1 This is a small guide for those who want to write kernel drivers for I2C
4 To set up a driver, you need to do several things. Some are optional, and
5 some things can be done slightly or completely different. Use this as a
6 guide, not as a rule book!
12 Try to keep the kernel namespace as clean as possible. The best way to
13 do this is to use a unique prefix for all global symbols. This is
14 especially important for exported symbols, but it is a good idea to do
15 it for non-exported symbols too. We will use the prefix `foo_' in this
16 tutorial, and `FOO_' for preprocessor variables.
22 Usually, you will implement a single driver structure, and instantiate
23 all clients from it. Remember, a driver structure contains general access
24 routines, and should be zero-initialized except for fields with data you
25 provide. A client structure holds device-specific information like the
26 driver model device node, and its I2C address.
28 static struct i2c_driver foo_driver = {
32 .attach_adapter = foo_attach_adapter,
33 .detach_client = foo_detach_client,
34 .shutdown = foo_shutdown, /* optional */
35 .suspend = foo_suspend, /* optional */
36 .resume = foo_resume, /* optional */
37 .command = foo_command, /* optional */
40 The name field is the driver name, and must not contain spaces. It
41 should match the module name (if the driver can be compiled as a module),
42 although you can use MODULE_ALIAS (passing "foo" in this example) to add
43 another name for the module.
45 All other fields are for call-back functions which will be explained
52 Each client structure has a special `data' field that can point to any
53 structure at all. You should use this to keep device-specific data,
54 especially in drivers that handle multiple I2C or SMBUS devices. You
55 do not always need this, but especially for `sensors' drivers, it can
59 void i2c_set_clientdata(struct i2c_client *client, void *data);
61 /* retrieve the value */
62 void *i2c_get_clientdata(struct i2c_client *client);
64 An example structure is below.
67 struct i2c_client client;
68 struct semaphore lock; /* For ISA access in `sensors' drivers. */
69 int sysctl_id; /* To keep the /proc directory entry for
71 enum chips type; /* To keep the chips type for `sensors' drivers. */
73 /* Because the i2c bus is slow, it is often useful to cache the read
74 information of a chip for some time (for example, 1 or 2 seconds).
75 It depends of course on the device whether this is really worthwhile
77 struct semaphore update_lock; /* When we are reading lots of information,
78 another process should not update the
80 char valid; /* != 0 if the following fields are valid. */
81 unsigned long last_updated; /* In jiffies */
82 /* Add the read information here too */
89 Let's say we have a valid client structure. At some time, we will need
90 to gather information from the client, or write new information to the
91 client. How we will export this information to user-space is less
92 important at this moment (perhaps we do not need to do this at all for
93 some obscure clients). But we need generic reading and writing routines.
95 I have found it useful to define foo_read and foo_write function for this.
96 For some cases, it will be easier to call the i2c functions directly,
97 but many chips have some kind of register-value idea that can easily
98 be encapsulated. Also, some chips have both ISA and I2C interfaces, and
99 it useful to abstract from this (only for `sensors' drivers).
101 The below functions are simple examples, and should not be copied
104 int foo_read_value(struct i2c_client *client, u8 reg)
106 if (reg < 0x10) /* byte-sized register */
107 return i2c_smbus_read_byte_data(client,reg);
108 else /* word-sized register */
109 return i2c_smbus_read_word_data(client,reg);
112 int foo_write_value(struct i2c_client *client, u8 reg, u16 value)
114 if (reg == 0x10) /* Impossible to write - driver error! */ {
116 else if (reg < 0x10) /* byte-sized register */
117 return i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(client,reg,value);
118 else /* word-sized register */
119 return i2c_smbus_write_word_data(client,reg,value);
122 For sensors code, you may have to cope with ISA registers too. Something
123 like the below often works. Note the locking!
125 int foo_read_value(struct i2c_client *client, u8 reg)
128 if (i2c_is_isa_client(client)) {
129 down(&(((struct foo_data *) (client->data)) -> lock));
130 outb_p(reg,client->addr + FOO_ADDR_REG_OFFSET);
131 res = inb_p(client->addr + FOO_DATA_REG_OFFSET);
132 up(&(((struct foo_data *) (client->data)) -> lock));
135 return i2c_smbus_read_byte_data(client,reg);
138 Writing is done the same way.
141 Probing and attaching
142 =====================
144 Most i2c devices can be present on several i2c addresses; for some this
145 is determined in hardware (by soldering some chip pins to Vcc or Ground),
146 for others this can be changed in software (by writing to specific client
147 registers). Some devices are usually on a specific address, but not always;
148 and some are even more tricky. So you will probably need to scan several
149 i2c addresses for your clients, and do some sort of detection to see
150 whether it is actually a device supported by your driver.
152 To give the user a maximum of possibilities, some default module parameters
153 are defined to help determine what addresses are scanned. Several macros
154 are defined in i2c.h to help you support them, as well as a generic
157 You do not have to use this parameter interface; but don't try to use
158 function i2c_probe() if you don't.
160 NOTE: If you want to write a `sensors' driver, the interface is slightly
161 different! See below.
168 All parameters are given as lists of unsigned 16-bit integers. Lists are
169 terminated by I2C_CLIENT_END.
170 The following lists are used internally:
172 normal_i2c: filled in by the module writer.
173 A list of I2C addresses which should normally be examined.
174 probe: insmod parameter.
175 A list of pairs. The first value is a bus number (-1 for any I2C bus),
176 the second is the address. These addresses are also probed, as if they
177 were in the 'normal' list.
178 ignore: insmod parameter.
179 A list of pairs. The first value is a bus number (-1 for any I2C bus),
180 the second is the I2C address. These addresses are never probed.
181 This parameter overrules the 'normal_i2c' list only.
182 force: insmod parameter.
183 A list of pairs. The first value is a bus number (-1 for any I2C bus),
184 the second is the I2C address. A device is blindly assumed to be on
185 the given address, no probing is done.
187 Additionally, kind-specific force lists may optionally be defined if
188 the driver supports several chip kinds. They are grouped in a
189 NULL-terminated list of pointers named forces, those first element if the
190 generic force list mentioned above. Each additional list correspond to an
191 insmod parameter of the form force_<kind>.
193 Fortunately, as a module writer, you just have to define the `normal_i2c'
194 parameter. The complete declaration could look like this:
196 /* Scan 0x37, and 0x48 to 0x4f */
197 static unsigned short normal_i2c[] = { 0x37, 0x48, 0x49, 0x4a, 0x4b, 0x4c,
198 0x4d, 0x4e, 0x4f, I2C_CLIENT_END };
200 /* Magic definition of all other variables and things */
202 /* Or, if your driver supports, say, 2 kind of devices: */
203 I2C_CLIENT_INSMOD_2(foo, bar);
205 If you use the multi-kind form, an enum will be defined for you:
206 enum chips { any_chip, foo, bar, ... }
207 You can then (and certainly should) use it in the driver code.
209 Note that you *have* to call the defined variable `normal_i2c',
213 Attaching to an adapter
214 -----------------------
216 Whenever a new adapter is inserted, or for all adapters if the driver is
217 being registered, the callback attach_adapter() is called. Now is the
218 time to determine what devices are present on the adapter, and to register
219 a client for each of them.
221 The attach_adapter callback is really easy: we just call the generic
222 detection function. This function will scan the bus for us, using the
223 information as defined in the lists explained above. If a device is
224 detected at a specific address, another callback is called.
226 int foo_attach_adapter(struct i2c_adapter *adapter)
228 return i2c_probe(adapter,&addr_data,&foo_detect_client);
231 Remember, structure `addr_data' is defined by the macros explained above,
232 so you do not have to define it yourself.
234 The i2c_probe function will call the foo_detect_client
235 function only for those i2c addresses that actually have a device on
236 them (unless a `force' parameter was used). In addition, addresses that
237 are already in use (by some other registered client) are skipped.
240 The detect client function
241 --------------------------
243 The detect client function is called by i2c_probe. The `kind' parameter
244 contains -1 for a probed detection, 0 for a forced detection, or a positive
245 number for a forced detection with a chip type forced.
247 Below, some things are only needed if this is a `sensors' driver. Those
248 parts are between /* SENSORS ONLY START */ and /* SENSORS ONLY END */
251 Returning an error different from -ENODEV in a detect function will cause
252 the detection to stop: other addresses and adapters won't be scanned.
253 This should only be done on fatal or internal errors, such as a memory
254 shortage or i2c_attach_client failing.
256 For now, you can ignore the `flags' parameter. It is there for future use.
258 int foo_detect_client(struct i2c_adapter *adapter, int address,
259 unsigned short flags, int kind)
263 struct i2c_client *new_client;
264 struct foo_data *data;
265 const char *client_name = ""; /* For non-`sensors' drivers, put the real
268 /* Let's see whether this adapter can support what we need.
269 Please substitute the things you need here!
270 For `sensors' drivers, add `! is_isa &&' to the if statement */
271 if (!i2c_check_functionality(adapter,I2C_FUNC_SMBUS_WORD_DATA |
272 I2C_FUNC_SMBUS_WRITE_BYTE))
275 /* SENSORS ONLY START */
276 const char *type_name = "";
277 int is_isa = i2c_is_isa_adapter(adapter);
279 /* Do this only if the chip can additionally be found on the ISA bus
284 /* Discard immediately if this ISA range is already used */
285 /* FIXME: never use check_region(), only request_region() */
286 if (check_region(address,FOO_EXTENT))
289 /* Probe whether there is anything on this address.
290 Some example code is below, but you will have to adapt this
291 for your own driver */
293 if (kind < 0) /* Only if no force parameter was used */ {
294 /* We may need long timeouts at least for some chips. */
295 #define REALLY_SLOW_IO
296 i = inb_p(address + 1);
297 if (inb_p(address + 2) != i)
299 if (inb_p(address + 3) != i)
301 if (inb_p(address + 7) != i)
303 #undef REALLY_SLOW_IO
305 /* Let's just hope nothing breaks here */
306 i = inb_p(address + 5) & 0x7f;
307 outb_p(~i & 0x7f,address+5);
308 if ((inb_p(address + 5) & 0x7f) != (~i & 0x7f)) {
315 /* SENSORS ONLY END */
317 /* OK. For now, we presume we have a valid client. We now create the
318 client structure, even though we cannot fill it completely yet.
319 But it allows us to access several i2c functions safely */
321 if (!(data = kzalloc(sizeof(struct foo_data), GFP_KERNEL))) {
326 new_client = &data->client;
327 i2c_set_clientdata(new_client, data);
329 new_client->addr = address;
330 new_client->adapter = adapter;
331 new_client->driver = &foo_driver;
332 new_client->flags = 0;
334 /* Now, we do the remaining detection. If no `force' parameter is used. */
336 /* First, the generic detection (if any), that is skipped if any force
337 parameter was used. */
339 /* The below is of course bogus */
340 if (foo_read(new_client,FOO_REG_GENERIC) != FOO_GENERIC_VALUE)
344 /* SENSORS ONLY START */
346 /* Next, specific detection. This is especially important for `sensors'
349 /* Determine the chip type. Not needed if a `force_CHIPTYPE' parameter
352 i = foo_read(new_client,FOO_REG_CHIPTYPE);
354 kind = chip1; /* As defined in the enum */
355 else if (i == FOO_TYPE_2)
358 printk("foo: Ignoring 'force' parameter for unknown chip at "
359 "adapter %d, address 0x%02x\n",i2c_adapter_id(adapter),address);
364 /* Now set the type and chip names */
366 type_name = "chip1"; /* For /proc entry */
367 client_name = "CHIP 1";
368 } else if (kind == chip2) {
369 type_name = "chip2"; /* For /proc entry */
370 client_name = "CHIP 2";
373 /* Reserve the ISA region */
375 request_region(address,FOO_EXTENT,type_name);
377 /* SENSORS ONLY END */
379 /* Fill in the remaining client fields. */
380 strcpy(new_client->name,client_name);
382 /* SENSORS ONLY BEGIN */
384 /* SENSORS ONLY END */
386 data->valid = 0; /* Only if you use this field */
387 init_MUTEX(&data->update_lock); /* Only if you use this field */
389 /* Any other initializations in data must be done here too. */
391 /* Tell the i2c layer a new client has arrived */
392 if ((err = i2c_attach_client(new_client)))
395 /* SENSORS ONLY BEGIN */
396 /* Register a new directory entry with module sensors. See below for
397 the `template' structure. */
398 if ((i = i2c_register_entry(new_client, type_name,
399 foo_dir_table_template,THIS_MODULE)) < 0) {
405 /* SENSORS ONLY END */
407 /* This function can write default values to the client registers, if
409 foo_init_client(new_client);
412 /* OK, this is not exactly good programming practice, usually. But it is
413 very code-efficient in this case. */
416 i2c_detach_client(new_client);
419 /* SENSORS ONLY START */
421 release_region(address,FOO_EXTENT);
422 /* SENSORS ONLY END */
433 The detach_client call back function is called when a client should be
434 removed. It may actually fail, but only when panicking. This code is
435 much simpler than the attachment code, fortunately!
437 int foo_detach_client(struct i2c_client *client)
441 /* SENSORS ONLY START */
442 /* Deregister with the `i2c-proc' module. */
443 i2c_deregister_entry(((struct lm78_data *)(client->data))->sysctl_id);
444 /* SENSORS ONLY END */
446 /* Try to detach the client from i2c space */
447 if ((err = i2c_detach_client(client)))
450 /* HYBRID SENSORS CHIP ONLY START */
451 if i2c_is_isa_client(client)
452 release_region(client->addr,LM78_EXTENT);
453 /* HYBRID SENSORS CHIP ONLY END */
455 kfree(i2c_get_clientdata(client));
460 Initializing the module or kernel
461 =================================
463 When the kernel is booted, or when your foo driver module is inserted,
464 you have to do some initializing. Fortunately, just attaching (registering)
465 the driver module is usually enough.
467 /* Keep track of how far we got in the initialization process. If several
468 things have to initialized, and we fail halfway, only those things
469 have to be cleaned up! */
470 static int __initdata foo_initialized = 0;
472 static int __init foo_init(void)
475 printk("foo version %s (%s)\n",FOO_VERSION,FOO_DATE);
477 if ((res = i2c_add_driver(&foo_driver))) {
478 printk("foo: Driver registration failed, module not inserted.\n");
486 void foo_cleanup(void)
488 if (foo_initialized == 1) {
489 if ((res = i2c_del_driver(&foo_driver))) {
490 printk("foo: Driver registration failed, module not removed.\n");
497 /* Substitute your own name and email address */
498 MODULE_AUTHOR("Frodo Looijaard <frodol@dds.nl>"
499 MODULE_DESCRIPTION("Driver for Barf Inc. Foo I2C devices");
501 module_init(foo_init);
502 module_exit(foo_cleanup);
504 Note that some functions are marked by `__init', and some data structures
505 by `__init_data'. Hose functions and structures can be removed after
506 kernel booting (or module loading) is completed.
512 If your I2C device needs special handling when entering a system low
513 power state -- like putting a transceiver into a low power mode, or
514 activating a system wakeup mechanism -- do that in the suspend() method.
515 The resume() method should reverse what the suspend() method does.
517 These are standard driver model calls, and they work just like they
518 would for any other driver stack. The calls can sleep, and can use
519 I2C messaging to the device being suspended or resumed (since their
520 parent I2C adapter is active when these calls are issued, and IRQs
527 If your I2C device needs special handling when the system shuts down
528 or reboots (including kexec) -- like turning something off -- use a
531 Again, this is a standard driver model call, working just like it
532 would for any other driver stack: the calls can sleep, and can use
539 A generic ioctl-like function call back is supported. You will seldom
540 need this, and its use is deprecated anyway, so newer design should not
541 use it. Set it to NULL.
544 Sending and receiving
545 =====================
547 If you want to communicate with your device, there are several functions
548 to do this. You can find all of them in i2c.h.
550 If you can choose between plain i2c communication and SMBus level
551 communication, please use the last. All adapters understand SMBus level
552 commands, but only some of them understand plain i2c!
555 Plain i2c communication
556 -----------------------
558 extern int i2c_master_send(struct i2c_client *,const char* ,int);
559 extern int i2c_master_recv(struct i2c_client *,char* ,int);
561 These routines read and write some bytes from/to a client. The client
562 contains the i2c address, so you do not have to include it. The second
563 parameter contains the bytes the read/write, the third the length of the
564 buffer. Returned is the actual number of bytes read/written.
566 extern int i2c_transfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap, struct i2c_msg *msg,
569 This sends a series of messages. Each message can be a read or write,
570 and they can be mixed in any way. The transactions are combined: no
571 stop bit is sent between transaction. The i2c_msg structure contains
572 for each message the client address, the number of bytes of the message
573 and the message data itself.
575 You can read the file `i2c-protocol' for more information about the
582 extern s32 i2c_smbus_xfer (struct i2c_adapter * adapter, u16 addr,
583 unsigned short flags,
584 char read_write, u8 command, int size,
585 union i2c_smbus_data * data);
587 This is the generic SMBus function. All functions below are implemented
588 in terms of it. Never use this function directly!
591 extern s32 i2c_smbus_write_quick(struct i2c_client * client, u8 value);
592 extern s32 i2c_smbus_read_byte(struct i2c_client * client);
593 extern s32 i2c_smbus_write_byte(struct i2c_client * client, u8 value);
594 extern s32 i2c_smbus_read_byte_data(struct i2c_client * client, u8 command);
595 extern s32 i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(struct i2c_client * client,
596 u8 command, u8 value);
597 extern s32 i2c_smbus_read_word_data(struct i2c_client * client, u8 command);
598 extern s32 i2c_smbus_write_word_data(struct i2c_client * client,
599 u8 command, u16 value);
600 extern s32 i2c_smbus_write_block_data(struct i2c_client * client,
601 u8 command, u8 length,
603 extern s32 i2c_smbus_read_i2c_block_data(struct i2c_client * client,
604 u8 command, u8 *values);
606 These ones were removed in Linux 2.6.10 because they had no users, but could
607 be added back later if needed:
609 extern s32 i2c_smbus_read_block_data(struct i2c_client * client,
610 u8 command, u8 *values);
611 extern s32 i2c_smbus_write_i2c_block_data(struct i2c_client * client,
612 u8 command, u8 length,
614 extern s32 i2c_smbus_process_call(struct i2c_client * client,
615 u8 command, u16 value);
616 extern s32 i2c_smbus_block_process_call(struct i2c_client *client,
617 u8 command, u8 length,
620 All these transactions return -1 on failure. The 'write' transactions
621 return 0 on success; the 'read' transactions return the read value, except
622 for read_block, which returns the number of values read. The block buffers
623 need not be longer than 32 bytes.
625 You can read the file `smbus-protocol' for more information about the
626 actual SMBus protocol.
629 General purpose routines
630 ========================
632 Below all general purpose routines are listed, that were not mentioned
635 /* This call returns a unique low identifier for each registered adapter,
636 * or -1 if the adapter was not registered.
638 extern int i2c_adapter_id(struct i2c_adapter *adap);
641 The sensors sysctl/proc interface
642 =================================
644 This section only applies if you write `sensors' drivers.
646 Each sensors driver creates a directory in /proc/sys/dev/sensors for each
647 registered client. The directory is called something like foo-i2c-4-65.
648 The sensors module helps you to do this as easily as possible.
653 You will need to define a ctl_table template. This template will automatically
654 be copied to a newly allocated structure and filled in where necessary when
655 you call sensors_register_entry.
657 First, I will give an example definition.
658 static ctl_table foo_dir_table_template[] = {
659 { FOO_SYSCTL_FUNC1, "func1", NULL, 0, 0644, NULL, &i2c_proc_real,
660 &i2c_sysctl_real,NULL,&foo_func },
661 { FOO_SYSCTL_FUNC2, "func2", NULL, 0, 0644, NULL, &i2c_proc_real,
662 &i2c_sysctl_real,NULL,&foo_func },
663 { FOO_SYSCTL_DATA, "data", NULL, 0, 0644, NULL, &i2c_proc_real,
664 &i2c_sysctl_real,NULL,&foo_data },
668 In the above example, three entries are defined. They can either be
669 accessed through the /proc interface, in the /proc/sys/dev/sensors/*
670 directories, as files named func1, func2 and data, or alternatively
671 through the sysctl interface, in the appropriate table, with identifiers
672 FOO_SYSCTL_FUNC1, FOO_SYSCTL_FUNC2 and FOO_SYSCTL_DATA.
674 The third, sixth and ninth parameters should always be NULL, and the
675 fourth should always be 0. The fifth is the mode of the /proc file;
676 0644 is safe, as the file will be owned by root:root.
678 The seventh and eighth parameters should be &i2c_proc_real and
679 &i2c_sysctl_real if you want to export lists of reals (scaled
680 integers). You can also use your own function for them, as usual.
681 Finally, the last parameter is the call-back to gather the data
682 (see below) if you use the *_proc_real functions.
688 The call back functions (foo_func and foo_data in the above example)
689 can be called in several ways; the operation parameter determines
692 * If operation == SENSORS_PROC_REAL_INFO, you must return the
693 magnitude (scaling) in nrels_mag;
694 * If operation == SENSORS_PROC_REAL_READ, you must read information
695 from the chip and return it in results. The number of integers
696 to display should be put in nrels_mag;
697 * If operation == SENSORS_PROC_REAL_WRITE, you must write the
698 supplied information to the chip. nrels_mag will contain the number
699 of integers, results the integers themselves.
701 The *_proc_real functions will display the elements as reals for the
702 /proc interface. If you set the magnitude to 2, and supply 345 for
703 SENSORS_PROC_REAL_READ, it would display 3.45; and if the user would
704 write 45.6 to the /proc file, it would be returned as 4560 for
705 SENSORS_PROC_REAL_WRITE. A magnitude may even be negative!
709 /* FOO_FROM_REG and FOO_TO_REG translate between scaled values and
710 register values. Note the use of the read cache. */
711 void foo_in(struct i2c_client *client, int operation, int ctl_name,
712 int *nrels_mag, long *results)
714 struct foo_data *data = client->data;
715 int nr = ctl_name - FOO_SYSCTL_FUNC1; /* reduce to 0 upwards */
717 if (operation == SENSORS_PROC_REAL_INFO)
719 else if (operation == SENSORS_PROC_REAL_READ) {
720 /* Update the readings cache (if necessary) */
721 foo_update_client(client);
722 /* Get the readings from the cache */
723 results[0] = FOO_FROM_REG(data->foo_func_base[nr]);
724 results[1] = FOO_FROM_REG(data->foo_func_more[nr]);
725 results[2] = FOO_FROM_REG(data->foo_func_readonly[nr]);
727 } else if (operation == SENSORS_PROC_REAL_WRITE) {
728 if (*nrels_mag >= 1) {
729 /* Update the cache */
730 data->foo_base[nr] = FOO_TO_REG(results[0]);
731 /* Update the chip */
732 foo_write_value(client,FOO_REG_FUNC_BASE(nr),data->foo_base[nr]);
734 if (*nrels_mag >= 2) {
735 /* Update the cache */
736 data->foo_more[nr] = FOO_TO_REG(results[1]);
737 /* Update the chip */
738 foo_write_value(client,FOO_REG_FUNC_MORE(nr),data->foo_more[nr]);