Adding an async I2C interface

[mds4@verizon.net (Mark Studebaker)]

is there a way to do this solely in i2c-core without having to
add support to all the drivers?

Corey Minyard wrote:
> I have an IPMI interface driver that sits on top of the I2C code.  I'd
> like to get it into the mainstream kernel, but I have a few problems
> to solve first before I can do that.  The I2C code is synchronous and
> must run from a task context.  The IPMI driver has certain
> operations that occur at panic time, including:
> 
>   * Storing panic information in IPMI's system event log
>   * Extending the watchdog timer so it doesn't go off during panic
>     operations (like kernel coredumps).
>   * Powering the system off
> 
> I can't really put the IPMI SMB interface into the kernel until I can
> do those operations.  Also, I understand that some vendors put RTC
> chips onto the I2C bus and this must be accessed outside task context,
> too.  I would really like add asynchronous interface to the I2C bus
> drivers.  I propose:
> 
>   * Adding an async send interface to the busses that does a callback
>     when the operation is complete.
>   * Adding a poll interface to the busses.  The I2C core code could
>     call this if a synchronous call is made from task context (much
>     like all the current drivers do right now).  For asyncronous
>     operation, the I2C core code would call it from a timer
>     interrupt.  If the driver supported interrupts, polling from the
>     timer interrupt would not be necessary.
>   * Add async operations for the user to call, including access to the
>     polling code.
>   * If the driver didn't support an async send, it would work as it
>     does today and the async calls would return ENOSYS.
> 
> This way, the bus drivers on I2C could be converted on a
> driver-by-driver basis.  The IPMI code could query to see if the
> driver supported async operations.  And the RTC code could use it,
> too.
> 
> Is this ok with the I2C community?  I would do the base work and
> convert over a few drivers.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -Corey
> 
>