In this Linaro Connect Tech Webinar, Alex Elder will provide a general hardware overview and speak about the upstream IPA Linux kernel driver. Register now!

IPA: Enabling Data Connectivity on the Snapdragon Compute Platform - Linaro Connect Tech Webinar

Speaker:

• Alex Elder, Senior Engineer at Linaro

Format: Zoom webinar, Youtube livestream
Cost: Free
Availability: Open to public
When: March 3 at 5pm UTC (9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm UTC / and 6pm CET)
Language: English
Register: below or via this link

If you cannot attend on March 3 at 5pm GMT, please complete the registration to receive an email with the session recording.

Webinar Description: 

The Qualcomm Snapdragon Compute Platforms are a family of SoCs
designed for use in Chromebook and Windows laptops.  Each includes
an embedded modem that provides Internet access using 4G and 5G
cellular networks.  Communication between the main applications
processor (AP) and modem is provided by the IP Accelerator (IPA).

5G modems can supply data to the AP at multi-gigabit per second
rates, and receiving such data can place a high processing load on
the AP.  The IPA efficiently moves packets between the AP and modem,
and is able to process them as they pass through.  This processing
(including checksum offload and aggregation) reduces the AP cost of
handling modem data, and reduces power consumption in the process.

For Chrome OS, an upstream Linux driver works together with the
modem to manage the IPA hardware.  This joint management scheme
permits the IPA hardware to be suspended when not in use, leading
to further power savings.  To achieve this the Linux IPA driver
operates with some awareness of modem state, and is involved
whenever the modem starts, stops, or crashes.

The IPA hardware places some unusual requirements on its Linux
driver.  Initialization must be performed in stages, starting with
fairly primitive configuration which then permits “higher level”
setup to be done.  When the modem boots, the Linux driver works with
the modem to coordinate shared access to IPA.  Once operational,
the IPA acts much like any other network device, though it sometimes
must respond to modem state changes.

This talk will discuss the Qualcomm IPA, which is the conduit that
carries cellular data packets between the AP and modem on Qualcomm
Snapdragon Compute Platforms.  After providing a general hardware
overview, the talk will turn to the upstream IPA Linux kernel
driver.  This will include the driver initialization sequence,
including the synchronization steps that allow the AP and modem to
jointly manage IPA state.  The talk will conclude with a discussion
of development underway to enable more advanced capabilities that
IPA can provide.

Register by completing the form below: