xref: /linux/Documentation/cpu-freq/cpu-drivers.rst (revision 8a7c601e14576a22c2bbf7f67455ccf3f3d2737f)
1.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
2
3===============================================
4How to Implement a new CPUFreq Processor Driver
5===============================================
6
7Authors:
8
9
10	- Dominik Brodowski  <linux@brodo.de>
11	- Rafael J. Wysocki <rafael.j.wysocki@intel.com>
12	- Viresh Kumar <viresh.kumar@linaro.org>
13
14.. Contents
15
16   1.   What To Do?
17   1.1  Initialization
18   1.2  Per-CPU Initialization
19   1.3  verify
20   1.4  target/target_index or setpolicy?
21   1.5  target/target_index
22   1.6  setpolicy
23   1.7  get_intermediate and target_intermediate
24   2.   Frequency Table Helpers
25
26
27
281. What To Do?
29==============
30
31So, you just got a brand-new CPU / chipset with datasheets and want to
32add cpufreq support for this CPU / chipset? Great. Here are some hints
33on what is necessary:
34
35
361.1 Initialization
37------------------
38
39First of all, in an __initcall level 7 (module_init()) or later
40function check whether this kernel runs on the right CPU and the right
41chipset. If so, register a struct cpufreq_driver with the CPUfreq core
42using cpufreq_register_driver()
43
44What shall this struct cpufreq_driver contain?
45
46 .name - The name of this driver.
47
48 .init - A pointer to the per-policy initialization function.
49
50 .verify - A pointer to a "verification" function.
51
52 .setpolicy _or_ .fast_switch _or_ .target _or_ .target_index - See
53 below on the differences.
54
55And optionally
56
57 .flags - Hints for the cpufreq core.
58
59 .driver_data - cpufreq driver specific data.
60
61 .get_intermediate and target_intermediate - Used to switch to stable
62 frequency while changing CPU frequency.
63
64 .get - Returns current frequency of the CPU.
65
66 .bios_limit - Returns HW/BIOS max frequency limitations for the CPU.
67
68 .exit - A pointer to a per-policy cleanup function called during
69 CPU_POST_DEAD phase of cpu hotplug process.
70
71 .suspend - A pointer to a per-policy suspend function which is called
72 with interrupts disabled and _after_ the governor is stopped for the
73 policy.
74
75 .resume - A pointer to a per-policy resume function which is called
76 with interrupts disabled and _before_ the governor is started again.
77
78 .ready - A pointer to a per-policy ready function which is called after
79 the policy is fully initialized.
80
81 .attr - A pointer to a NULL-terminated list of "struct freq_attr" which
82 allow to export values to sysfs.
83
84 .boost_enabled - If set, boost frequencies are enabled.
85
86 .set_boost - A pointer to a per-policy function to enable/disable boost
87 frequencies.
88
89
901.2 Per-CPU Initialization
91--------------------------
92
93Whenever a new CPU is registered with the device model, or after the
94cpufreq driver registers itself, the per-policy initialization function
95cpufreq_driver.init is called if no cpufreq policy existed for the CPU.
96Note that the .init() and .exit() routines are called only once for the
97policy and not for each CPU managed by the policy. It takes a ``struct
98cpufreq_policy *policy`` as argument. What to do now?
99
100If necessary, activate the CPUfreq support on your CPU.
101
102Then, the driver must fill in the following values:
103
104+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
105|policy->cpuinfo.min_freq _and_	    |					   |
106|policy->cpuinfo.max_freq	    | the minimum and maximum frequency	   |
107|				    | (in kHz) which is supported by	   |
108|				    | this CPU				   |
109+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
110|policy->cpuinfo.transition_latency | the time it takes on this CPU to	   |
111|				    | switch between two frequencies in	   |
112|				    | nanoseconds                          |
113+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
114|policy->cur			    | The current operating frequency of   |
115|				    | this CPU (if appropriate)		   |
116+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
117|policy->min,			    |					   |
118|policy->max,			    |					   |
119|policy->policy and, if necessary,  |					   |
120|policy->governor		    | must contain the "default policy" for|
121|				    | this CPU. A few moments later,       |
122|				    | cpufreq_driver.verify and either     |
123|				    | cpufreq_driver.setpolicy or          |
124|				    | cpufreq_driver.target/target_index is|
125|				    | called with these values.		   |
126+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
127|policy->cpus			    | Update this with the masks of the	   |
128|				    | (online + offline) CPUs that do DVFS |
129|				    | along with this CPU (i.e.  that share|
130|				    | clock/voltage rails with it).	   |
131+-----------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
132
133For setting some of these values (cpuinfo.min[max]_freq, policy->min[max]), the
134frequency table helpers might be helpful. See the section 2 for more information
135on them.
136
137
1381.3 verify
139----------
140
141When the user decides a new policy (consisting of
142"policy,governor,min,max") shall be set, this policy must be validated
143so that incompatible values can be corrected. For verifying these
144values cpufreq_verify_within_limits(``struct cpufreq_policy *policy``,
145``unsigned int min_freq``, ``unsigned int max_freq``) function might be helpful.
146See section 2 for details on frequency table helpers.
147
148You need to make sure that at least one valid frequency (or operating
149range) is within policy->min and policy->max. If necessary, increase
150policy->max first, and only if this is no solution, decrease policy->min.
151
152
1531.4 target or target_index or setpolicy or fast_switch?
154-------------------------------------------------------
155
156Most cpufreq drivers or even most cpu frequency scaling algorithms
157only allow the CPU frequency to be set to predefined fixed values. For
158these, you use the ->target(), ->target_index() or ->fast_switch()
159callbacks.
160
161Some cpufreq capable processors switch the frequency between certain
162limits on their own. These shall use the ->setpolicy() callback.
163
164
1651.5. target/target_index
166------------------------
167
168The target_index call has two arguments: ``struct cpufreq_policy *policy``,
169and ``unsigned int`` index (into the exposed frequency table).
170
171The CPUfreq driver must set the new frequency when called here. The
172actual frequency must be determined by freq_table[index].frequency.
173
174It should always restore to earlier frequency (i.e. policy->restore_freq) in
175case of errors, even if we switched to intermediate frequency earlier.
176
177Deprecated
178----------
179The target call has three arguments: ``struct cpufreq_policy *policy``,
180unsigned int target_frequency, unsigned int relation.
181
182The CPUfreq driver must set the new frequency when called here. The
183actual frequency must be determined using the following rules:
184
185- keep close to "target_freq"
186- policy->min <= new_freq <= policy->max (THIS MUST BE VALID!!!)
187- if relation==CPUFREQ_REL_L, try to select a new_freq higher than or equal
188  target_freq. ("L for lowest, but no lower than")
189- if relation==CPUFREQ_REL_H, try to select a new_freq lower than or equal
190  target_freq. ("H for highest, but no higher than")
191
192Here again the frequency table helper might assist you - see section 2
193for details.
194
1951.6. fast_switch
196----------------
197
198This function is used for frequency switching from scheduler's context.
199Not all drivers are expected to implement it, as sleeping from within
200this callback isn't allowed. This callback must be highly optimized to
201do switching as fast as possible.
202
203This function has two arguments: ``struct cpufreq_policy *policy`` and
204``unsigned int target_frequency``.
205
206
2071.7 setpolicy
208-------------
209
210The setpolicy call only takes a ``struct cpufreq_policy *policy`` as
211argument. You need to set the lower limit of the in-processor or
212in-chipset dynamic frequency switching to policy->min, the upper limit
213to policy->max, and -if supported- select a performance-oriented
214setting when policy->policy is CPUFREQ_POLICY_PERFORMANCE, and a
215powersaving-oriented setting when CPUFREQ_POLICY_POWERSAVE. Also check
216the reference implementation in drivers/cpufreq/longrun.c
217
2181.8 get_intermediate and target_intermediate
219--------------------------------------------
220
221Only for drivers with target_index() and CPUFREQ_ASYNC_NOTIFICATION unset.
222
223get_intermediate should return a stable intermediate frequency platform wants to
224switch to, and target_intermediate() should set CPU to that frequency, before
225jumping to the frequency corresponding to 'index'. Core will take care of
226sending notifications and driver doesn't have to handle them in
227target_intermediate() or target_index().
228
229Drivers can return '0' from get_intermediate() in case they don't wish to switch
230to intermediate frequency for some target frequency. In that case core will
231directly call ->target_index().
232
233NOTE: ->target_index() should restore to policy->restore_freq in case of
234failures as core would send notifications for that.
235
236
2372. Frequency Table Helpers
238==========================
239
240As most cpufreq processors only allow for being set to a few specific
241frequencies, a "frequency table" with some functions might assist in
242some work of the processor driver. Such a "frequency table" consists of
243an array of struct cpufreq_frequency_table entries, with driver specific
244values in "driver_data", the corresponding frequency in "frequency" and
245flags set. At the end of the table, you need to add a
246cpufreq_frequency_table entry with frequency set to CPUFREQ_TABLE_END.
247And if you want to skip one entry in the table, set the frequency to
248CPUFREQ_ENTRY_INVALID. The entries don't need to be in sorted in any
249particular order, but if they are cpufreq core will do DVFS a bit
250quickly for them as search for best match is faster.
251
252The cpufreq table is verified automatically by the core if the policy contains a
253valid pointer in its policy->freq_table field.
254
255cpufreq_frequency_table_verify() assures that at least one valid
256frequency is within policy->min and policy->max, and all other criteria
257are met. This is helpful for the ->verify call.
258
259cpufreq_frequency_table_target() is the corresponding frequency table
260helper for the ->target stage. Just pass the values to this function,
261and this function returns the of the frequency table entry which
262contains the frequency the CPU shall be set to.
263
264The following macros can be used as iterators over cpufreq_frequency_table:
265
266cpufreq_for_each_entry(pos, table) - iterates over all entries of frequency
267table.
268
269cpufreq_for_each_valid_entry(pos, table) - iterates over all entries,
270excluding CPUFREQ_ENTRY_INVALID frequencies.
271Use arguments "pos" - a ``cpufreq_frequency_table *`` as a loop cursor and
272"table" - the ``cpufreq_frequency_table *`` you want to iterate over.
273
274For example::
275
276	struct cpufreq_frequency_table *pos, *driver_freq_table;
277
278	cpufreq_for_each_entry(pos, driver_freq_table) {
279		/* Do something with pos */
280		pos->frequency = ...
281	}
282
283If you need to work with the position of pos within driver_freq_table,
284do not subtract the pointers, as it is quite costly. Instead, use the
285macros cpufreq_for_each_entry_idx() and cpufreq_for_each_valid_entry_idx().
286