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| author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-30 09:22:00 -0700 |
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| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-30 09:22:00 -0700 |
| commit | 034dd340b08be1f2f0477ad16131d609f9dbd53c (patch) | |
| tree | 2536f4b2d7893ccd916b5abdf3c454ad6edc03c2 /Documentation/driver-api/generic-counter.rst | |
| download | linux-stable-034dd340b08be1f2f0477ad16131d609f9dbd53c.tar.gz linux-stable-034dd340b08be1f2f0477ad16131d609f9dbd53c.zip | |
Merge tag 'trace-v7.3-2' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/trace/linux-tracegrafted
Pull tracing fixes from Steven Rostedt:
- Fix error output of boot instance creation failure
Currently if a boot instance creation fails, instead of printing out
the name of the instance that failed, it prints "(null)". That is
because it prints "cur_str" that had already been processed by
strsep(). Print the saved name instead.
While at it, print the error code of the failure.
- Fix use-after-free for same named historgrams
Histograms can be named so that they can be used in multiple events.
But if the named histogram has a variable attached, the second event
that uses the named histogram which duplicates it and needs to free
the original after duplication leaves the old variable in place and
still visible. If another histogram uses than variable, it will use
the stale one which will try to reference the freed duplicate
histogram and crash the kernel.
Free the duplicate variables along with the duplicated histogram
data.
- Check return value of kthread_run() in event self test
The events self tests uses a kthread for testing but does not check
if it succeeded in creating a kthread. If the kthread creation were
to fail, the code will still try to call kthread_stop() on the error
returned.
- Fix race between reading trace_pipe and updating subbuffer size
If a user is reading the trace_pipe file at the same time they update
the ring buffer sub-buffer size, can cause the trace_pipe read to
read stale data. Add trace_access_lock() around updating the ring
buffer sub-buffer size.
- Fix eventfs_inode on failure path in creation of the events directory
In the creation of the "events" directory, if after allocating the
eventfs_inode a failure is detected, it calls cleanup_ei() which
calls free_ei(). The free_ei() will test if eventfs_inode being freed
has no children. It is a bug if it does. But on the failure case of
the creation of the "events" directory, the children lists have not
yet been initialized and the free will trigger a warning because
list_empty() on an uninitialized list returns false.
Move the initialization into init_ei() where it makes more sense and
makes sure that a created eventfs_inode has its lists initialized
upon creation.
- Check return value of kthread_run() in ftrace direct sample code
The sample code that shows how to use the ftrace direct calls does
not test the return of kthread_run() to see if it succeeds. Return a
failure if the kthread_run() doesn't succeed.
- Clear user events state on fork in case of alloc failure
On fork, the child gets a pointer to the parent's user events state.
It makes a copy of it then updates the child's pointer to it. But if
the allocation fails, the duplication function leaves the child with
a pointer to its parent's descriptor. When the child cleans up its
data, it will free the parent's descriptor while the parent is still
using it.
In the duplication function, set the child's user_event_mm to NULL
before testing if the allocation succeeded, and when it exits it will
not free the parent's descriptor.
- Fix retry exhaustion in simple ring buffer reader swap
simple_ring_buffer_swap_reader_page() starts with retry set to 8 and
post-decrements it only after a failed link replacement. On the final
attempt, a successful replacement leaves retry at zero, while a
failed replacement leaves it at -1.
But the check for success expects the retry value to be non-zero and
exits with an error on zero. This is the opposite result. Fix it.
- Fail nicely when the remote swap_reader_page() returns an error
Currently, if the swap_reader_page() of a remote buffer fails, it
triggers a WARN_ON_ONCE() and continues normally. Instead, have it
exit with an error and a pr_warn() print instead of a full WARNING.
* tag 'trace-v7.3-2' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/trace/linux-trace:
ring-buffer: Stop remote reader update when page swap fails
tracing: Fix retry exhaustion in simple ring buffer reader swap
tracing/user_events: Clear copied tracing state before fork duplication
samples/ftrace: Fix kthread_stop() on ERR_PTR in ftrace-direct-multi-modify
samples/ftrace: Fix kthread_stop() on ERR_PTR in ftrace-direct-modify
eventfs: Initialize ei->children and ei->list in init_ei()
tracing: Fix use-after-free in trace_pipe read on sub-buffer order change
tracing: Fix crash passing ERR_PTR to kthread_stop()
tracing: Fix use-after-free with same-name named triggers
tracing: Fix logged instance name on creation failure
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/driver-api/generic-counter.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/driver-api/generic-counter.rst | 573 |
1 files changed, 573 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/driver-api/generic-counter.rst b/Documentation/driver-api/generic-counter.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000..e826f16ea --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/driver-api/generic-counter.rst @@ -0,0 +1,573 @@ +.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 + +========================= +Generic Counter Interface +========================= + +Introduction +============ + +Counter devices are prevalent among a diverse spectrum of industries. +The ubiquitous presence of these devices necessitates a common interface +and standard of interaction and exposure. This driver API attempts to +resolve the issue of duplicate code found among existing counter device +drivers by introducing a generic counter interface for consumption. The +Generic Counter interface enables drivers to support and expose a common +set of components and functionality present in counter devices. + +Theory +====== + +Counter devices can vary greatly in design, but regardless of whether +some devices are quadrature encoder counters or tally counters, all +counter devices consist of a core set of components. This core set of +components, shared by all counter devices, is what forms the essence of +the Generic Counter interface. + +There are three core components to a counter: + +* Signal: + Stream of data to be evaluated by the counter. + +* Synapse: + Association of a Signal, and evaluation trigger, with a Count. + +* Count: + Accumulation of the effects of connected Synapses. + +SIGNAL +------ +A Signal represents a stream of data. This is the input data that is +evaluated by the counter to determine the count data; e.g. a quadrature +signal output line of a rotary encoder. Not all counter devices provide +user access to the Signal data, so exposure is optional for drivers. + +When the Signal data is available for user access, the Generic Counter +interface provides the following available signal values: + +* SIGNAL_LOW: + Signal line is in a low state. + +* SIGNAL_HIGH: + Signal line is in a high state. + +A Signal may be associated with one or more Counts. + +SYNAPSE +------- +A Synapse represents the association of a Signal with a Count. Signal +data affects respective Count data, and the Synapse represents this +relationship. + +The Synapse action mode specifies the Signal data condition that +triggers the respective Count's count function evaluation to update the +count data. The Generic Counter interface provides the following +available action modes: + +* None: + Signal does not trigger the count function. In Pulse-Direction count + function mode, this Signal is evaluated as Direction. + +* Rising Edge: + Low state transitions to high state. + +* Falling Edge: + High state transitions to low state. + +* Both Edges: + Any state transition. + +A counter is defined as a set of input signals associated with count +data that are generated by the evaluation of the state of the associated +input signals as defined by the respective count functions. Within the +context of the Generic Counter interface, a counter consists of Counts +each associated with a set of Signals, whose respective Synapse +instances represent the count function update conditions for the +associated Counts. + +A Synapse associates one Signal with one Count. + +COUNT +----- +A Count represents the accumulation of the effects of connected +Synapses; i.e. the count data for a set of Signals. The Generic +Counter interface represents the count data as a natural number. + +A Count has a count function mode which represents the update behavior +for the count data. The Generic Counter interface provides the following +available count function modes: + +* Increase: + Accumulated count is incremented. + +* Decrease: + Accumulated count is decremented. + +* Pulse-Direction: + Rising edges on signal A updates the respective count. The input level + of signal B determines direction. + +* Quadrature: + A pair of quadrature encoding signals are evaluated to determine + position and direction. The following Quadrature modes are available: + + - x1 A: + If direction is forward, rising edges on quadrature pair signal A + updates the respective count; if the direction is backward, falling + edges on quadrature pair signal A updates the respective count. + Quadrature encoding determines the direction. + + - x1 B: + If direction is forward, rising edges on quadrature pair signal B + updates the respective count; if the direction is backward, falling + edges on quadrature pair signal B updates the respective count. + Quadrature encoding determines the direction. + + - x2 A: + Any state transition on quadrature pair signal A updates the + respective count. Quadrature encoding determines the direction. + + - x2 B: + Any state transition on quadrature pair signal B updates the + respective count. Quadrature encoding determines the direction. + + - x4: + Any state transition on either quadrature pair signals updates the + respective count. Quadrature encoding determines the direction. + +A Count has a set of one or more associated Synapses. + +Paradigm +======== + +The most basic counter device may be expressed as a single Count +associated with a single Signal via a single Synapse. Take for example +a counter device which simply accumulates a count of rising edges on a +source input line:: + + Count Synapse Signal + ----- ------- ------ + +---------------------+ + | Data: Count | Rising Edge ________ + | Function: Increase | <------------- / Source \ + | | ____________ + +---------------------+ + +In this example, the Signal is a source input line with a pulsing +voltage, while the Count is a persistent count value which is repeatedly +incremented. The Signal is associated with the respective Count via a +Synapse. The increase function is triggered by the Signal data condition +specified by the Synapse -- in this case a rising edge condition on the +voltage input line. In summary, the counter device existence and +behavior is aptly represented by respective Count, Signal, and Synapse +components: a rising edge condition triggers an increase function on an +accumulating count datum. + +A counter device is not limited to a single Signal; in fact, in theory +many Signals may be associated with even a single Count. For example, a +quadrature encoder counter device can keep track of position based on +the states of two input lines:: + + Count Synapse Signal + ----- ------- ------ + +-------------------------+ + | Data: Position | Both Edges ___ + | Function: Quadrature x4 | <------------ / A \ + | | _______ + | | + | | Both Edges ___ + | | <------------ / B \ + | | _______ + +-------------------------+ + +In this example, two Signals (quadrature encoder lines A and B) are +associated with a single Count: a rising or falling edge on either A or +B triggers the "Quadrature x4" function which determines the direction +of movement and updates the respective position data. The "Quadrature +x4" function is likely implemented in the hardware of the quadrature +encoder counter device; the Count, Signals, and Synapses simply +represent this hardware behavior and functionality. + +Signals associated with the same Count can have differing Synapse action +mode conditions. For example, a quadrature encoder counter device +operating in a non-quadrature Pulse-Direction mode could have one input +line dedicated for movement and a second input line dedicated for +direction:: + + Count Synapse Signal + ----- ------- ------ + +---------------------------+ + | Data: Position | Rising Edge ___ + | Function: Pulse-Direction | <------------- / A \ (Movement) + | | _______ + | | + | | None ___ + | | <------------- / B \ (Direction) + | | _______ + +---------------------------+ + +Only Signal A triggers the "Pulse-Direction" update function, but the +instantaneous state of Signal B is still required in order to know the +direction so that the position data may be properly updated. Ultimately, +both Signals are associated with the same Count via two respective +Synapses, but only one Synapse has an active action mode condition which +triggers the respective count function while the other is left with a +"None" condition action mode to indicate its respective Signal's +availability for state evaluation despite its non-triggering mode. + +Keep in mind that the Signal, Synapse, and Count are abstract +representations which do not need to be closely married to their +respective physical sources. This allows the user of a counter to +divorce themselves from the nuances of physical components (such as +whether an input line is differential or single-ended) and instead focus +on the core idea of what the data and process represent (e.g. position +as interpreted from quadrature encoding data). + +Driver API +========== + +Driver authors may utilize the Generic Counter interface in their code +by including the include/linux/counter.h header file. This header file +provides several core data structures, function prototypes, and macros +for defining a counter device. + +.. kernel-doc:: include/linux/counter.h + :internal: + +.. kernel-doc:: drivers/counter/counter-core.c + :export: + +.. kernel-doc:: drivers/counter/counter-chrdev.c + :export: + +Driver Implementation +===================== + +To support a counter device, a driver must first allocate the available +Counter Signals via counter_signal structures. These Signals should +be stored as an array and set to the signals array member of an +allocated counter_device structure before the Counter is registered to +the system. + +Counter Counts may be allocated via counter_count structures, and +respective Counter Signal associations (Synapses) made via +counter_synapse structures. Associated counter_synapse structures are +stored as an array and set to the synapses array member of the +respective counter_count structure. These counter_count structures are +set to the counts array member of an allocated counter_device structure +before the Counter is registered to the system. + +Driver callbacks must be provided to the counter_device structure in +order to communicate with the device: to read and write various Signals +and Counts, and to set and get the "action mode" and "function mode" for +various Synapses and Counts respectively. + +A counter_device structure is allocated using counter_alloc() and then +registered to the system by passing it to the counter_add() function, and +unregistered by passing it to the counter_unregister function. There are +device managed variants of these functions: devm_counter_alloc() and +devm_counter_add(). + +The struct counter_comp structure is used to define counter extensions +for Signals, Synapses, and Counts. + +The "type" member specifies the type of high-level data (e.g. BOOL, +COUNT_DIRECTION, etc.) handled by this extension. The "``*_read``" and +"``*_write``" members can then be set by the counter device driver with +callbacks to handle that data using native C data types (i.e. u8, u64, +etc.). + +Convenience macros such as ``COUNTER_COMP_COUNT_U64`` are provided for +use by driver authors. In particular, driver authors are expected to use +the provided macros for standard Counter subsystem attributes in order +to maintain a consistent interface for userspace. For example, a counter +device driver may define several standard attributes like so:: + + struct counter_comp count_ext[] = { + COUNTER_COMP_DIRECTION(count_direction_read), + COUNTER_COMP_ENABLE(count_enable_read, count_enable_write), + COUNTER_COMP_CEILING(count_ceiling_read, count_ceiling_write), + }; + +This makes it simple to see, add, and modify the attributes that are +supported by this driver ("direction", "enable", and "ceiling") and to +maintain this code without getting lost in a web of struct braces. + +Callbacks must match the function type expected for the respective +component or extension. These function types are defined in the struct +counter_comp structure as the "``*_read``" and "``*_write``" union +members. + +The corresponding callback prototypes for the extensions mentioned in +the previous example above would be:: + + int count_direction_read(struct counter_device *counter, + struct counter_count *count, + enum counter_count_direction *direction); + int count_enable_read(struct counter_device *counter, + struct counter_count *count, u8 *enable); + int count_enable_write(struct counter_device *counter, + struct counter_count *count, u8 enable); + int count_ceiling_read(struct counter_device *counter, + struct counter_count *count, u64 *ceiling); + int count_ceiling_write(struct counter_device *counter, + struct counter_count *count, u64 ceiling); + +Determining the type of extension to create is a matter of scope. + +* Signal extensions are attributes that expose information/control + specific to a Signal. These types of attributes will exist under a + Signal's directory in sysfs. + + For example, if you have an invert feature for a Signal, you can have + a Signal extension called "invert" that toggles that feature: + /sys/bus/counter/devices/counterX/signalY/invert + +* Count extensions are attributes that expose information/control + specific to a Count. These type of attributes will exist under a + Count's directory in sysfs. + + For example, if you want to pause/unpause a Count from updating, you + can have a Count extension called "enable" that toggles such: + /sys/bus/counter/devices/counterX/countY/enable + +* Device extensions are attributes that expose information/control + non-specific to a particular Count or Signal. This is where you would + put your global features or other miscellaneous functionality. + + For example, if your device has an overtemp sensor, you can report the + chip overheated via a device extension called "error_overtemp": + /sys/bus/counter/devices/counterX/error_overtemp + +Subsystem Architecture +====================== + +Counter drivers pass and take data natively (i.e. ``u8``, ``u64``, etc.) +and the shared counter module handles the translation between the sysfs +interface. This guarantees a standard userspace interface for all +counter drivers, and enables a Generic Counter chrdev interface via a +generalized device driver ABI. + +A high-level view of how a count value is passed down from a counter +driver is exemplified by the following. The driver callbacks are first +registered to the Counter core component for use by the Counter +userspace interface components:: + + Driver callbacks registration: + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +----------------------------+ + | Counter device driver | + +----------------------------+ + | Processes data from device | + +----------------------------+ + | + ------------------- + / driver callbacks / + ------------------- + | + V + +----------------------+ + | Counter core | + +----------------------+ + | Routes device driver | + | callbacks to the | + | userspace interfaces | + +----------------------+ + | + ------------------- + / driver callbacks / + ------------------- + | + +---------------+---------------+ + | | + V V + +--------------------+ +---------------------+ + | Counter sysfs | | Counter chrdev | + +--------------------+ +---------------------+ + | Translates to the | | Translates to the | + | standard Counter | | standard Counter | + | sysfs output | | character device | + +--------------------+ +---------------------+ + +Thereafter, data can be transferred directly between the Counter device +driver and Counter userspace interface:: + + Count data request: + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + ---------------------- + / Counter device \ + +----------------------+ + | Count register: 0x28 | + +----------------------+ + | + ----------------- + / raw count data / + ----------------- + | + V + +----------------------------+ + | Counter device driver | + +----------------------------+ + | Processes data from device | + |----------------------------| + | Type: u64 | + | Value: 42 | + +----------------------------+ + | + ---------- + / u64 / + ---------- + | + +---------------+---------------+ + | | + V V + +--------------------+ +---------------------+ + | Counter sysfs | | Counter chrdev | + +--------------------+ +---------------------+ + | Translates to the | | Translates to the | + | standard Counter | | standard Counter | + | sysfs output | | character device | + |--------------------| |---------------------| + | Type: const char * | | Type: u64 | + | Value: "42" | | Value: 42 | + +--------------------+ +---------------------+ + | | + --------------- ----------------------- + / const char * / / struct counter_event / + --------------- ----------------------- + | | + | V + | +-----------+ + | | read | + | +-----------+ + | \ Count: 42 / + | ----------- + | + V + +--------------------------------------------------+ + | `/sys/bus/counter/devices/counterX/countY/count` | + +--------------------------------------------------+ + \ Count: "42" / + -------------------------------------------------- + +There are four primary components involved: + +Counter device driver +--------------------- +Communicates with the hardware device to read/write data; e.g. counter +drivers for quadrature encoders, timers, etc. + +Counter core +------------ +Registers the counter device driver to the system so that the respective +callbacks are called during userspace interaction. + +Counter sysfs +------------- +Translates counter data to the standard Counter sysfs interface format +and vice versa. + +Please refer to the Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-counter file +for a detailed breakdown of the available Generic Counter interface +sysfs attributes. + +Counter chrdev +-------------- +Translates Counter events to the standard Counter character device; data +is transferred via standard character device read calls, while Counter +events are configured via ioctl calls. + +Sysfs Interface +=============== + +Several sysfs attributes are generated by the Generic Counter interface, +and reside under the ``/sys/bus/counter/devices/counterX`` directory, +where ``X`` is to the respective counter device id. Please see +Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-counter for detailed information +on each Generic Counter interface sysfs attribute. + +Through these sysfs attributes, programs and scripts may interact with +the Generic Counter paradigm Counts, Signals, and Synapses of respective +counter devices. + +Counter Character Device +======================== + +Counter character device nodes are created under the ``/dev`` directory +as ``counterX``, where ``X`` is the respective counter device id. +Defines for the standard Counter data types are exposed via the +userspace ``include/uapi/linux/counter.h`` file. + +Counter events +-------------- +Counter device drivers can support Counter events by utilizing the +``counter_push_event`` function:: + + void counter_push_event(struct counter_device *const counter, const u8 event, + const u8 channel); + +The event id is specified by the ``event`` parameter; the event channel +id is specified by the ``channel`` parameter. When this function is +called, the Counter data associated with the respective event is +gathered, and a ``struct counter_event`` is generated for each datum and +pushed to userspace. + +Counter events can be configured by users to report various Counter +data of interest. This can be conceptualized as a list of Counter +component read calls to perform. For example: + + +------------------------+------------------------+ + | COUNTER_EVENT_OVERFLOW | COUNTER_EVENT_INDEX | + +========================+========================+ + | Channel 0 | Channel 0 | + +------------------------+------------------------+ + | * Count 0 | * Signal 0 | + | * Count 1 | * Signal 0 Extension 0 | + | * Signal 3 | * Extension 4 | + | * Count 4 Extension 2 +------------------------+ + | * Signal 5 Extension 0 | Channel 1 | + | +------------------------+ + | | * Signal 4 | + | | * Signal 4 Extension 0 | + | | * Count 7 | + +------------------------+------------------------+ + +When ``counter_push_event(counter, COUNTER_EVENT_INDEX, 1)`` is called +for example, it will go down the list for the ``COUNTER_EVENT_INDEX`` +event channel 1 and execute the read callbacks for Signal 4, Signal 4 +Extension 0, and Count 7 -- the data returned for each is pushed to a +kfifo as a ``struct counter_event``, which userspace can retrieve via a +standard read operation on the respective character device node. + +Userspace +--------- +Userspace applications can configure Counter events via ioctl operations +on the Counter character device node. There following ioctl codes are +supported and provided by the ``linux/counter.h`` userspace header file: + +* :c:macro:`COUNTER_ADD_WATCH_IOCTL` + +* :c:macro:`COUNTER_ENABLE_EVENTS_IOCTL` + +* :c:macro:`COUNTER_DISABLE_EVENTS_IOCTL` + +To configure events to gather Counter data, users first populate a +``struct counter_watch`` with the relevant event id, event channel id, +and the information for the desired Counter component from which to +read, and then pass it via the ``COUNTER_ADD_WATCH_IOCTL`` ioctl +command. + +Note that an event can be watched without gathering Counter data by +setting the ``component.type`` member equal to +``COUNTER_COMPONENT_NONE``. With this configuration the Counter +character device will simply populate the event timestamps for those +respective ``struct counter_event`` elements and ignore the component +value. + +The ``COUNTER_ADD_WATCH_IOCTL`` command will buffer these Counter +watches. When ready, the ``COUNTER_ENABLE_EVENTS_IOCTL`` ioctl command +may be used to activate these Counter watches. + +Userspace applications can then execute a ``read`` operation (optionally +calling ``poll`` first) on the Counter character device node to retrieve +``struct counter_event`` elements with the desired data. |
