[PATCH v7 1/2] i2c: core: Add i2c_update_timeout() helper for dynamic transfer timeouts

From: Aniket Randive

Date: Thu Aug 13 2026 - 01:45:25 EST


The transfer timeout for an I2C controller should reflect the actual
message length and bus frequency rather than a static 1-second value.
A static timeout causes unnecessary delays on error paths for short
messages, and may be insufficient for very long transfers.

Add i2c_update_timeout() to i2c-core which computes a transfer-specific
timeout and stores it directly in the standard adap->timeout field. The
formula accounts for 9 bits per byte (8 data + 1 ACK) at the configured
bus frequency. The caller supplies a safety multiplier and a minimum
floor so that each driver retains full control over its timing policy
without those values becoming public API.

Storing the result in adap->timeout makes it visible to all consumers of
that field, including the arbitration-loss retry loop in __i2c_transfer().

The function is gated by CONFIG_I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT. When the config is
disabled, i2c_update_timeout() compiles to a no-op inline stub so drivers
that call it build cleanly and the existing static 1-second default is
preserved unchanged.

A timeout explicitly configured by userspace via the I2C_TIMEOUT ioctl is
stored in a new adap->user_timeout field and always takes precedence over
the kernel-computed value. When userspace has not configured a timeout,
the computed value is used.

Signed-off-by: Aniket Randive <aniket.randive@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
drivers/i2c/Kconfig | 13 +++++++++++++
drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c | 40 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
drivers/i2c/i2c-dev.c | 4 ++++
include/linux/i2c.h | 12 ++++++++++++
4 files changed, 69 insertions(+)

diff --git a/drivers/i2c/Kconfig b/drivers/i2c/Kconfig
index c232054fddd6..1d9691ec0e7e 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/i2c/Kconfig
@@ -136,6 +136,19 @@ config I2C_SLAVE_TESTUNIT

endif

+config I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT
+ bool "Dynamic per-transfer timeout based on message length"
+ depends on I2C
+ help
+ When enabled, the I2C core computes a per-transfer timeout from the
+ message length and bus frequency instead of using a static 1-second
+ default. A timeout explicitly configured via the I2C_TIMEOUT userspace
+ interface always takes precedence over the computed value.
+
+ When disabled, the existing static 1-second timeout is preserved.
+
+ If unsure, say N.
+
config I2C_DEBUG_CORE
bool "I2C Core debugging messages"
help
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
index fb25704219c7..caa0748253ab 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
#include <linux/irq.h>
#include <linux/jump_label.h>
#include <linux/kernel.h>
+#include <linux/math64.h>
#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/mutex.h>
#include <linux/of_device.h>
@@ -2001,6 +2002,45 @@ void i2c_parse_fw_timings(struct device *dev, struct i2c_timings *t, bool use_de
}
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(i2c_parse_fw_timings);

+#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT
+/**
+ * i2c_update_timeout - compute and set a dynamic transfer timeout on an adapter
+ * @adap: the i2c_adapter whose timeout field will be updated
+ * @bus_freq_hz: I2C bus clock frequency in Hz
+ * @len: transfer length in bytes
+ * @safety_coeff: multiplier applied over the theoretical wire time
+ * @min_usec: minimum timeout floor in microseconds
+ *
+ * Computes a transfer-specific timeout from the message length and bus
+ * frequency, applies a safety multiplier and a minimum floor, then stores
+ * the result in adap->timeout (in jiffies). The caller supplies the policy
+ * constants so they remain internal to the driver.
+ *
+ * A timeout explicitly configured by userspace via the I2C_TIMEOUT ioctl
+ * always takes precedence; the computed value is used only when userspace
+ * has not configured one.
+ */
+void i2c_update_timeout(struct i2c_adapter *adap, u32 bus_freq_hz,
+ size_t len, unsigned int safety_coeff,
+ unsigned int min_usec)
+{
+ u64 bit_usec = mul_u64_u32_div(len * 9, USEC_PER_SEC, bus_freq_hz);
+ u64 total_usec = bit_usec * safety_coeff + min_usec;
+ unsigned long jiffies_val;
+
+ /* Userspace-configured timeout always takes precedence. */
+ if (adap->user_timeout > 0) {
+ adap->timeout = adap->user_timeout;
+ return;
+ }
+
+ jiffies_val = usecs_to_jiffies((unsigned int)min_t(u64, total_usec, UINT_MAX));
+ /* adap->timeout is int; guard against signed overflow. */
+ adap->timeout = (int)min_t(unsigned long, jiffies_val, INT_MAX);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(i2c_update_timeout);
+#endif /* CONFIG_I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT */
+
/* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */

int i2c_for_each_dev(void *data, int (*fn)(struct device *dev, void *data))
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-dev.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-dev.c
index ccaac5e29f90..2d918bcbf8f7 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-dev.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-dev.c
@@ -494,7 +494,11 @@ static long i2cdev_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd, unsigned long arg)
if (arg > INT_MAX / 10)
return -EINVAL;

+#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT
+ client->adapter->user_timeout = msecs_to_jiffies(arg * 10);
+#else
client->adapter->timeout = msecs_to_jiffies(arg * 10);
+#endif
break;
default:
/* NOTE: returning a fault code here could cause trouble
diff --git a/include/linux/i2c.h b/include/linux/i2c.h
index 14ab4d3055af..068217549266 100644
--- a/include/linux/i2c.h
+++ b/include/linux/i2c.h
@@ -742,6 +742,9 @@ struct i2c_adapter {
struct rt_mutex mux_lock;

int timeout; /* in jiffies */
+#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT
+ int user_timeout; /* I2C_TIMEOUT ioctl value in jiffies; 0 = not set */
+#endif
int retries;
struct device dev; /* the adapter device */
unsigned long locked_flags; /* owned by the I2C core */
@@ -912,6 +915,15 @@ void i2c_put_adapter(struct i2c_adapter *adap);
unsigned int i2c_adapter_depth(struct i2c_adapter *adapter);

void i2c_parse_fw_timings(struct device *dev, struct i2c_timings *t, bool use_defaults);
+#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_DYNAMIC_TIMEOUT
+void i2c_update_timeout(struct i2c_adapter *adap, u32 bus_freq_hz,
+ size_t len, unsigned int safety_coeff,
+ unsigned int min_usec);
+#else
+static inline void i2c_update_timeout(struct i2c_adapter *adap, u32 bus_freq_hz,
+ size_t len, unsigned int safety_coeff,
+ unsigned int min_usec) {}
+#endif

/* Return the functionality mask */
static inline u32 i2c_get_functionality(struct i2c_adapter *adap)

--
2.34.1