diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/timestamp.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/timestamp.md | 200 |
1 files changed, 200 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/timestamp.md b/Documentation/timestamp.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..3a4c73b990 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/timestamp.md @@ -0,0 +1,200 @@ +Table of Contents +================= +Introduction + Transition from cache to cbmem + +Data structures used + cache_state + table + entries + +Function APIs + timestamp_init + timestamp_add + timestamp_add_now + timestamp_sync + +Use / Test Cases + Case 1: Timestamp Region Exists + Case 2: No timestamp region, fresh boot, cbmem_initialize called after + timestamp_init + Case 3: No timestamp region, fresh boot, cbmem_initialize called before + timestamp_init + Case 4: No timestamp region, resume, cbmem_initialize called after + timestamp_init + Case 5: No timestamp region, resume, cbmem_initialize called before + timestamp_init + + +Introduction +============ +The aim of the timestamp library is to make it easier for different boards +to save timestamps in cbmem / stash (until cbmem is brought up) by +providing a simple API to initialize, add and sync timestamps. In order +to make the timestamps persistent and accessible from the kernel, we +need to ensure that all the saved timestamps end up in cbmem under +the CBMEM_ID_TIMESTAMP tag. However, until the cbmem area is available, +the timestamps can be saved to a SoC-defined \_timestamp region or in a +local stage-specific stash. The work of identifying the right location for +storing timestamps is done by the library and is not exposed to the user. + +Working of timestamp library from a user perspective can be outlined in +the following steps: +1. Initialize the base time and reset cbmem timestamp area +2. Start adding timestamps + +Behind the scenes, the timestamp library takes care of: +1. Identifying the correct location for storing timestamps (cbmem or timestamp + region or local stash). +2. Once cbmem is up, ensure that all timestamps are synced from timestamp + region or local stash into the cbmem area. +3. Add a new cbmem timestamp area based on whether a reset of the cbmem + timestamp region is required or not. + +Transition from cache to cbmem +------------------------------ +To move timestamps from the cache to cbmem (and initialize the cbmem area in +the first place), we use the CBMEM_INIT_HOOK infrastructure of coreboot. + +When cbmem is initialized, the hook is called, which creates the area, +copies all timestamps to cbmem and disables the cache. + +After such a transition, timestamp_init() must not be run again. + + +Data structures used +==================== +The main structure that maintains information about the timestamp cache is: +struct __attribute__((__packed__)) timestamp_cache { + uint16_t cache_state; + struct timestamp_table table; + struct timestamp_entry entries[MAX_TIMESTAMP_CACHE]; +}; + +cache_state +----------- +The state of the cache is maintained by cache_state attribute which can +be any one of the following: + +enum { + TIMESTAMP_CACHE_UNINITIALIZED = 0, + TIMESTAMP_CACHE_INITIALIZED, + TIMESTAMP_CACHE_NOT_NEEDED, +}; + +By default, if the cache is stored in local stash (bss area), then +it will be reset to uninitialized state. However, if the cache is +stored in timestamp region, then it might have garbage in any of the +attributes. Thus, if the timestamp region is being used by any board, it is +initialized to default values by the library. + +Once the cache is initialized, its state is set to +CACHE_INITIALIZED. Henceforth, the calls to cache i.e. timestamp_add +know that the state reflected is valid and timestamps can be directly +saved in the cache. + +Once the cbmem area is up (i.e. call to timestamp_sync_cache_to_cbmem), +we do not need to store the timestamps in local stash / timestamp area +anymore. Thus, the cache state is set to CACHE_NOT_NEEDED, which allows +timestamp_add to store all timestamps directly into the cbmem area. + + +table +----- +This field is represented by a structure which provides overall +information about the entries in the timestamp area: + +struct timestamp_table { + uint64_t base_time; + uint32_t max_entries; + uint32_t num_entries; + struct timestamp_entry entries[0]; /* Variable number of entries */ +} __attribute__((packed)); + +It indicates the base time for all timestamp entries, maximum number +of entries that can be stored, total number of entries that currently +exist and an entry structure to hold variable number of entries. + + +entries +------- +This field holds the details of each timestamp entry, upto a maximum +of MAX_TIMESTAMP_CACHE which is defined as 16 entries. Each entry is +defined by: + +struct timestamp_entry { + uint32_t entry_id; + uint64_t entry_stamp; +} __attribute__((packed)); + +entry_id holds the timestamp id corresponding to this entry and +entry_stamp holds the actual timestamp. + + +For timestamps stored in the cbmem area, a timestamp_table is allocated +with space for MAX_TIMESTAMPS equal to 30. Thus, the cbmem area holds +base_time, max_entries (which is 30), current number of entries and the +actual entries represented by timestamp_entry. + + +Function APIs +============= + +timestamp_init +-------------- +This function initializes the timestamp cache and should be run as early +as possible. On platforms with SRAM, this might mean in bootblock, on +x86 with its CAR backed memory in romstage, this means romstage before +memory init. + +timestamp_add +------------- +This function accepts from user a timestamp id and time to record in the +timestamp table. It stores the entry in the appropriate table in cbmem +or _timestamp region or local stash. + + +timestamp_add_now +----------------- +This function calls timestamp_add with user-provided id and current time. + + +Use / Test Cases +================ + +The following cases have been considered while designing the timestamp +library. It is important to ensure that any changes made to this library satisfy +each of the following use cases: + +Case 1: Timestamp Region Exists (Fresh Boot / Resume) +----------------------------------------------------- + +In this case, the library needs to call timestamp_init as early as possible to +enable the timestamp cache. Once cbmem is available, the values will be +transferred automatically. + +All regions are automatically reset on initialization. + +Case 2: No timestamp region, fresh boot, cbmem_initialize called after timestamp_init +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +timestamp_init will set up a local cache. cbmem must be initialized before that +cache vanishes - as happens when jumping to the next stage. + +Case 3: No timestamp region, fresh boot, cbmem_initialize called before timestamp_init +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +This case is not supported right now, just don't call timestamp_init after +cbmem_initialize. (Patches to make this more robust are welcome.) + +Case 4: No timestamp region, resume, cbmem_initialize called after timestamp_init +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +We always reset the cbmem region before using it, so pre-suspend timestamps +will be gone. + +Case 5: No timestamp region, resume, cbmem_initialize called before timestamp_init +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +We always reset the cbmem region before using it, so pre-suspend timestamps +will be gone. |