RE: [PATCH] ACPICA: Export mutex functions

Moore, Robert
2017-04-17T20:40:44Z

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Guenter Roeck [mailto:linux@roeck-us.net]
> Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 12:45 PM
> To: Moore, Robert <robert.moore@intel.com>
> Cc: Zheng, Lv <lv.zheng@intel.com>; Wysocki, Rafael J
> <rafael.j.wysocki@intel.com>; 'Len Brown' <lenb@kernel.org>; 'linux-
> acpi@vger.kernel.org' <linux-acpi@vger.kernel.org>; 'devel@acpica.org'
> <devel@acpica.org>; 'linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org' <linux-
> kernel@vger.kernel.org>; Box, David E <david.e.box@intel.com>
> Subject: Re: [PATCH] ACPICA: Export mutex functions
>
> On Mon, Apr 17, 2017 at 07:27:37PM +0000, Moore, Robert wrote:
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Moore, Robert
> > > Sent: Monday, April 17, 2017 10:13 AM
> > > To: Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net>; Zheng, Lv
> > > <lv.zheng@intel.com>
> > > Cc: Wysocki, Rafael J <rafael.j.wysocki@intel.com>; Len Brown
> > > <lenb@kernel.org>; linux-acpi@vger.kernel.org; devel@acpica.org;
> > > linux- kernel@vger.kernel.org
> > > Subject: RE: [PATCH] ACPICA: Export mutex functions
> > >
> > > There is a model for the drivers to directly acquire an AML mutex
> > > object. That is why the acquire/release public interfaces were added
> > > to ACPICA.
> > >
> > > I forget all of the details, but the model was developed with MS and
> > > others during the ACPI 6.0 timeframe.
> > >
> > >
> > [Moore, Robert]
> >
> >
> > Here is the case where the OS may need to directly acquire an AML
> mutex:
> >
> > From the ACPI spec:
> >
> > 19.6.2 Acquire (Acquire a Mutex)
> >
> > Note: For Mutex objects referenced by a _DLM object, the host OS may
> also contend for ownership.
> >
> From the context in the dsdt, and from description of expected use cases
> for _DLM objects I can find, this is what the mutex is used for (to
> serialize access to a resource on a low pin count serial interconnect,
> aka LPC).
>
> What does that mean in practice ? That I am not supposed to use it
> because it doesn't follow standard ACPI mutex declaration rules ?
>
> Thanks,
> Guenter
>
> >
[Moore, Robert]

I'm not an expert on the _DLM method, but I would point you to the description section in the ACPI spec, 5.7.5 _DLM (DeviceLock Mutex).

> >
> >
> > Other than this case, the OS/drivers should never need to directly
> acquire an AML mutex.
> > Bob
> >