Re: [PATCH V2] dt-bindings: nvmem: u-boot,env: add Broadcom's variant binding

From: Rob Herring
Date: Fri Oct 14 2022 - 17:09:59 EST


On Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:36:31 +0200, Rafał Miłecki wrote:
> From: Rafał Miłecki <rafal@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Broadcom uses U-Boot for a lot of their bcmbca familiy chipsets. U-Boot
> stores its configuration in an environment data block.
>
> Such blocks are usually stored on flash as a separated partition at
> hardcoded address. Broadcom however decided to:
> 1. Store env data block inside U-Boot partition
> 2. Avoid sticking to hardcoded offsets
> 3. Use custom header with "uEnv" magic and env data length
>
> Example (length 0x4000):
> $ hexdump -n 32 -C -s 0x40000 /dev/mtdblock0
> 00040000 76 6e 45 75 00 40 00 00 34 89 7a 82 49 4d 41 47 |vnEu.@xxxxxxxxxx|
> 00040010 45 3d 4e 41 4e 44 3a 31 4d 2c 31 30 32 34 4d 00 |E=NAND:1M,1024M.|
> (0x40000 offset is unit specific and can change)
>
> Starting with the commit 118f3fbe517f4 ("dt-bindings: mtd: partitions:
> support label/name only partition") DT can describe partitions matching
> them by a name (without specifying actual address). With that feature
> and this binding change it's possible to:
> 1. Specify DT node for Broadcom's U-Boot env data subpartition
> 2. Add nodes for specific environment data variables
> 3. Reference them as NVMEM cells
>
> This binding is unlikely to help Broadcom's U-Boot. U-Boot SPL needs to
> find environment data early (before it accesses DTB) and it does that by
> looking for an "uEnv" magic. Dirty way.
>
> This binding can however be used by operating systems. It allows
> describing cleanly U-Boot, its env data and variables. It tells
> operating system about Broadcom-specific env data so it can parse it.
>
> Signed-off-by: Rafał Miłecki <rafal@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> V2: Work on better commit body & add example
> ---
> .../devicetree/bindings/nvmem/u-boot,env.yaml | 21 +++++++++++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+)
>

Applied, thanks!