Re: [PATCH] hwmon: (max6621) fix negative temperature offset and crit readings

From: Guenter Roeck

Date: Sat Aug 08 2026 - 10:49:13 EST


On 8/8/26 01:37, Cong Nguyen wrote:
max6621_read() reads the temperature input, offset and critical alert
registers into a u32 and assigns them to the output without sign
extension. The device reports these values in two's complement (the
driver comment and the write path, which clamps to
MAX6621_TEMP_INPUT_MIN == -127000 and encodes negatives, both rely on
this), so negative values are misreported as large positive numbers:

- temp_offset: *val = (regval >> MAX6621_REG_TEMP_SHIFT) * 1000, an
unsigned shift, so e.g. a -10 degrees C offset (register 0xfd80)
reads back as ~+1014000 millidegrees.
- temp_crit: *val = regval * 1000, so a negative critical threshold
reads back as a large positive value.
- temp_input used an s8 intermediate, which is correct for the
-127..127 range but reports the documented +128 degrees C maximum as
-128 degrees C.


This problem does not exist. The AI is hallucinating a bit. There is no mention
of +128 degrees C in the datasheet.

The problem here is that MAX6621_TEMP_INPUT_MIN (-127) and MAX6621_TEMP_INPUT_MAX (128)
are wrong. That should be -128 and (+)127. I guess the AI doesn't see that.

The registers are 16-bit (the driver's own PECI error codes occupy
0x8000-0x80ff), so sign-extend from bit 15 before scaling. This fixes
all three reads and drops the now-unused s8 intermediate.


The PECI error code reference is just confusing AI slop and completely irrelevant
for the patch.

Fixes: 92b64580f14b ("hwmon: (max6621) Add support for Maxim MAX6621 temperature sensor")
Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Assisted-by: Claude:claude-opus-4
Signed-off-by: Cong Nguyen <congnt264@xxxxxxxxx>
---
drivers/hwmon/max6621.c | 11 +++++------
1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/hwmon/max6621.c b/drivers/hwmon/max6621.c
index a7066f3a0bb4..03ac3eb5a594 100644
--- a/drivers/hwmon/max6621.c
+++ b/drivers/hwmon/max6621.c
@@ -204,7 +204,6 @@ max6621_read(struct device *dev, enum hwmon_sensor_types type, u32 attr,
struct max6621_data *data = dev_get_drvdata(dev);
u32 regval;
int reg;
- s8 temp;
int ret;
switch (type) {
@@ -225,8 +224,8 @@ max6621_read(struct device *dev, enum hwmon_sensor_types type, u32 attr,
* The temperature is given in two's complement and 8
* bits is used for the register conversion.
*/
- temp = (regval >> MAX6621_REG_TEMP_SHIFT);
- *val = temp * 1000L;
+ *val = (sign_extend32(regval, 15) >>
+ MAX6621_REG_TEMP_SHIFT) * 1000L;

*val = ((s16)regval >> MAX6621_REG_TEMP_SHIFT) * 1000L;

However, as mentioned above, this is not a problem in the first place
but AI not understanding the code and the real problem..

Guenter

break;
case hwmon_temp_offset:
@@ -239,8 +238,8 @@ max6621_read(struct device *dev, enum hwmon_sensor_types type, u32 attr,
if (ret)
return ret;
- *val = (regval >> MAX6621_REG_TEMP_SHIFT) *
- 1000L;
+ *val = (sign_extend32(regval, 15) >>
+ MAX6621_REG_TEMP_SHIFT) * 1000L;
break;
case hwmon_temp_crit:
@@ -254,7 +253,7 @@ max6621_read(struct device *dev, enum hwmon_sensor_types type, u32 attr,
if (ret)
return ret;
- *val = regval * 1000L;
+ *val = sign_extend32(regval, 15) * 1000L;
break;
case hwmon_temp_crit_alarm: