Re: [PATCH 02/16] fpga: add FPGA device framework

[matthew . gerlach]

On Fri, 31 Mar 2017, Wu Hao wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 08:09:09AM +0200, Greg KH wrote:
> > On Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 08:08:02PM +0800, Wu Hao wrote:
> > > During FPGA device (e.g PCI-based) discovery, platform devices are
> > > registered for different FPGA function units. But the device node path
> > > isn't quite friendly to applications.
> > >
> > > Consider this case, applications want to access child device's sysfs file
> > > for some information.
> > >
> > > 1) Access using bus-based path (e.g PCI)
> > >
> > >   /sys/bus/pci/devices/xxxxx/fpga_func_a.0/sysfs_file
> > >
> > >   From the path, it's clear which PCI device is the parent, but not perfect
> > >   solution for applications. PCI device BDF is not fixed, application may
> > >   need to search all PCI device to find the actual FPGA Device.
> > >
> > > 2) Or access using platform device path
> > >
> > >   /sys/bus/platform/devices/fpga_func_a.0/sysfs_file
> > >
> > >   Applications find the actual function by name easily, but no information
> > >   about which fpga device it belongs to. It's quite confusing if multiple
> > >   FPGA devices are in one system.
> > >
> > > 'FPGA Device' class is introduced to resolve this problem. Each node under
> > > this class represents a fpga device, which may have one or more child
> > > devices. Applications only need to search under this FPGA Device class
> > > folder to find the child device node it needs.
> > >
> > > For example, for the platform has 2 fpga devices, each fpga device has
> > > 3 child devices, the hierarchy looks like this.
> > >
> > > Two nodes are under /sys/class/fpga/:
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.0
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.1
> > >
> > > Each node has 1 function A device and 2 function B devices:
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.0/func_a.0
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.0/func_b.0
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.0/func_b.1
> > >
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.1/func_a.1
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.1/func_b.2
> > > /sys/class/fpga/fpga.1/func_b.3
> > >
> > > This following APIs are provided by FPGA device framework:
> > > * fpga_dev_create
> > >   Create fpga device under the given parent device.
> > > * fpga_dev_destroy
> > >   Destroy fpga device
> > >
> > > The following sysfs files are created:
> > > * /sys/class/fpga/<fpga.x>/name
> > >   Name of the fpga device.
> >
> > How does this interact with the existing "fpga class" that is in the
> > kernel already?
>
> The fpga-dev introduced by this patch, is only a container device, and

I completely understand the need for a container device.  The fpga-region 
is also primarily a container, and in some cases the fpga-region may 
represent the entire fpga.  Over time this code may become redundant.

> drivers could register different functions under it. Per my understanding,
> the existing "fpga class", including fpga-region, fpga-bridge and
> fpga-manager, is used to provide reconfiguration function for FPGA. So
> driver can create child node using this existing "fpga class" to provide
> FPGA reconfiguration function, and more nodes under this container for
> different functions for given FPGA device.
>
> For Intel FPGA device, partial reconfiguration is only one function of
> Intel FPGA Management Engine (FME). FME driver creates fpga_manager under
> below path for partial reconfiguration, and other interfaces for more
> functions, e.g power management, virtualization support and etc.
>
> /sys/class/fpga/<fpga.x>/<intel-fpga-fme.x>/fpga_manager
>
> Thanks
> Hao
>
> > thanks,
> >
> > greg k-h
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