RE: [EXT] Re: [PATCH v3 0/4] clocksource: Add module support for timer drivers

[Zhipeng Wang]

Hello Trilok,

Thank you for the feedback.

Yes, MediaTek SoCs have ARM architectural timers. The timer-mediatek
driver provides an always-on system timer that complements, rather than
replaces, the ARM architected timer.

I will send v4 with an updated cover letter to clarify this.

BRs,
Zhipeng


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trilok Soni <trilokkumar.soni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: 2026年3月4日 13:41
> To: Zhipeng Wang <zhipeng.wang_1@xxxxxxx>; daniel.lezcano@xxxxxxxxxx;
> tglx@xxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: shawnguo@xxxxxxxxxx; s.hauer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; kernel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> festevam@xxxxxxxxx; matthias.bgg@xxxxxxxxx;
> angelogioacchino.delregno@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; linux-kernel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> imx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; linux-arm-kernel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> linux-mediatek@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; chun-hung.wu@xxxxxxxxxxxx;
> walter.chang@xxxxxxxxxxxx; jstultz@xxxxxxxxxx; amergnat@xxxxxxxxxxxx;
> Aisheng Dong <aisheng.dong@xxxxxxx>; Jindong Yue
> <jindong.yue@xxxxxxx>; Xuegang Liu <xuegang.liu@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: [EXT] Re: [PATCH v3 0/4] clocksource: Add module support for timer
> drivers
> 
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> 
> On 3/3/2026 6:57 PM, Zhipeng Wang wrote:
> > This patch series enables clocksource timer drivers to be built as
> > loadable kernel modules, which is particularly useful for GKI (Generic
> > Kernel Image) configurations.
> >
> > This series is based on the previous MediaTek timer modularization work:
> > Link:
> > https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flore
> > .kernel.org%2Fall%2F20230517022557.24388-1-walter.chang%40mediatek.c
> om
> > %2F&data=05%7C02%7Czhipeng.wang_1%40nxp.com%7C3c600569cf2c45f
> e76d308de
> >
> 79b09401%7C686ea1d3bc2b4c6fa92cd99c5c301635%7C0%7C0%7C6390819
> 964656056
> >
> 68%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjA
> uMDAwMCI
> >
> sIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sda
> ta=l
> > Y0pdTxMyzbZospgoWZHb4sOFTwdl84pJXxvRt4fN3I%3D&reserved=0
> 
> You are not explaining clearly on the why part? Does MTK doesn't have ARM
> compliant timers and due to which you have specific timer driver?
> 
> It is not clear.
> 
> 
> >
> > The series includes:
> > 1. Export necessary functions from clocksource/mmio 2. Remove __init
> > markings from timer-of to support modules 3. Convert MediaTek timer
> > driver to support module build 4. Convert i.MX TPM timer driver to
> > support module build
> >
> > Testing performed:
> > - Built and tested on i.MX8ULP platform
> > - Built and tested on MediaTek platform
> > - Verified both built-in and module configurations
> > - Confirmed timer functionality in both configurations
> >
> > Changes in v3:
> > - Reworded summary line for timer-mediatek driver as suggested.
> > - Improved commit message formatting (line wrapping).
> > - No functional changes to the code.
> >
> > Changes in v2:
> > - Added Signed-off-by from submitter (Zhipeng Wang) to all patches
> >   as requested by reviewers
> >
> > Changes in v1:
> > - Fixed 'unsigned' to 'unsigned int' in clocksource_mmio_init()
> > - Changed MODULE_LICENSE from "GPL v2" to "GPL" for mediatek driver
> > - Added i.MX TPM timer driver module support
> >
> > Chun-Hung Wu (3):
> >   clocksource/drivers/mmio: Export clocksource_mmio_init()
> >   clocksource/drivers/timer-of: Remove __init markings
> >   clocksource/drivers/timer-mediatek: Convert timer-mediatek to a
> >     loadable module
> >
> > Jindong Yue (1):
> >   clocksource/drivers/imx-tpm: Support building imx-tpm driver as
> > module
> >
> >  drivers/clocksource/Kconfig          |  4 ++--
> >  drivers/clocksource/mmio.c           |  8 ++++---
> >  drivers/clocksource/timer-imx-tpm.c  | 36
> > +++++++++++++++++++++++++---  drivers/clocksource/timer-mediatek.c |
> 33 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >  drivers/clocksource/timer-of.c       | 23 +++++++++---------
> >  drivers/clocksource/timer-of.h       |  6 ++---
> >  6 files changed, 88 insertions(+), 22 deletions(-)
> >