[PATCH v2 2/2] mmc: mediatek: extend number of tuning steps

[Axe Yang (杨磊)]

On Tue, 2023-11-28 at 11:20 +0100, AngeloGioacchino Del Regno wrote:
> Il 28/11/23 10:38, Axe Yang (杨磊) ha scritto:
> > > On Tue, 2023-11-28 at 09:53 +0100, AngeloGioacchino Del Regno
> > > wrote:
> > > Il 28/11/23 08:01, Axe Yang ha scritto:
> > > > Previously, during the MSDC calibration process, a full clock
> > > > cycle
> > > > actually not be covered, which in some cases didn't yield the
> > > > best
> > > > results and could cause CRC errors. This problem is
> > > > particularly
> > > > evident when MSDC is used as an SDIO host. In fact, MSDC
> > > > support
> > > > tuning up to a maximum of 64 steps, but by default, the step
> > > > number
> > > > is 32. By increase the tuning step, we are more likely to cover
> > > > more
> > > > parts of a clock cycle, and get better calibration result.
> > > > 
> > > > To illustrate, when tuning 32 steps, if the obtained window has
> > > > a
> > > > hole
> > > > near the middle, like this: 0xffc07ff (hex), then the selected
> > > > delay
> > > > will be the 6 (counting from right to left).
> > > > 
> > > > (32 <- 1)
> > > > 1111 1111 1100 0000 0000 0111 11(1)1 1111
> > > > 
> > > > However, if we tune 64 steps, the window obtained may look like
> > > > this:
> > > > 0xfffffffffffc07ff. The final selected delay will be 44, which
> > > > is
> > > > safer as it is further away from the hole:
> > > > 
> > > > (64 <- 1)
> > > > 1111 ... (1)111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1100 0000 0000 0111 1111
> > > > 1111
> > > > 
> > > > In this case, delay 6 selected through 32 steps tuning is
> > > > obviously
> > > > not optimal, and this delay is closer to the hole, using it
> > > > would
> > > > easily cause CRC problems.
> > > > 
> > > > You will need to configure property "mediatek,tuning-step" in
> > > > MSDC
> > > > dts node to 64 to extend the steps.
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > If we can run 64 tuning steps, why should we run 32?
> > > 
> > > Why isn't it just better to *always* run 64 tuning steps, on SoCs
> > > supporting that?
> > > 
> > > Thanks,
> > > Angelo
> > 
> > Hi Angelo,
> > 
> > That is a good question. The benefit of preserving 32 steps tuning
> > is
> > that it can save time in certain scenarios.
> > 
> > On some platforms, when the delay selected through 64 steps tuning
> > is
> > very close to that chosen through 32 steps, we can reduce the
> > tuning
> > step from 64 to 32. This can save time sending the tuning block
> > commands.
> > 
> > Thus using 32 steps tuning can save kernel boot up time.
> > 
> > Another case where time can be saved is when accessing the RPMB
> > partition of eMMC. Each time switch to RPMB partition, there is a
> > retune action, causing a certain drop in performance. If we are
> > certain
> > that the results of 32 steps tuning are usable and we use it, this
> > can
> > in a sense also guarantee performance when accessing the RPMB
> > partition.
> > 
> 
> Thanks for this explanation! Though, I have some more questions...
> 
> ...regarding boot up time, how much time are we talking about?

Luckily, I have a platform at hand that can be used for experiments/
Below are the results from testing on this platform:

[    2.431993][T1200180] kworker/2:21: mtk-msdc bootdevice:
[name:mtk_sd&]Start tuning
[    2.434950][T1200180] kworker/2:21: mtk-msdc bootdevice:
[name:mtk_sd&]Tuning finished
[    2.435957][T1200180] kworker/2:21: mtk-msdc bootdevice:
[name:mtk_sd&]phase: [map:00000000ffffffc0] [maxlen:26] [final:19]
[    2.462375][T1200180] kworker/2:21: [name:mmc_core&]mmc0: new HS400
MMC card at address 0001
...
[    2.519863][T1300069] kworker/3:1: mtk-msdc 11250000.mmc:
[name:mtk_sd&]Start tuning
[    2.526271][T1300069] kworker/3:1: mtk-msdc 11250000.mmc:
[name:mtk_sd&]Tuning finished
[    2.527288][T1300069] kworker/3:1: mtk-msdc 11250000.mmc:
[name:mtk_sd&]phase: [map:ffffffffffff003f] [maxlen:48] [final:40]
[    2.532269][T1300069] kworker/3:1: [name:mmc_core&]mmc2: new ultra
high speed SDR104 SDIO card at address 0001

As the kernel log indicates, it took 3 ms for eMMC to tune 32 steps,
while it took about 7 ms for SDIO to tune 64 steps. I have to admit,
when it comes to saving boot up time, the benefits of reducing step
form 64 to 32 are quite minimal. Just as you said, especially when
async probe is enabled.

> 
> I'm asking because while now I see - and agree - on using 32-steps
> tuning
> on eMMC to guarantee performance during RPMB access, as far as I
> know,
> there is no RPMB partition on SD/MicroSD cards (and, of course, SDIO
> devices).
> 
> If the boot performance impact isn't big, as in, up to ~100
> milliseconds is
> not big at all (especially with async probe!), we can definitely
> avoid the
> addition of a devicetree property for 32-steps tuning, hence use a
> dynamic
> selection strategy such that:
>   - On eMMC devices, always perform 32-steps tuning (hence no boot
> delay)
>   - On SD cards and SDIO, always perform 64-steps tuning

eMMC could also potentially have CRC issue if only tune 32-steps,
albeit with a lower likelihood. The precondition for using 32-steps
tuning is that it could provide roughly the same valid results as using
64-steps tuning. So taking everything into account, controlling the
tuning step as needed through the use of dts property seems to be a
more flixible approach.

Regards,
Axe

>