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authorLinus Torvalds <torvalds@ppc970.osdl.org>2005-04-16 15:20:36 -0700
committerLinus Torvalds <torvalds@ppc970.osdl.org>2005-04-16 15:20:36 -0700
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+ CPU frequency and voltage scaling code in the Linux(TM) kernel
+
+
+ L i n u x C P U F r e q
+
+ C P U D r i v e r s
+
+ - information for developers -
+
+
+ Dominik Brodowski <linux@brodo.de>
+
+
+
+ Clock scaling allows you to change the clock speed of the CPUs on the
+ fly. This is a nice method to save battery power, because the lower
+ the clock speed, the less power the CPU consumes.
+
+
+Contents:
+---------
+1. What To Do?
+1.1 Initialization
+1.2 Per-CPU Initialization
+1.3 verify
+1.4 target or setpolicy?
+1.5 target
+1.6 setpolicy
+2. Frequency Table Helpers
+
+
+
+1. What To Do?
+==============
+
+So, you just got a brand-new CPU / chipset with datasheets and want to
+add cpufreq support for this CPU / chipset? Great. Here are some hints
+on what is necessary:
+
+
+1.1 Initialization
+------------------
+
+First of all, in an __initcall level 7 (module_init()) or later
+function check whether this kernel runs on the right CPU and the right
+chipset. If so, register a struct cpufreq_driver with the CPUfreq core
+using cpufreq_register_driver()
+
+What shall this struct cpufreq_driver contain?
+
+cpufreq_driver.name - The name of this driver.
+
+cpufreq_driver.owner - THIS_MODULE;
+
+cpufreq_driver.init - A pointer to the per-CPU initialization
+ function.
+
+cpufreq_driver.verify - A pointer to a "verification" function.
+
+cpufreq_driver.setpolicy _or_
+cpufreq_driver.target - See below on the differences.
+
+And optionally
+
+cpufreq_driver.exit - A pointer to a per-CPU cleanup function.
+
+cpufreq_driver.resume - A pointer to a per-CPU resume function
+ which is called with interrupts disabled
+ and _before_ the pre-suspend frequency
+ and/or policy is restored by a call to
+ ->target or ->setpolicy.
+
+cpufreq_driver.attr - A pointer to a NULL-terminated list of
+ "struct freq_attr" which allow to
+ export values to sysfs.
+
+
+1.2 Per-CPU Initialization
+--------------------------
+
+Whenever a new CPU is registered with the device model, or after the
+cpufreq driver registers itself, the per-CPU initialization function
+cpufreq_driver.init is called. It takes a struct cpufreq_policy
+*policy as argument. What to do now?
+
+If necessary, activate the CPUfreq support on your CPU.
+
+Then, the driver must fill in the following values:
+
+policy->cpuinfo.min_freq _and_
+policy->cpuinfo.max_freq - the minimum and maximum frequency
+ (in kHz) which is supported by
+ this CPU
+policy->cpuinfo.transition_latency the time it takes on this CPU to
+ switch between two frequencies (if
+ appropriate, else specify
+ CPUFREQ_ETERNAL)
+
+policy->cur The current operating frequency of
+ this CPU (if appropriate)
+policy->min,
+policy->max,
+policy->policy and, if necessary,
+policy->governor must contain the "default policy" for
+ this CPU. A few moments later,
+ cpufreq_driver.verify and either
+ cpufreq_driver.setpolicy or
+ cpufreq_driver.target is called with
+ these values.
+
+For setting some of these values, the frequency table helpers might be
+helpful. See the section 2 for more information on them.
+
+
+1.3 verify
+------------
+
+When the user decides a new policy (consisting of
+"policy,governor,min,max") shall be set, this policy must be validated
+so that incompatible values can be corrected. For verifying these
+values, a frequency table helper and/or the
+cpufreq_verify_within_limits(struct cpufreq_policy *policy, unsigned
+int min_freq, unsigned int max_freq) function might be helpful. See
+section 2 for details on frequency table helpers.
+
+You need to make sure that at least one valid frequency (or operating
+range) is within policy->min and policy->max. If necessary, increase
+policy->max first, and only if this is no solution, decrease policy->min.
+
+
+1.4 target or setpolicy?
+----------------------------
+
+Most cpufreq drivers or even most cpu frequency scaling algorithms
+only allow the CPU to be set to one frequency. For these, you use the
+->target call.
+
+Some cpufreq-capable processors switch the frequency between certain
+limits on their own. These shall use the ->setpolicy call
+
+
+1.4. target
+-------------
+
+The target call has three arguments: struct cpufreq_policy *policy,
+unsigned int target_frequency, unsigned int relation.
+
+The CPUfreq driver must set the new frequency when called here. The
+actual frequency must be determined using the following rules:
+
+- keep close to "target_freq"
+- policy->min <= new_freq <= policy->max (THIS MUST BE VALID!!!)
+- if relation==CPUFREQ_REL_L, try to select a new_freq higher than or equal
+ target_freq. ("L for lowest, but no lower than")
+- if relation==CPUFREQ_REL_H, try to select a new_freq lower than or equal
+ target_freq. ("H for highest, but no higher than")
+
+Here again the frequency table helper might assist you - see section 3
+for details.
+
+
+1.5 setpolicy
+---------------
+
+The setpolicy call only takes a struct cpufreq_policy *policy as
+argument. You need to set the lower limit of the in-processor or
+in-chipset dynamic frequency switching to policy->min, the upper limit
+to policy->max, and -if supported- select a performance-oriented
+setting when policy->policy is CPUFREQ_POLICY_PERFORMANCE, and a
+powersaving-oriented setting when CPUFREQ_POLICY_POWERSAVE. Also check
+the reference implementation in arch/i386/kernel/cpu/cpufreq/longrun.c
+
+
+
+2. Frequency Table Helpers
+==========================
+
+As most cpufreq processors only allow for being set to a few specific
+frequencies, a "frequency table" with some functions might assist in
+some work of the processor driver. Such a "frequency table" consists
+of an array of struct cpufreq_freq_table entries, with any value in
+"index" you want to use, and the corresponding frequency in
+"frequency". At the end of the table, you need to add a
+cpufreq_freq_table entry with frequency set to CPUFREQ_TABLE_END. And
+if you want to skip one entry in the table, set the frequency to
+CPUFREQ_ENTRY_INVALID. The entries don't need to be in ascending
+order.
+
+By calling cpufreq_frequency_table_cpuinfo(struct cpufreq_policy *policy,
+ struct cpufreq_frequency_table *table);
+the cpuinfo.min_freq and cpuinfo.max_freq values are detected, and
+policy->min and policy->max are set to the same values. This is
+helpful for the per-CPU initialization stage.
+
+int cpufreq_frequency_table_verify(struct cpufreq_policy *policy,
+ struct cpufreq_frequency_table *table);
+assures that at least one valid frequency is within policy->min and
+policy->max, and all other criteria are met. This is helpful for the
+->verify call.
+
+int cpufreq_frequency_table_target(struct cpufreq_policy *policy,
+ struct cpufreq_frequency_table *table,
+ unsigned int target_freq,
+ unsigned int relation,
+ unsigned int *index);
+
+is the corresponding frequency table helper for the ->target
+stage. Just pass the values to this function, and the unsigned int
+index returns the number of the frequency table entry which contains
+the frequency the CPU shall be set to. PLEASE NOTE: This is not the
+"index" which is in this cpufreq_table_entry.index, but instead
+cpufreq_table[index]. So, the new frequency is
+cpufreq_table[index].frequency, and the value you stored into the
+frequency table "index" field is
+cpufreq_table[index].index.
+