Re: [PATCH v2 1/4] v4l: Add metadata buffer type and format

[Laurent Pinchart <laurent.pinchart@ideasonboard.com>]

Hi Sakari,

On Monday 29 Aug 2016 12:13:40 Sakari Ailus wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 17, 2016 at 03:20:27PM +0300, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
> > The metadata buffer type is used to transfer metadata between userspace
> > and kernelspace through a V4L2 buffers queue. It comes with a new
> > metadata capture capability and format description.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Laurent Pinchart
> > <laurent.pinchart+renesas@ideasonboard.com>
> > Tested-by: Guennadi Liakhovetski <guennadi.liakhovetski@intel.com>
> > ---
> > Changes since v1:
> > 
> > - Rebased on top of the DocBook to reST conversion
> > 
> >  Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/buffer.rst          |  8 +++
> >  Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/dev-meta.rst        | 69 +++++++++++++++++++
> >  Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/devices.rst         |  1 +
> >  Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/vidioc-querycap.rst | 14 +++--
> >  Documentation/media/videodev2.h.rst.exceptions   |  2 +
> >  drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-compat-ioctl32.c    | 19 +++++++
> >  drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-dev.c               | 16 +++---
> >  drivers/media/v4l2-core/v4l2-ioctl.c             | 41 ++++++++++++++
> >  drivers/media/v4l2-core/videobuf2-v4l2.c         |  3 ++
> >  include/media/v4l2-ioctl.h                       | 17 ++++++
> >  include/uapi/linux/videodev2.h                   | 14 +++++
> >  11 files changed, 195 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
> >  create mode 100644 Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/dev-meta.rst

[snip]

> > diff --git a/Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/dev-meta.rst
> > b/Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/dev-meta.rst new file mode 100644
> > index 000000000000..252ed05b4841
> > --- /dev/null
> > +++ b/Documentation/media/uapi/v4l/dev-meta.rst
> > @@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
> > +.. -*- coding: utf-8; mode: rst -*-
> > +
> > +.. _metadata:
> > +
> > +******************
> > +Metadata Interface
> > +******************
> > +
> > +Metadata refers to any non-image data that supplements video frames with
> > +additional information. This may include statistics computed over the
> > image +or frame capture parameters supplied by the image source. This
> > interface is +intended for transfer of metadata to userspace and control
> > of that operation. +
> > +The metadata interface is implemented on video capture device nodes. The
> > device +can be dedicated to metadata or can implement both video and
> > metadata capture +as specified in its reported capabilities.
> > +
> > +.. note::
> > +
> > +    This is an :ref:`experimental` interface and may
> > +    change in the future.
> > +
> > +Querying Capabilities
> > +=====================
> > +
> > +Device nodes supporting the metadata interface set the
> > ``V4L2_CAP_META_CAPTURE`` +flag in the ``device_caps`` field of the
> > +:ref:`v4l2_capability <v4l2-capability>` structure returned by the
> > +:ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYCAP` ioctl. That flag means the device can capture
> > +metadata to memory.
> > +
> > +At least one of the read/write or streaming I/O methods must be
> > supported.
> > +
> > +
> > +Data Format Negotiation
> > +=======================
> > +
> > +The metadata device uses the :ref:`format` ioctls to select the capture
> > format. +The metadata buffer content format is bound to that selected
> > format. In addition +to the basic :ref:`format` ioctls, the
> > :ref:`VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT` ioctl must be +supported as well.
> > +
> > +To use the :ref:`format` ioctls applications set the ``type`` of the
> > +:ref:`v4l2_format <v4l2-format>` structure to
> > ``V4L2_BUF_TYPE_META_CAPTURE`` +and use the :ref:`v4l2_meta_format
> > <v4l2-meta-format>` ``meta`` member of the +``fmt`` union as needed per
> > the desired operation. The :ref:`v4l2-meta-format` +structure contains
> > two fields, ``dataformat`` is set by applications to the V4L2
>
> I might not specify the number of number of fields here. It has high chances
> of not getting updated when more fields are added. Up to you.

This has been copied from dev-sdr.rst. I can drop the last sentence completely 
as the parameters are described in the table below. Hans, any opinion ?

> > +FourCC code of the desired format, and ``buffersize`` set by drivers to
> > the +maximum buffer size (in bytes) required for data transfer.
> > +
> > +.. _v4l2-meta-format:
> > +.. flat-table:: struct v4l2_meta_format
> > +    :header-rows:  0
> > +    :stub-columns: 0
> > +    :widths:       1 1 2
> > +
> > +    * - __u32
> > +      - ``dataformat``
> > +      - The data format, set by the application. This is a little endian
> > +        :ref:`four character code <v4l2-fourcc>`. V4L2 defines metadata
> > formats +        in :ref:`meta-formats`.
> > +    * - __u32
> > +      - ``buffersize``
> > +      - Maximum buffer size in bytes required for data. The value is set
> > by the +        driver.
> 
> We'll need to add width and heigth as well but it could be done later on.

Unless you have a use case you can upstream now for those fields we'll have to 
add them later.

> > +    * - __u8
> > +      - ``reserved[24]``
> > +      - This array is reserved for future extensions. Drivers and
> > applications +        must set it to zero.
> 
> struct v4l2_pix_format has grown without use of reserved fields and it's
> been around for ages.
> 
> It's not directly used in an IOCTL but within an union in another struct so
> this is possible. I would consider doing the same here. Or at least
> increasing the number of reserved fields (and possibly making the type u32)
> if you feel we shouldn't go that way.

I'm fine with dropping the reserved fields.

-- 
Regards,

Laurent Pinchart