Re: [Gta04-owner] [PATCH 0/4] UART slave device support - version 4

From: Vostrikov Andrey
Date: Wed Jan 20 2016 - 15:09:51 EST


Hi, Dmitry.

> On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 11:34 PM, Vostrikov Andrey
> <andrey.vostrikov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> Yes, such implementation will help. There is a need for interface like UART BUS that will probe devices without user space.
>> Serial I/O for input subsystem defines new type of bus and uses dedicated line discipline, but it still unable to start driver by itself and requires call from 'inputattach' to open port, assign line discipline and go to forever wait on 'read'.

> That was done mainly because almost none of the serial protocols could
> be auto-probed, so device initialization/setup was moved out of kernel
> and thus we have the separate line discipline and inputattach utility.

This is understandable for "dummy" devices like mice, that only
report input events.

But in case there is "intellectual" MCU, that must reply on specific
commands with specific response - it could be auto-probed. Especially
when it is hardwired. Unfortunately, there is no API to do it.
Opening port and attaching line discipline from kernel side
does not look good. The only example is '/dev/console', which is
implemented that way.

> Thanks.

--
Best regards,
Andrey Vostrikov