Re: [PATCH] dynamic tick patch

From: Tony Lindgren
Date: Thu Jan 20 2005 - 03:08:50 EST


* George Anzinger <george@xxxxxxxxxx> [050119 16:25]:
> Tony Lindgren wrote:
> >* George Anzinger <george@xxxxxxxxxx> [050119 15:00]:
> >
> >>I don't think you will ever get good time if you EVER reprogramm the PIT.
> >>That is why the VST patch on sourceforge does NOT touch the PIT, it only
> >>turns off the interrupt by interrupting the interrupt path (not changing
> >>the PIT). This allows the PIT to be the "gold standard" in time that it
> >>is designed to be. The wake up interrupt, then needs to come from an
> >>independent timer. My patch requires a local APIC for this. Patch is
> >>available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/high-res-timers/
> >
> >
> >Well on my test systems I have pretty good accurate time. But I agree,
> >PIT is not the best option for interrupt. It should be possible to use
> >other interrupt sources as well.
> >
> >It should not matter where the timer interrupt comes from, as long as
> >it comes when programmed. Updating time should be separate from timer
> >interrupts. Currently we have a problem where time is tied to the
> >timer interrupt.
>
> In the HRT code time is most correctly stated as wall_time +
> get_arch_cycles_since(wall_jiffies) (plus conversion or two:)). This is
> some what removed from the tick interrupt, but is resynced to that
> interrupt more or less each interrupt.

That sounds very accurate :)

> A second issue is trying to get the jiffies update as close to the run of
> the timer list as possible. Without this we have no hope of high res
> timers.

OK. But if the timer interrupt is separated from updating the time,
the next timer interrupt should be programmable to happen exactly
when a HRT timer needs it, right?

Hmm, how about using a pool of programmable timers available on the
system for the timer interrupts and HRT? Or is one interrupt source
always enough?

Tony
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