[PATCH ath-next 0/2] wifi: ath12k: refactor m3/aux_uc firmware memory handling

[PATCH ath-next 0/2] wifi: ath12k: refactor m3/aux_uc firmware memory handling

[Madhavan Ganesan]

ath12k_qmi_m3_free()/ath12k_qmi_m3_load() and
ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free()/ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load() carry near-identical
logic for freeing a DMA-coherent firmware memory region and loading
firmware into it. Factor the shared logic into common helpers.

Patch 1 is a preparatory, no-functional-change rename of
struct m3_mem_region to struct ath12k_fw_mem_region, since the type
is also used for the aux_uc region and the old name no longer
reflects its purpose.

Patch 2 refactors the shared free/load logic into
ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region() and ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(), and
rewires the m3 and aux_uc wrappers to use them.

---
Madhavan Ganesan (2):
      wifi: ath12k: rename m3_mem_region to ath12k_fw_mem_region
      wifi: ath12k: refactor m3 and aux_uc firmware memory handling
 
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c | 163 +++++++++++-----------------------
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h |   6 +-
 2 files changed, 57 insertions(+), 112 deletions(-)
---
base-commit: a2da7677eb9a12e7860814b70a1f6f5b0e347d7d
change-id: 20261103-m3_and_aux_ucode-8337b881155c

[PATCH ath-next 1/2] wifi: ath12k: rename m3_mem_region to ath12k_fw_mem_region

[Madhavan Ganesan]

struct m3_mem_region is also used for the aux_uc firmware memory
region, so the name no longer reflects its purpose. Rename it to
ath12k_fw_mem_region to make clear it is a generic firmware memory
region descriptor shared across m3 and aux_uc.

No functional change.

Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.6-01243-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

Signed-off-by: Madhavan Ganesan <madhavan.ganesan@oss.qualcomm.com>
---
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c | 12 ++++++------
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h |  6 +++---
 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c
index 817bd820623d..b1efed1702cb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c
@@ -3227,7 +3227,7 @@ int ath12k_qmi_load_bdf_qmi(struct ath12k_base *ab,
 
 static void ath12k_qmi_m3_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct m3_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
 
 	if (ab->hw_params->fw.m3_loader == ath12k_m3_fw_loader_remoteproc)
 		return;
@@ -3244,7 +3244,7 @@ static void ath12k_qmi_m3_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 
 static int ath12k_qmi_m3_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct m3_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
 	const struct firmware *fw = NULL;
 	const void *m3_data;
 	char path[100];
@@ -3309,7 +3309,7 @@ static int ath12k_qmi_m3_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 static noinline_for_stack
 int ath12k_qmi_wlanfw_m3_info_send(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct m3_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
 	struct qmi_wlanfw_m3_info_req_msg_v01 req = {};
 	struct qmi_wlanfw_m3_info_resp_msg_v01 resp = {};
 	struct qmi_txn txn;
@@ -3359,7 +3359,7 @@ int ath12k_qmi_wlanfw_m3_info_send(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 
 static void ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct m3_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
 
 	if (!aux_uc_mem->vaddr)
 		return;
@@ -3373,7 +3373,7 @@ static void ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 
 static int ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct m3_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
 	const struct firmware *fw = NULL;
 	const void *aux_uc_data;
 	char path[100];
@@ -3435,7 +3435,7 @@ static int ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 static noinline_for_stack
 int ath12k_qmi_wlanfw_aux_uc_info_send(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct m3_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
 	struct qmi_wlanfw_aux_uc_info_req_msg_v01 req = {};
 	struct qmi_wlanfw_aux_uc_info_resp_msg_v01 resp = {};
 	struct qmi_txn txn;
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h
index 1b1c88906f1e..e43e4a42aad7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ struct target_info {
 	char bdf_ext[ATH12K_QMI_BDF_EXT_STR_LENGTH];
 };
 
-struct m3_mem_region {
+struct ath12k_fw_mem_region {
 	/* total memory allocated */
 	u32 total_size;
 	/* actual memory being used */
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ struct ath12k_qmi {
 
 	u8 num_radios;
 	struct target_info target;
-	struct m3_mem_region m3_mem;
-	struct m3_mem_region aux_uc_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region m3_mem;
+	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region aux_uc_mem;
 	unsigned int service_ins_id;
 	struct dev_mem_info dev_mem[ATH12K_QMI_WLFW_MAX_DEV_MEM_NUM_V01];
 	u8 dynamic_ddr_support;

-- 
2.34.1

[PATCH ath-next 2/2] wifi: ath12k: refactor m3 and aux_uc firmware memory handling

[Madhavan Ganesan]

ath12k_qmi_m3_free()/ath12k_qmi_m3_load() and
ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free()/ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load() implement identical
logic for freeing a DMA-coherent firmware memory region and for
loading firmware into it (reuse existing buffer if large enough,
otherwise free and reallocate, falling back to a standalone firmware
file when no embedded data is present).

Factor the common logic into ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region() and
ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(), and have the m3 and aux_uc wrappers call
into them with the appropriate struct ath12k_fw_mem_region and
firmware file name. The shared free helper also clears paddr, which
the previous per-region implementations missed.

Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.6-01243-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

Signed-off-by: Madhavan Ganesan <madhavan.ganesan@oss.qualcomm.com>
---
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c | 159 +++++++++++-----------------------
 1 file changed, 52 insertions(+), 107 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c
index b1efed1702cb..ba9365d10180 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c
@@ -3225,77 +3225,78 @@ int ath12k_qmi_load_bdf_qmi(struct ath12k_base *ab,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static void ath12k_qmi_m3_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
+static void ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region(struct ath12k_base *ab,
+				       struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *mem_region)
 {
-	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
-
-	if (ab->hw_params->fw.m3_loader == ath12k_m3_fw_loader_remoteproc)
+	if (!mem_region->vaddr)
 		return;
 
-	if (!m3_mem->vaddr)
+	dma_free_coherent(ab->dev, mem_region->total_size,
+			  mem_region->vaddr, mem_region->paddr);
+	mem_region->vaddr = NULL;
+	mem_region->total_size = 0;
+	mem_region->size = 0;
+}
+
+static void ath12k_qmi_m3_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
+{
+	if (ab->hw_params->fw.m3_loader == ath12k_m3_fw_loader_remoteproc)
 		return;
 
-	dma_free_coherent(ab->dev, m3_mem->total_size,
-			  m3_mem->vaddr, m3_mem->paddr);
-	m3_mem->vaddr = NULL;
-	m3_mem->total_size = 0;
-	m3_mem->size = 0;
+	ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region(ab, &ab->qmi.m3_mem);
 }
 
-static int ath12k_qmi_m3_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
+static int ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(struct ath12k_base *ab,
+				  struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *mem_region,
+				  const u8 *embedded_data, size_t embedded_len,
+				  const char *filename)
 {
-	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *m3_mem = &ab->qmi.m3_mem;
 	const struct firmware *fw = NULL;
-	const void *m3_data;
+	const void *data;
 	char path[100];
-	size_t m3_len;
+	size_t len;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (ab->fw.m3_data && ab->fw.m3_len > 0) {
-		/* firmware-N.bin had a m3 firmware file so use that */
-		m3_data = ab->fw.m3_data;
-		m3_len = ab->fw.m3_len;
+	if (embedded_data && embedded_len > 0) {
+		data = embedded_data;
+		len = embedded_len;
 	} else {
-		/* No m3 file in firmware-N.bin so try to request old
-		 * separate m3.bin.
-		 */
-		fw = ath12k_core_firmware_request(ab, ATH12K_M3_FILE);
+		fw = ath12k_core_firmware_request(ab, filename);
 		if (IS_ERR(fw)) {
 			ret = PTR_ERR(fw);
-			ath12k_core_create_firmware_path(ab, ATH12K_M3_FILE,
+			ath12k_core_create_firmware_path(ab, filename,
 							 path, sizeof(path));
 			ath12k_err(ab, "failed to load %s: %d\n", path, ret);
 			return ret;
 		}
 
-		m3_data = fw->data;
-		m3_len = fw->size;
+		data = fw->data;
+		len = fw->size;
 	}
 
-	/* In recovery/resume cases, M3 buffer is not freed, try to reuse that */
-	if (m3_mem->vaddr) {
-		if (m3_mem->total_size >= m3_len)
-			goto skip_m3_alloc;
+	/* In recovery/resume cases, buffer is not freed, try to reuse that */
+	if (mem_region->vaddr) {
+		if (mem_region->total_size >= len)
+			goto skip_alloc;
 
 		/* Old buffer is too small, free and reallocate */
-		ath12k_qmi_m3_free(ab);
+		ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region(ab, mem_region);
 	}
 
-	m3_mem->vaddr = dma_alloc_coherent(ab->dev,
-					   m3_len, &m3_mem->paddr,
-					   GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!m3_mem->vaddr) {
-		ath12k_err(ab, "failed to allocate memory for M3 with size %zu\n",
-			   m3_len);
+	mem_region->vaddr = dma_alloc_coherent(ab->dev, len, &mem_region->paddr,
+					       GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!mem_region->vaddr) {
+		ath12k_err(ab, "failed to allocate memory for %s with size %zu\n",
+			   filename, len);
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	m3_mem->total_size = m3_len;
+	mem_region->total_size = len;
 
-skip_m3_alloc:
-	memcpy(m3_mem->vaddr, m3_data, m3_len);
-	m3_mem->size = m3_len;
+skip_alloc:
+	memcpy(mem_region->vaddr, data, len);
+	mem_region->size = len;
 
 	ret = 0;
 
@@ -3305,6 +3306,13 @@ static int ath12k_qmi_m3_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static int ath12k_qmi_m3_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
+{
+	return ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(ab, &ab->qmi.m3_mem,
+				      ab->fw.m3_data, ab->fw.m3_len,
+				      ATH12K_M3_FILE);
+}
+
 /* clang stack usage explodes if this is inlined */
 static noinline_for_stack
 int ath12k_qmi_wlanfw_m3_info_send(struct ath12k_base *ab)
@@ -3359,77 +3367,14 @@ int ath12k_qmi_wlanfw_m3_info_send(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 
 static void ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
-
-	if (!aux_uc_mem->vaddr)
-		return;
-
-	dma_free_coherent(ab->dev, aux_uc_mem->total_size,
-			  aux_uc_mem->vaddr, aux_uc_mem->paddr);
-	aux_uc_mem->vaddr = NULL;
-	aux_uc_mem->total_size = 0;
-	aux_uc_mem->size = 0;
+	ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region(ab, &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem);
 }
 
 static int ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load(struct ath12k_base *ab)
 {
-	struct ath12k_fw_mem_region *aux_uc_mem = &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem;
-	const struct firmware *fw = NULL;
-	const void *aux_uc_data;
-	char path[100];
-	size_t aux_uc_len;
-	int ret;
-
-	if (ab->fw.aux_uc_data && ab->fw.aux_uc_len > 0) {
-		/* firmware-N.bin had a aux_uc firmware file so use that */
-		aux_uc_data = ab->fw.aux_uc_data;
-		aux_uc_len = ab->fw.aux_uc_len;
-	} else {
-		/*
-		 * No aux_uc file in firmware-N.bin so try to request old
-		 * separate aux_ucode.bin.
-		 */
-		fw = ath12k_core_firmware_request(ab, ATH12K_AUX_UC_FILE);
-		if (IS_ERR(fw)) {
-			ret = PTR_ERR(fw);
-			ath12k_core_create_firmware_path(ab, ATH12K_AUX_UC_FILE,
-							 path, sizeof(path));
-			ath12k_err(ab, "failed to load %s: %d\n", path, ret);
-			return ret;
-		}
-
-		aux_uc_data = fw->data;
-		aux_uc_len = fw->size;
-	}
-
-	/* In recovery/resume cases, AUX_UC buffer is not freed, try to reuse that */
-	if (aux_uc_mem->vaddr) {
-		if (aux_uc_mem->total_size >= aux_uc_len)
-			goto copy;
-
-		/* Old buffer is too small, free and reallocate */
-		ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free(ab);
-	}
-
-	aux_uc_mem->vaddr = dma_alloc_coherent(ab->dev, aux_uc_len,
-					       &aux_uc_mem->paddr, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!aux_uc_mem->vaddr) {
-		ret = -ENOMEM;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	aux_uc_mem->total_size = aux_uc_len;
-
-copy:
-	memcpy(aux_uc_mem->vaddr, aux_uc_data, aux_uc_len);
-	aux_uc_mem->size = aux_uc_len;
-
-	ret = 0;
-
-out:
-	release_firmware(fw);
-
-	return ret;
+	return ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(ab, &ab->qmi.aux_uc_mem,
+				      ab->fw.aux_uc_data, ab->fw.aux_uc_len,
+				      ATH12K_AUX_UC_FILE);
 }
 
 static noinline_for_stack

-- 
2.34.1

Re: [PATCH ath-next 2/2] wifi: ath12k: refactor m3 and aux_uc firmware memory handling

[Baochen Qiang]

On 11/4/2026 1:26 AM, Madhavan Ganesan wrote:
> ath12k_qmi_m3_free()/ath12k_qmi_m3_load() and
> ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free()/ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load() implement identical
> logic for freeing a DMA-coherent firmware memory region and for
> loading firmware into it (reuse existing buffer if large enough,
> otherwise free and reallocate, falling back to a standalone firmware
> file when no embedded data is present).
> 
> Factor the common logic into ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region() and
> ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(), and have the m3 and aux_uc wrappers call
> into them with the appropriate struct ath12k_fw_mem_region and
> firmware file name. The shared free helper also clears paddr, which
> the previous per-region implementations missed.

I don't see that paddr is cleared in ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region()

Re: [PATCH ath-next 0/2] wifi: ath12k: refactor m3/aux_uc firmware memory handling

[Baochen Qiang]

On 11/4/2026 1:25 AM, Madhavan Ganesan wrote:
> ath12k_qmi_m3_free()/ath12k_qmi_m3_load() and
> ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_free()/ath12k_qmi_aux_uc_load() carry near-identical
> logic for freeing a DMA-coherent firmware memory region and loading
> firmware into it. Factor the shared logic into common helpers.
> 
> Patch 1 is a preparatory, no-functional-change rename of
> struct m3_mem_region to struct ath12k_fw_mem_region, since the type
> is also used for the aux_uc region and the old name no longer
> reflects its purpose.
> 
> Patch 2 refactors the shared free/load logic into
> ath12k_qmi_free_mem_region() and ath12k_qmi_fw_mem_load(), and
> rewires the m3 and aux_uc wrappers to use them.
> 
> ---
> Madhavan Ganesan (2):
>       wifi: ath12k: rename m3_mem_region to ath12k_fw_mem_region
>       wifi: ath12k: refactor m3 and aux_uc firmware memory handling
>  
>  drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.c | 163 +++++++++++-----------------------
>  drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath12k/qmi.h |   6 +-
>  2 files changed, 57 insertions(+), 112 deletions(-)
> ---
> base-commit: a2da7677eb9a12e7860814b70a1f6f5b0e347d7d
> change-id: 20261103-m3_and_aux_ucode-8337b881155c
> 
> 

with commit message nit in patch 2/2 fixed:

Reviewed-by: Baochen Qiang <baochen.qiang@oss.qualcomm.com>