[PATCH 1/7] pwm: Add pwm core driver

[Hemanth V]

>> >> >> On 28 of September 2010 10:40:42 Arun Murthy wrote:
>> >> >> > The existing pwm based led and backlight driver makes use of
>> the
>> >> >> > pwm(include/linux/pwm.h). So all the board specific pwm drivers
>> >> will
>> >> >> > be exposing the same set of function name as in
>> >> include/linux/pwm.h.
>> >> >> > As a result build fails.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Which build fails? One with multi-SoC support? Please be more
>> >> specific.
>> >> > Sure will add this in v2.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> Could you clarify for the benefit of all, which specific issues you
>> are
>> >> trying to address with this patch series
>> > 1. Now since all the pwm driver export same set of
>> function(pwm_enable, pwm_disable,..), if it happens that there are two
>> pwm driver enabled this
>> > leads to re-declaration and results in build failure. The proper way
>> to handle this would be to have a pwm core function, and let all the
>> pwm
>> > drivers register to the pwm core driver.
>> > 2. The above scenario also occurs in place of multi-soc environment.
>> Lets say OMAP has a pwm module and that is being used for primary lcd
>> backlight
>> > and twl has a backlight that is being used for controlling the
>> charging led brightness. In this case there exists 2 pwm drivers and
>> one pwm driver
>> > will be used by pwm_bl.c and other by leds-pwm.c
>>
>> Speaking specifically of OMAP4, twl6030 supports multiple PWMs i.e for
>> display/keypad backlight, charging
>> led. But there should not be need for multiple drivers since twl6030-
>> pwm should be able to support
>> all these (currently it doesnot though). So there would single
>> pwm_enable, pwm_disable exported and driver
>> internally takes care configuring the correct PWM based on id. Would it
>> not be similar
>> situation for other hardware also.
>>
> You are right, there is only one pwm module in twl4030/twl6030 and this module might have any number or pwm's line PWM1, PWM2, PWM3 etc.
> My consideration is when you have two separate pwm modules on different soc. Its not in case of OMAP boards. But that was just an example that I
> gave.
>
> Let me be more specific, consider an environment where there is an APE and Power Management subsystem(separate IC but on same board/platform)
> APE has a pwm module and Power Management SubSystem also has pwm module. Both are part of the platform.
> Not there exists two drivers in a single platform and both of them are enabled. Building such a kernel results in re-declaration build error.
>

Is this something specific to ST chipsets or do you know of any other chips which might use this feature.

Thanks
Hemanth