Re: [PATCH 1/4] dt-bindings: opp: Introduce opp-sustainable bindings

[Lukasz Luba <lukasz.luba@arm.com>]

On 10/29/20 1:49 PM, Nishanth Menon wrote:
> On 13:33-20201029, Lukasz Luba wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 10/29/20 12:59 PM, Nishanth Menon wrote:
>>> On 10:04-20201029, Lukasz Luba wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 10/28/20 9:47 PM, Nishanth Menon wrote:
>>>>> On 14:08-20201028, Lukasz Luba wrote:
>>>>>> Add opp-sustainable as an additional property in the OPP node to describe
>>>>>> the sustainable performance level of the device. This will help to
>>>>>> estimate the sustainable performance of the whole system.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Signed-off-by: Lukasz Luba <lukasz.luba@arm.com>
>>>>>> ---
>>>>>>     Documentation/devicetree/bindings/opp/opp.txt | 4 ++++
>>>>>>     1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/opp/opp.txt b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/opp/opp.txt
>>>>>> index 9847dfeeffcb..cd01028de305 100644
>>>>>> --- a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/opp/opp.txt
>>>>>> +++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/opp/opp.txt
>>>>>> @@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ Optional properties:
>>>>>>     - opp-suspend: Marks the OPP to be used during device suspend. If multiple OPPs
>>>>>>       in the table have this, the OPP with highest opp-hz will be used.
>>>>>> +- opp-sustainable: Marks the OPP as sustainable. This property can be used for
>>>>>> +  estimating sustainable performance of the whole system. If multiple OPPs in
>>>>>> +  the table have this, the OPP with highest opp-hz will be used.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> By "sustainable", do you mean sustainable across Process, Voltage and
>>>>> Temperature corners upto the max rated operational Power-ON hours
>>>>> without IDLE state being achieved on the processor?
>>>>
>>>> Yes, in case of CPU: running 100% without idle at that particular OPP.
>>>> Running above that OPP would lead to cross control temperature.
>>>
>>> We need to tighten the definitions a lot more here and add that to the
>>> binding. What we are stating, if I am not misunderstanding is an OPP
>>> that is guaranteed by SoC vendor that across Process Voltage and
>>> Temperature corners - aka across the entire production spectrum
>>> for the part number, *all* devices will operate at this OPP for the
>>> mandated power-on-hours rating without hitting IDLE.
>>>
>>> Example: So -40C to 125C, across the process (hot/cold/nominal), 100s of
>>> thousands/millions of units can operate upto 125,0000 power-on-hours
>>> while running a tight deadloop OR maybe high processing function or even
>>> cpuburn[1]?
>>
>> I think I know what you mean. But this would lead to redefining a lot
>> more that just this optional field. This wide range -40C to 125C is for
>> automotive chips, then what about opp-suspend, when the device cannot
>> even reach that OPP under some stress test e.g. outside temp
>> ~100-110C...
>> Or opp-turbo, shell all the OPPs have multidimensional table to reflect
>> the temperature dependency for all affected optional fields?
> 
> yes, and down the rabbit hole we will go :)
> 
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Can you give me one SoC vendor and part that guarantees this? I am
>>> wondering if this is all theoretical... There are tons of parameters
>>> that come into play for "reliability" "sustainability" etc. Those are
>>> tricky terminology that typically makes legal folks pretty happy to
>>> debate for decades..
>>
>> Yes, but the outside temperature is probably most important for this use
>> case.
>>
>>>
>>> just my 2 cents.
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> OR do you mean to leave it up to interpretation?
>>>>
>>>> I can tell how I would use them. There is thermal governor IPA, which
>>>> needs sustainable power either form DT or uses internal algorithm to
>>>> estimate it based on lowest allowed freq OPPs. Then it estimated
>>>> internal coefficients based on that value, which is not optimal
>>>> for lowest OPPs. When some higher OPP could be marked as sustainable,
>>>> it would lead to better estimation and better power budget split.
>>>
>>> Seeing your series, I got an idea about how you plan on using it, I
>>> just think we need to be more precise in our definition..
>>
>> Thank you for having a look on that and understanding the motivation
>> behind this series.
>>
>> How about adding a description that this sustainable OPP is considered
>> for normal room temp (20-25C)?
> 
> You could.. but then, practically as we go into smaller process nodes,
> the 20-25C reliability is just theoretical. I mean, we Texans in summer
> or Finns in winter would probably define "normal room temperature" as
> something different in practise (ISO not withstanding ;) ).. Challenge
> of reliability has always been on the edge of the PVT ranges. To ignore
> that OR to have a scheme that does not scale to describe that, IMHO is a
> lacking definition.
> 
> My entire point is, if we can avoid getting into rabbit hole
> definitions, we probably should.. IMHO.. keep things as simple as
> possible.
> 
>>
>> BTW, in the Arm SCMI spec definition of that value (used in patch 4/4),
> 
> You mean [1] Table 11 Performance Domain Levels with Special
> 	Significance

Yes, the table 11 from that SCMI doc (under link you provided).

>> there is no specific temperature for it, just:
>> 'This is the maximum performance level that the platform can
>> sustain under normal conditions. In exceptional circumstances,
>> such as thermal runaway, the platform might not be be able to
>> guarantee this level.'
>>
> 
> Hehe.. Vincent and SCMI teams have been having fun there :)... But, I
> think the definition has little practical significance for the very
> reasons I made above IMHO, and with full respect to SCMI team(defining
> SCMI is not an easy task, I admit) - it is at best a theoretical,
> "works at the engineer's cube definition", as typical "nominal
> operation conditions" escape clause tend to be, OR at the worst
> ignoring to define the parameters that constitute what would bound
> things in a closed box precisely (example: does'nt mention process, so
> just nominal OR considers all process corners - what does omission of
> that factor really mean?).
> 
> 
>> I can put this whole description into the DT binding, if you like.
> 
> Will leave it to Viresh and others to comment and guide, the terminology
> got my attention, since I almost got bit by a similar usage.. my 2 cents:
> I dont think that suffices unfortunately. what it lacks are the
> parameters of what that terminology really means,
> 
> One actual production part that demonstrates this will probably help
> guide the discussion, I guess..
> 
> /me goes back to OPP hibernation
> 
>>
> 
> [1] https://developer.arm.com/documentation/den0056/b
>