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| author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-24 08:46:03 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-24 08:46:03 -0700 |
| commit | cf9610f9116d55c5a66ef9f1faecacabd93a9322 (patch) | |
| tree | 757a3d280760c654767631cab5ad8af2d86d1848 /Documentation/i2c/summary.rst | |
| download | linux-stable-cf9610f9116d55c5a66ef9f1faecacabd93a9322.tar.gz linux-stable-cf9610f9116d55c5a66ef9f1faecacabd93a9322.zip | |
Merge tag 'pinctrl-v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/linusw/linux-pinctrlgrafted
Pull pin control updates from Linus Walleij:
"Core changes:
- Use the non-blocking mux_state_try_select() in the generic MUX pin
control back-end
- Free pin maps on pinctrl_generic_to_map() failure in the core
helpers
New hardware pin control:
- Qualcomm Maili TLMM SoC, PMG1110 PMIC, and Eliza LPASS LPI TLMM SoC
(this is for the low power audio, LPASS = Low Power Audio SubSystem
portions)
- Upboard support on top of the Intel pin controller
- Apple T6030 and T6031 support (just compatible strings)
- Samsung Exynos 8855 SoC
- Mediatek MT6858 SoC
- Rockchip RK3308B and RV1106 SoCs
- Airoha EN7523 and AN7563 SoCs
Improvements:
- Qualcomm TLMM GPIOs are unconditionally marked as wakeup capable
- Qualcomm improvements on top of the Qualcomm PDC (power domain
controller) irqchip improvements from tglx:s tree
- Qualcomm IPQ806x and IPQ9650 non-urgent pin grop fixups
- The NPCM8xx driver has been put into shape fixing many pin and
group definitions
- Some non-urgent Tegra 264 pin assignments are fixed up
- Some non-urgent fixups to Airoha AN7581 and AN7583 registers and
pin assignments, missing features etc"
* tag 'pinctrl-v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/linusw/linux-pinctrl: (130 commits)
dt-bindings: pinctrl: Convert TI DA850 pupd to DT schema
pinctrl: meson: sync some modify from A4
pinctrl: meson: a4: Add input enable pin configuration
pinctrl: realtek: rtd1625: remove unused group name spdif_sel
pinctrl: realtek: rtd1625: fix base_bit for VE4 GPIO 13
dt-bindings: pinctrl: microchip,pic32mzda-pinctrl: Convert to DT schema
Revert "Merge branch 'ib-rsk7204' into devel"
pinctrl: rockchip: Add RV1106 pinctrl support
dt-bindings: pinctrl: rockchip: Add RV1106 compatible
pinctrl: rockchip: Decode drive strength in the get function
pinctrl: fix PINCTRL_GENERIC_MUX not always being selectable
pinctrl: airoha: add support of an7563 SoC
dt-bindings: pinctrl: airoha: add support of an7563 pin controller
pinctrl: airoha: try to find chip scu node by phandle first
pinctrl: airoha: add support of en7523 SoC
dt-bindings: pinctrl: airoha: add support of en7523 pin controller
pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add support for olt pinmux
pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add support for pon_alt pinmux
pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add support for npu_uart pinmux
dt-bindings: pinctrl: airoha: an7583: add missed features
...
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/i2c/summary.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/i2c/summary.rst | 82 |
1 files changed, 82 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/i2c/summary.rst b/Documentation/i2c/summary.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000..579a1c7df --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/i2c/summary.rst @@ -0,0 +1,82 @@ +============================= +Introduction to I2C and SMBus +============================= + +I²C (pronounce: I squared C and written I2C in the kernel documentation) is +a protocol developed by Philips. It is a two-wire protocol with variable +speed (typically up to 400 kHz, high speed modes up to 5 MHz). It provides +an inexpensive bus for connecting many types of devices with infrequent or +low bandwidth communications needs. I2C is widely used with embedded +systems. Some systems use variants that don't meet branding requirements, +and so are not advertised as being I2C but come under different names, +e.g. TWI (Two Wire Interface), IIC. + +The latest official I2C specification is the `"I²C-bus specification and user +manual" (UM10204) <https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/user-guide/UM10204.pdf>`_ +published by NXP Semiconductors, version 7 as of this writing. + +SMBus (System Management Bus) is based on the I2C protocol, and is mostly +a subset of I2C protocols and signaling. Many I2C devices will work on an +SMBus, but some SMBus protocols add semantics beyond what is required to +achieve I2C branding. Modern PC mainboards rely on SMBus. The most common +devices connected through SMBus are RAM modules configured using I2C EEPROMs, +and hardware monitoring chips. + +Because the SMBus is mostly a subset of the generalized I2C bus, we can +use its protocols on many I2C systems. However, there are systems that don't +meet both SMBus and I2C electrical constraints; and others which can't +implement all the common SMBus protocol semantics or messages. + + +Terminology +=========== + +The I2C bus connects one or more controller chips and one or more target chips. + +.. kernel-figure:: i2c_bus.svg + :alt: Simple I2C bus with one controller and 3 targets + + Simple I2C bus + +A **controller** chip is a node that starts communications with targets. In the +Linux kernel implementation it is also called an "adapter" or "bus". Controller +drivers are usually in the ``drivers/i2c/busses/`` subdirectory. + +An **algorithm** contains general code that can be used to implement a whole +class of I2C controllers. Each specific controller driver either depends on an +algorithm driver in the ``drivers/i2c/algos/`` subdirectory, or includes its +own implementation. + +A **target** chip is a node that responds to communications when addressed by a +controller. In the Linux kernel implementation it is also called a "client". +While targets are usually separate external chips, Linux can also act as a +target (needs hardware support) and respond to another controller on the bus. +This is then called a **local target**. In contrast, an external chip is called +a **remote target**. + +Target drivers are kept in a directory specific to the feature they provide, +for example ``drivers/gpio/`` for GPIO expanders and ``drivers/media/i2c/`` for +video-related chips. + +For the example configuration in the figure above, you will need one driver for +the I2C controller, and drivers for your I2C targets. Usually one driver for +each target. + +Synonyms +-------- + +As mentioned above, the Linux I2C implementation historically uses the terms +"adapter" for controller and "client" for target. A number of data structures +have these synonyms in their name. So, when discussing implementation details, +you should be aware of these terms as well. The official wording is preferred, +though. + +Outdated terminology +-------------------- + +In earlier I2C specifications, controller was named "master" and target was +named "slave". These terms have been obsoleted with v7 of the specification and +their use is also discouraged by the Linux Kernel Code of Conduct. You may +still find them in references to documentation which has not been updated. The +general attitude, however, is to use the inclusive terms: controller and +target. Work to replace the old terminology in the Linux Kernel is on-going. |
