Re: [PATCH 2/4] platform: arm64: dell-xps-ec: new driver
From: Ilpo Järvinen
Date: Wed Apr 01 2026 - 06:49:18 EST
On Wed, 1 Apr 2026, Aleksandrs Vinarskis wrote:
> Introduce EC driver for Dell XPS 13 9345 (codename 'tributo') which may
> partially of fully compatible with Snapdragon-based Dell Latitude,
> Inspiron ('thena'). Primary function of this driver is unblock EC's
> thermal management, specifically to provide it with necessary
> information to control device fans, peripherals power.
>
> The driver was developed primarily by analyzing ACPI DSDT's _DSM and
> i2c dumps of communication between SoC and EC. Changes to Windows
> driver's behavior include increasing temperature feed loop from ~50ms
> to 100ms here.
>
> While Xps's EC is rather complex and controls practically all device
> peripherals including touch row's brightness and special keys such as
> mic mute, these do not go over this particular i2c interface.
>
> Not yet implemented features:
> - On lid-close IRQ event is registered. Windows performs what to
> appears to be thermistor constants readout, though its not obvious
> what it used for.
> - According to ACPI's _DSM there is a method to readout fans' RPM.
> - Initial thermistor constants were sniffed from Windows, these can be
> likely fine tuned for better cooling performance.
> - There is additional temperature reading that Windows sents to EC but
> more rare than others, likely SoC T_j / TZ98 or TZ4. This is the only
> thermal zone who's reading can exceed 115C without triggering thermal
> shutdown.
> - Given similarities between 'tributo' and 'thena' platforms, including
> EC i2c address, driver can be potentially extended to support both.
>
> Signed-off-by: Aleksandrs Vinarskis <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> MAINTAINERS | 1 +
> drivers/platform/arm64/Kconfig | 12 ++
> drivers/platform/arm64/Makefile | 1 +
> drivers/platform/arm64/dell-xps-ec.c | 269 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 4 files changed, 283 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
> index fe3f2fc4fbc087d8041f97708fbb93722f7d1882..f82c7f6c7377d3f2ff0ae1be263d854749541f03 100644
> --- a/MAINTAINERS
> +++ b/MAINTAINERS
> @@ -7240,6 +7240,7 @@ DELL XPS EMBEDDED CONTROLLER DRIVER
> M: Aleksandrs Vinarskis <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> S: Maintained
> F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/embedded-controller/dell,xps13-9345-ec.yaml
> +F: drivers/platform/arm64/dell-xps-ec.c
>
> DELTA AHE-50DC FAN CONTROL MODULE DRIVER
> M: Zev Weiss <zev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/arm64/Kconfig b/drivers/platform/arm64/Kconfig
> index 10f905d7d6bfa5fad30a0689d3a20481268c781e..0bc8f016032bb05cb3a7cc50bdf1092da04153bc 100644
> --- a/drivers/platform/arm64/Kconfig
> +++ b/drivers/platform/arm64/Kconfig
> @@ -33,6 +33,18 @@ config EC_ACER_ASPIRE1
> laptop where this information is not properly exposed via the
> standard ACPI devices.
>
> +config EC_DELL_XPS
> + tristate "Dell XPS 9345 Embedded Controller driver"
> + depends on ARCH_QCOM || COMPILE_TEST
> + depends on I2C
> + depends on IIO
> + help
> + Driver for the Embedded Controller in the Qualcomm Snapdragon-based
> + Dell XPS 13 9345, which handles thermal management and fan speed
> + control.
> +
> + Say M or Y here to include this support.
> +
> config EC_HUAWEI_GAOKUN
> tristate "Huawei Matebook E Go Embedded Controller driver"
> depends on ARCH_QCOM || COMPILE_TEST
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/arm64/Makefile b/drivers/platform/arm64/Makefile
> index 60c131cff6a15bb51a49c9edab95badf513ee0f6..6768dc6c2310837374e67381cfc729bed1fdaaef 100644
> --- a/drivers/platform/arm64/Makefile
> +++ b/drivers/platform/arm64/Makefile
> @@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
> #
>
> obj-$(CONFIG_EC_ACER_ASPIRE1) += acer-aspire1-ec.o
> +obj-$(CONFIG_EC_DELL_XPS) += dell-xps-ec.o
> obj-$(CONFIG_EC_HUAWEI_GAOKUN) += huawei-gaokun-ec.o
> obj-$(CONFIG_EC_LENOVO_YOGA_C630) += lenovo-yoga-c630.o
> obj-$(CONFIG_EC_LENOVO_THINKPAD_T14S) += lenovo-thinkpad-t14s.o
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/arm64/dell-xps-ec.c b/drivers/platform/arm64/dell-xps-ec.c
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..5ea8f30931d8b61acbb948d8617dde3681fb8de3
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/drivers/platform/arm64/dell-xps-ec.c
> @@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
> +// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
> +/*
> + * Copyright (c) 2026, Aleksandrs Vinarskis <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> + */
> +
> +#include <linux/array_size.h>
> +#include <linux/devm-helpers.h>
> +#include <linux/device.h>
> +#include <linux/i2c.h>
> +#include <linux/iio/consumer.h>
> +#include <linux/interrupt.h>
> +#include <linux/module.h>
> +#include <linux/pm.h>
> +#include <linux/workqueue.h>
> +
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_SUSPEND_CMD 0xb9
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_SUSPEND_MSG_LEN 64
> +
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_CMD0 0xfb
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_CMD1 0x20
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_CMD3 0x02
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_MSG_LEN 6
> +#define DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_INTERVAL_MS 100
> +
> +/*
> + * Format:
> + * - header/unknown (2 bytes)
> + * - per-thermistor entries (3 bytes): thermistor_id, param1, param2
> + */
> +static const u8 dell_xps_ec_thermistor_profile[] = {
> + 0xff, 0x54,
> + 0x01, 0x00, 0x2b, /* sys_therm0 */
> + 0x02, 0x44, 0x2a, /* sys_therm1 */
> + 0x03, 0x44, 0x2b, /* sys_therm2 */
> + 0x04, 0x44, 0x28, /* sys_therm3 */
> + 0x05, 0x55, 0x2a, /* sys_therm4 */
> + 0x06, 0x44, 0x26, /* sys_therm5 */
> + 0x07, 0x44, 0x2b, /* sys_therm6 */
> +};
> +
> +/*
> + * Mapping from IIO channel name to EC command byte
> + */
> +static const struct {
> + const char *name;
> + u8 cmd;
> +} dell_xps_ec_therms[] = {
> + /* TODO: 0x01 is sent only occasionally, likely TZ98 or TZ4 */
> + { "sys_therm0", 0x02 },
> + { "sys_therm1", 0x03 },
> + { "sys_therm2", 0x04 },
> + { "sys_therm3", 0x05 },
> + { "sys_therm4", 0x06 },
> + { "sys_therm5", 0x07 },
> + { "sys_therm6", 0x08 },
> +};
> +
> +struct dell_xps_ec {
> + struct device *dev;
> + struct i2c_client *client;
> + struct iio_channel *therm_channels[ARRAY_SIZE(dell_xps_ec_therms)];
> + struct delayed_work temp_work;
> +};
> +
> +static int dell_xps_ec_suspend_cmd(struct dell_xps_ec *ec, bool suspend)
> +{
> + u8 buf[DELL_XPS_EC_SUSPEND_MSG_LEN] = {};
> + int ret;
> +
> + buf[0] = DELL_XPS_EC_SUSPEND_CMD;
> + buf[1] = suspend ? 0x01 : 0x00;
> + /* bytes 2..63 remain zero */
> +
> + ret = i2c_master_send(ec->client, buf, sizeof(buf));
> + if (ret < 0)
> + return ret;
> +
> + return 0;
> +}
> +
> +static int dell_xps_ec_send_temp(struct dell_xps_ec *ec, u8 cmd_byte,
> + int milli_celsius)
> +{
> + u8 buf[DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_MSG_LEN];
> + u16 deci_celsius;
> + int ret;
> +
> + /* Convert milli-Celsius to deci-Celsius (Celsius * 10) */
> + deci_celsius = milli_celsius / 100;
> +
> + buf[0] = DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_CMD0;
> + buf[1] = DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_CMD1;
> + buf[2] = cmd_byte;
> + buf[3] = DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_CMD3;
> + buf[4] = deci_celsius & 0xff; /* LSB */
> + buf[5] = (deci_celsius >> 8) & 0xff; /* MSB */
This looks like a 16-bit field so it should be handled as such and with
annotated endianness. One option would be to use a struct so you can use
it as a field.
> + ret = i2c_master_send(ec->client, buf, sizeof(buf));
> + if (ret < 0)
> + return ret;
> +
> + return 0;
> +}
> +
> +static void dell_xps_ec_temp_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
> +{
> + struct dell_xps_ec *ec = container_of(work, struct dell_xps_ec,
> + temp_work.work);
> + int val, ret, i;
> +
> + for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(dell_xps_ec_therms); i++) {
> + if (!ec->therm_channels[i])
> + continue;
> +
> + ret = iio_read_channel_processed(ec->therm_channels[i], &val);
> + if (ret < 0) {
> + dev_err_ratelimited(ec->dev,
> + "Failed to read thermistor %s: %d\n",
> + dell_xps_ec_therms[i].name, ret);
Add include for dev_err_ratelimited().
> + continue;
> + }
> +
> + ret = dell_xps_ec_send_temp(ec, dell_xps_ec_therms[i].cmd, val);
> + if (ret < 0) {
> + dev_err_ratelimited(ec->dev,
> + "Failed to send temp for %s: %d\n",
> + dell_xps_ec_therms[i].name, ret);
> + }
> + }
> +
> + schedule_delayed_work(&ec->temp_work,
> + msecs_to_jiffies(DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_INTERVAL_MS));
Add include for msecs_to_jiffies().
> +}
> +
> +static irqreturn_t dell_xps_ec_irq_handler(int irq, void *data)
> +{
> + struct dell_xps_ec *ec = data;
> +
> + /*
> + * TODO: IRQ is fired on lid-close. Follow Windows example to read out
> + * the thermistor thresholds and potentially fan speeds.
> + */
> + dev_info_ratelimited(ec->dev, "IRQ triggered! (irq=%d)\n", irq);
> +
> + return IRQ_HANDLED;
> +}
> +
> +static int dell_xps_ec_probe(struct i2c_client *client)
> +{
> + struct device *dev = &client->dev;
> + struct dell_xps_ec *ec;
> + int ret, i;
> +
> + ec = devm_kzalloc(dev, sizeof(*ec), GFP_KERNEL);
> + if (!ec)
> + return -ENOMEM;
> +
> + ec->dev = dev;
> + ec->client = client;
> + i2c_set_clientdata(client, ec);
> +
> + /* Set default thermistor profile */
> + ret = i2c_master_send(client, dell_xps_ec_thermistor_profile,
> + sizeof(dell_xps_ec_thermistor_profile));
> + if (ret < 0)
> + return dev_err_probe(dev, ret, "Failed to set thermistor profile\n");
> +
> + /* Get IIO channels for thermistors */
> + for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(dell_xps_ec_therms); i++) {
> + ec->therm_channels[i] = devm_iio_channel_get(dev,
> + dell_xps_ec_therms[i].name);
> + if (IS_ERR(ec->therm_channels[i])) {
Add include.
> + ret = PTR_ERR(ec->therm_channels[i]);
> + ec->therm_channels[i] = NULL;
> + if (ret == -EPROBE_DEFER)
> + return ret;
> + dev_warn(dev, "Thermistor %s not available: %d\n",
> + dell_xps_ec_therms[i].name, ret);
> + }
> + }
> +
> + /* Start periodic temperature reporting */
> + ret = devm_delayed_work_autocancel(dev, &ec->temp_work,
> + dell_xps_ec_temp_work_fn);
> + if (ret)
> + return ret;
> + schedule_delayed_work(&ec->temp_work,
> + msecs_to_jiffies(DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_INTERVAL_MS));
> + dev_info(dev, "Started periodic temperature reporting to EC every %d ms\n",
> + DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_INTERVAL_MS);
> +
> + /* Request IRQ for EC events */
> + ret = devm_request_threaded_irq(dev, client->irq, NULL,
> + dell_xps_ec_irq_handler,
> + IRQF_ONESHOT, dev_name(dev), ec);
> + if (ret < 0)
> + return dev_err_probe(dev, ret, "Failed to request IRQ\n");
> +
> + return 0;
> +}
> +
> +/*
> + * Notify EC of suspend
> + *
> + * This will:
> + * - Ramp down the fans
> + * - Cut power to display/trackpad/keyboard/touch row
> + * - Periodically (?) power them back, such that wake-up source still works
> + */
> +static int dell_xps_ec_suspend(struct device *dev)
> +{
> + struct dell_xps_ec *ec = dev_get_drvdata(dev);
> +
> + cancel_delayed_work_sync(&ec->temp_work);
> +
> + return dell_xps_ec_suspend_cmd(ec, true);
> +}
> +
> +/*
> + * Notify EC of resume
> + *
> + * This will undo the suspend actions
> + * Without the resume signal, device would wake up but be forced back into
> + * suspend by EC within seconds
> + */
> +static int dell_xps_ec_resume(struct device *dev)
> +{
> + struct dell_xps_ec *ec = dev_get_drvdata(dev);
> + int ret;
> +
> + ret = dell_xps_ec_suspend_cmd(ec, false);
> + if (ret)
> + return ret;
> +
> + schedule_delayed_work(&ec->temp_work,
> + msecs_to_jiffies(DELL_XPS_EC_TEMP_INTERVAL_MS));
> + return 0;
> +}
> +
> +static const struct of_device_id dell_xps_ec_of_match[] = {
> + { .compatible = "dell,xps13-9345-ec" },
> + {}
> +};
> +MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(of, dell_xps_ec_of_match);
> +
> +static const struct i2c_device_id dell_xps_ec_i2c_id[] = {
> + { "dell-xps-ec" },
> + {}
> +};
> +MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(i2c, dell_xps_ec_i2c_id);
> +
> +static const struct dev_pm_ops dell_xps_ec_pm_ops = {
> + SYSTEM_SLEEP_PM_OPS(dell_xps_ec_suspend, dell_xps_ec_resume)
> +};
> +
> +static struct i2c_driver dell_xps_ec_driver = {
> + .driver = {
> + .name = "dell-xps-ec",
> + .of_match_table = dell_xps_ec_of_match,
> + .pm = &dell_xps_ec_pm_ops,
> + },
> + .probe = dell_xps_ec_probe,
> + .id_table = dell_xps_ec_i2c_id,
> +};
> +module_i2c_driver(dell_xps_ec_driver);
> +
> +MODULE_AUTHOR("Aleksandrs Vinarskis <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>");
> +MODULE_DESCRIPTION("Dell XPS 13 9345 Embedded Controller");
> +MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
>
>
--
i.