Re: [alsa-devel] [PATCH v6 0/3] input: Add support for ECI(multimedia) accessories

[Tapio Vihuri]

On Tue, 2011-02-01 at 22:21 -0800, ext Dmitry Torokhov wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 01, 2011 at 11:32:41AM +0200, Tapio Vihuri wrote:
> > On Tue, 2011-02-01 at 00:58 -0800, ext Dmitry Torokhov wrote:
> > > Hi Tapio,
> > > 
> > > On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 04:03:51PM +0200, tapio.vihuri@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > This patch set introduce Multimedia Headset Accessory support for
> > > > Nokia phones. Technically those are known as ECI (Enhancement Control Interface)
> > > > 	
> > > > If headset has many buttons, like play, vol+, vol- etc. then it is propably ECI
> > > > accessory.
> > > > 
> > > > Among several buttons ECI accessories contains memory for storing several
> > > > parameters.
> > > > 
> > > > This ECI input driver provides the following features:
> > > >  - reading ECI configuration memory
> > > >  - ECI buttons as input events
> > > > 
> > > > Drive is constructed as follows:
> > > >  - ECI accessory input driver deals with headset accessory
> > > >  - ECI bus control driver deals the HW transfering data to/from headset
> > > >  - platform data match used HW
> > > 
> > > I finally had a chance to look though the patches more closely and I do
> > > not understand why you decided to introduce the platform device in
> > > addition to I2C device. You end up with 2 artificially separated bodies of
> > > code that are not viable on their own. The ECI module with it's platform
> > > device is not usable without the controller; the controller can not be
> > > registered without the ECI device initialized; there are ordering
> > > issues, both initialization and PM-wise and you are forced to support
> > > only one device.
> > > 
> > > Is there going to be an SPI interface as well? If not then fold it all
> > > together and have I2C device as the only device involved. If SPI is a
> > > possibility then look in drivers such as adxl34x, ad714x and others that
> > > are split into core module and bus interface implementations.
> > > 
> > > Thanks.
> > > 
> > 
> > Hi Dmitry
> > 
> > Thank you for reviewing.
> > 
> > The reasoning for separating driver to the two parts is having both
> > common and different hardware.
> > 
> > The ECI input, as platform device is common part and only dealing with
> > the accessory HW (meaning the headset accessory).
> > This is standardiced part of system, where specification guarantee HW
> > behaving same way accross several headset accessories.
> > The accessory is plugged to the terminal using four pin AV-cable, much
> > same way as USB mouse.
> > I just didn't see need to introduce new bus type for one wire ECI data
> > link, hence platform device.
> > 
> > The ECI controller, as I2C device is the variable part of the system.
> > In this case it's microcontroller in I2C bus, but there are other
> > versions too.
> > There is no specification about these controller's internals, and those
> > are quite different.
> > It is also possible to use other buses too for connecting controller to
> > terminal, like SPI.
> > 
> > The idea was that if ECI is used in device, just take ECI input driver
> > and select the ECI controller which is used in the platform.
> > 
> > And as long as the ECI controller driver use the same interface to ECI
> > input driver, evetrything works OK.
> > This allows also dynamic selection of used control device. I mean we can
> > compile several ECI controllers as modules and detect the HW at
> > initialization.
> > 
> > I use the ad714x as example, but I can take second look on that too.
> > 
> > Please let me know if this is making sense.
> 
> Tapio,
> 
> I understand that ECI accessory is the standard part that can be attached
> to several controllers, it still does not explain the need for the
> platform device.
> 
> If ECI accessory is the only device that uses the interface you
> specified then write a module containing that core functionality, with a
> function to instantiate an instance of the accessory and have controller
> drivers call this function as part of their bind procedure (i.e. do what
> adxl34x and company are doing).

Hi.

You are right. I took closer look of adxl34x, and I just wonder why I
didn't make so at first place ;)

I submit new patches soon.

Thank you,
Tapio

> 
> If there could be other accessories utilizing the same interface then
> creating a new bus is the only viable option.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> -- 
> Dmitry
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