linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v2] usb:gadget:uvc Do not use worker thread to pump usb requests

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Date:   Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:09:11 -0700
From:   Jayant Chowdhary <jchowdhary@...gle.com>
To:     Michael Grzeschik <mgr@...gutronix.de>,
        Alan Stern <stern@...land.harvard.edu>
Cc:     Laurent Pinchart <laurent.pinchart@...asonboard.com>,
        Thinh.Nguyen@...opsys.com, arakesh@...gle.com, etalvala@...gle.com,
        dan.scally@...asonboard.com, gregkh@...uxfoundation.org,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-usb@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] usb:gadget:uvc Do not use worker thread to pump usb
 requests

Hi,

On 10/28/23 04:10, Michael Grzeschik wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 10:58:11AM -0400, Alan Stern wrote:
>> On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 03:39:44PM +0200, Michael Grzeschik wrote:
>>> On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 02:47:52PM +0300, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
>>> > On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 01:10:21PM +0200, Michael Grzeschik wrote:
>>> > > On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 10:51:17AM +0300, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
>>> > > > On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 09:56:35PM +0000, Jayant Chowdhary wrote:
>>> > > >> This patch is based on top of
>>> > > >> https://lore.kernel.org/linux-usb/20230930184821.310143-1-arakesh@google.com/T/#t:
>>> > > >>
>>> > > >> When we use an async work queue to perform the function of pumping
>>> > > >> usb requests to the usb controller, it is possible that thread scheduling
>>> > > >> affects at what cadence we're able to pump requests. This could mean usb
>>> > > >> requests miss their uframes - resulting in video stream flickers on the host
>>> > > >> device.
>>> > > >>
>>> > > >> In this patch, we move the pumping of usb requests to
>>> > > >> 1) uvcg_video_complete() complete handler for both isoc + bulk
>>> > > >>    endpoints. We still send 0 length requests when there is no uvc buffer
>>> > > >>    available to encode.
>>> > > >
>>> > > > This means you will end up copying large amounts of data in interrupt
>>> > > > context. The work queue was there to avoid exactly that, as it will
>>> > > > introduce delays that can affect other parts of the system. I think this
>>> > > > is a problem.
>>> > >
>>> > > Regarding Thin's argument about possible scheduling latency that is already
>>> > > introducing real errors, this seemed like a good solution.
>>> > >
>>> > > But sure, this potential latency introduced in the interrupt context can
>>> > > trigger other side effects.
>>> > >
>>> > > However I think we need some compromise since both arguments are very valid.
>>> >
>>> > Agreed.
>>> >
>>> > > Any ideas, how to solve this?
>>> >
>>> > I'm afraid not.
>>>
>>> We discussed this and came to the conclusion that we could make use of
>>> kthread_create and sched_setattr with an attr->sched_policy = SCHED_DEADLINE
>>> here instead of the workqueue. This way we would ensure that the worker
>>> would be triggered with hard definitions.
>>>
>>> Since the SG case is not that heavy on the completion handler, we could
>>> also make this kthread conditionaly to the memcpy case.
>>
>> If you don't mind a naive suggestion from someone who knows nothing
>> about the driver...
>>
>> An attractive possibility is to have the work queue (or kthread) do the
>> time-consuming copying, but leave the submission up to the completion
>> handler.  If the data isn't ready (or there's no data to send) when the
>> handler runs, then queue a 0-length request.
>>
>> That will give you the best of both worlds: low latency while in
>> interrupt context and a steady, constant flow of USB transfers at all
>> times.  The question of how to schedule the work queue or kthread is a
>> separate matter, not directly relevant to this design decision.
>
> That's it. This is probably the best way to tackle the overall problem.
>
> So we leave the call of the encode callback to the worker, that will
> probably still can be a workqueue. The complete callback is calling
> the explicit uvcg_video_ep_queue when prepared requests are available
> and if there is nothing pending it will just enqueue zero requests.
>
> Thank you Alan, this makes so much sense!
>
> Jayant, Laurent: Do you agree?
> If yes, Jayant will you change the patch accordingly?
>
>
Thanks for all the discussion Greg, Michael, Laurent and Alan.
Apologies for not responding earlier since I am OOO.

While I  haven't tried this out this does seem like a very good idea.
Thank you Alan! I will aim to make changes and post a patch on Monday night PST.

Jayant