Re: [PATCH v12 2/5] dt-bindings: msm/dp: add data-lanes and link-frequencies property

From: Dmitry Baryshkov
Date: Thu Dec 15 2022 - 16:13:37 EST

On 15/12/2022 02:38, Stephen Boyd wrote:
Quoting Kuogee Hsieh (2022-12-14 14:56:23)

On 12/13/2022 3:06 PM, Stephen Boyd wrote:
Quoting Kuogee Hsieh (2022-12-13 13:44:05)
Add both data-lanes and link-frequencies property into endpoint
Why do we care? Please tell us why it's important.

Any response?

@@ -193,6 +217,8 @@ examples:
reg = <1>;
endpoint {
remote-endpoint = <&typec>;
+ data-lanes = <0 1>;
+ link-frequencies = /bits/ 64 <1620000000 2700000000 5400000000 8100000000>;
};
So far we haven't used the output port on the DP controller in DT.

I'm still not clear on what we should do in general for DP because
there's a PHY that actually controls a lane count and lane mapping. In
my mental model of the SoC, this DP controller's output port is
connected to the DP PHY, which then sends the DP lanes out of the SoC to
the next downstream device (i.e. a DP connector or type-c muxer). Having
a remote-endpoint property with a phandle to typec doesn't fit my mental
model. I'd expect it to be the typec PHY.
ack

That brings up the question: when we have 2 lanes vs. 4 lanes will we
duplicate the data-lanes property in the PHY binding? I suspect we'll
have to. Hopefully that sort of duplication is OK?
Current we have limitation by reserve 2 data lanes for usb2, i am not
sure duplication to 4 lanes will work automatically.

Similarly, we may have a redriver that limits the link-frequencies
property further (e.g. only support <= 2.7GHz). Having multiple
link-frequencies along the graph is OK, right? And isn't the
link-frequencies property known here by fact that the DP controller
tells us which SoC this controller is for, and thus we already know the
supported link frequencies?

Finally, I wonder if we should put any of this in the DP controller's
output endpoint, or if we can put these sorts of properties in the DP
PHY binding directly? Can't we do that and then when the DP controller
tries to set 4 lanes, the PHY immediately fails the call and the link
training algorithm does its thing and tries fewer lanes? And similarly,
if link-frequencies were in the PHY's binding, the PHY could fail to set
those frequencies during link training, returning an error to the DP
controller, letting the training move on to a lower frequency. If we did
that this patch series would largely be about modifying the PHY binding,
updating the PHY driver to enforce constraints, and handling errors
during link training in the DP controller (which may already be done? I
didn't check).


phy/pll have different configuration base on link lanes and rate.

it has to be set up before link training can start.

Once link training start, then there are no any interactions between
controller and phy during link training session.

What do you mean? The DP controller calls phy_configure() and changes
the link rate. The return value from phy_configure() should be checked
and link training should skip link rates that aren't supported and/or
number of lanes that aren't supported.

I'd toss another coin into the argument. We have previously discussed using the link-frequencies property in the context of limiting link speeds for the DSI. There we have both hardware (SoC) limitations and the board limitations as in some cases the DSI lanes can not sustain some high rate. I still hope for these patches to materialize at some point.

For the DP this is more or less the same story. We have the hardware (SoC, PHY, etc) limitations, but also we have the board/device limitations. For example some of the board might not be able to support HBR3 e.g. because of the PCB design. And while it might be logical to also add the 'max bit rate' support to the eDP & combo PHYs, it definitely makes sense to be able to limit the rate on the DP <-> `something' link.

Now, for all the practical purposes this `something' for the DP is the DP connector, the eDP panel or the USB-C mux (with the possible redrivers in the middle).

Thus I'd support Kuogee's proposal to have link-frequencies in the DP's outbound endpoint. This is the link which will be driven by the data stream from the Linux point of view. The PHY is linked through the 'phys' property, but it doesn't participate in the USB-C (or in the connector/panel) graph.

Now let's discuss the data lanes. Currently we have them in the DP property itself. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that we can drop it for all the practical purposes. Judging by the DP compat string the driver can determine if it uses 2 lanes (eDP) or 4 lanes (full-featured DP). In case of USB-C when the altmode dictates whether to use 2 or 4 lanes, the TCPM (Type-C Port Manager) will negotiate the mode and pin configuration, then inform the DP controller about the selected amount of lanes. Then DP informs the PHY about the selection (note, PHY doesn't have control at all in this scenario).

The only problematic case is the mixed mode ports, which if I understand correctly, can be configured either to eDP or DP modes. I'm not sure who specifies and limits the amount of lanes available to the DP controller.

--
With best wishes
Dmitry