() before module_put(). Otherwise fault is possible if 
watchdog module is unloaded.
* I noticed that current watchdog core does not support suspend/resume 
case. If you want to use suspend without the patch you need to close a 
watchdog in userspace using the magic character before suspend command. 
With the patch you must to use WDIOC_SETOPTIONS ioctl and 
WDIOS_DISABLECARD/WDIOS_ENABLECARD. Is there any other method to suspend 
with watchdog?

best regards
Janusz Uzycki