NAME

usclk - 32-bit microsecond counter

SYNOPSIS

device usclk0 at mbad? csr 0x40000(Balance ONLY)

pseudo-device usclk1(Symmetry ONLY)

DESCRIPTION

This device provides access to a 32-bit counter which increments every microsecond.  This counter can be used to do fine-grain timing studies on program execution.  This device does not support read() and write() system call access.  To access the counter, this device must be mapped into a process’s memory (see mmap(2)).  Only one page of usclk memory can be mapped into a process (see getpagesize()).  Requests to mmap more will fail.  The device can only be mmaped READ ONLY.  Generally, this device should be accessed only through the usclkinit(3) and getusclk(3) library functions.

The implementation of this device is different for Symmetry and Balance systems. 

The following are some considerations for these systems. 

Balance Systems:

The counter is implemented by a special multibus peripheral.  In order to use this counter, this board must be purchased from Sequent and installed.  Installation instructions for the board are included with the board.  For DYNIX software to access the board, the usclk driver must be configured into the kernel. 

After mapping the device, the counter values are available only in the first 4 bytes of the mapping.  Access to other locations in the page will return unpredictable values, or may even cause a SIGBUS signal.  There is a small probability such invalid accesses will cause DYNIX to panic. 

Since the multibus is a 16-bit bus, 32-bit accesses to this timer are split into two mutlibus transfers.  This can cause some error in the value returned.  The routine getusclk(3) reads the counter in such a way so as to guarantee accurate results. However, these accesses are slow. Reading the 32-bit timer takes about 25 microseconds.

Symmetry systems:

Symmetry systems implement this counter as a set of 32-bit registers on the processor boards.  Each processor has its own counter register.  But, the initialization and incrementing of these counter registers is synchronized across all processor boards.  The resulting effect is as though there were only one counter register.  However, accessing this counter involves no accesses off the processor board.  So, by mapping the device into the process’s address space, the overhead of accessing the counter is essentially zero. 

Since this timer implementation is integral to the hardware, the software for accessing it is always activated. 

ERRORS

ENXIO an open request is denied because /dev/usclk has a minor device number greater than one, or the usclk board was not found at boot time (Balance only). 

ENOSPC an mmap request tried to map more than one page of the usclk device.  Refer to getpagesize(2).

EINVAL an attempt was made to map with write access. 

DYNIX