diff mbox

[02/39] wimax: declarations for the in-kernel WiMAX API

Message ID 68881c1af06f352dc457485c208662a8db62f3fe.1227691434.git.inaky@linux.intel.com
State Not Applicable, archived
Delegated to: David Miller
Headers show

Commit Message

Inaky Perez-Gonzalez Nov. 26, 2008, 10:40 p.m. UTC
Declares the main data types and calls for the drivers to integrate
into the WiMAX stack. Provides usage documentation.

Signed-off-by: Inaky Perez-Gonzalez <inaky@linux.intel.com>
---
 include/net/wimax.h |  568 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 files changed, 568 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 include/net/wimax.h

Comments

Johannes Berg Nov. 27, 2008, 9:32 a.m. UTC | #1
On Wed, 2008-11-26 at 15:07 -0800, Inaky Perez-Gonzalez wrote:

> + * NOTE: this versioning is a last resort to avoid hard
> + *    incompatibilities. It is the intention of the design of this
> + *    stack not to introduce backward incompatible changes.
> + *
> + * The version code has to fit in one byte (restrictions imposed by
> + * generic netlink); we use `version / 10` for the major version and
> + * `version % 10` for the minor. This gives 9 minors for each major
> + * and 25 majors.
> + *
> + * The version change protocol is as follow:
> + *
> + * - Major versions: needs to be increased if an existing message/API
> + *   call is changed or removed. Doesn't need to be changed if a new
> + *   message is added.
> + *
> + * - Minor verion: needs to be increased if new messages/API calls are

small typo there

> + *   being added or some other consideration that doesn't impact the
> + *   user-kernel interface too much (like some kind of bug fix) and
> + *   that is kind of left up in the air to common sense.
> + *
> + * User space code should not try to work if the major version it was
> + * compiled for differs from what the kernel offers. As well, if the
> + * minor version of the kernel interface is lower than the one user
> + * space is expecting (the one it was compiled for), the kernel
> + * might be missing API calls; user space shall be ready to handle
> + * said condition.
> + *
> + * libwimax:wimax_open() takes care of checking versions.

Why bother versioning the API? Since this is generic netlink, and things
are looked up by the family name, a completely new version would just
use a new family name and be done with it, old userspace won't even
_find_ that new "version" of the API. The "minor version" seems also
useless, either you can do the change in a backward compatible way or
you cannot and need to provide compat code.

I'd just remove this.

johannes
Inaky Perez-Gonzalez Dec. 3, 2008, 2:07 a.m. UTC | #2
On Thursday 27 November 2008, Johannes Berg wrote:
> Why bother versioning the API? Since this is generic netlink, and things
> are looked up by the family name, a completely new version would just
> use a new family name and be done with it, old userspace won't even
> _find_ that new "version" of the API.

That'd be a way to do majors -- hadn't thought about it.

But then, it forces a way to create "a way to grok versions" in the
family name, which is moving the problem from one place to the other.

Because parsing in the family means having to set a protocol and
parsing ASCII, I'd say it's easier to use the family's version field,
as it is available.

> The "minor version" seems also
> useless, either you can do the change in a backward compatible way or
> you cannot and need to provide compat code.

No it is not -- you are missing the case of adding an API
call/signal. Addition doesn't break backwards compatibility, yet a
user that requires the addition has to double check it is
available.
Johannes Berg Dec. 4, 2008, 9:04 a.m. UTC | #3
On Tue, 2008-12-02 at 18:07 -0800, Inaky Perez-Gonzalez wrote:
> On Thursday 27 November 2008, Johannes Berg wrote:
> > Why bother versioning the API? Since this is generic netlink, and things
> > are looked up by the family name, a completely new version would just
> > use a new family name and be done with it, old userspace won't even
> > _find_ that new "version" of the API.
> 
> That'd be a way to do majors -- hadn't thought about it.
> 
> But then, it forces a way to create "a way to grok versions" in the
> family name, which is moving the problem from one place to the other.
> 
> Because parsing in the family means having to set a protocol and
> parsing ASCII, I'd say it's easier to use the family's version field,
> as it is available.

I wasn't actually advocating parsing the family name, but thinking that
if you were to actually do a major revision then you'd be rewriting all
the userland code anyway and could just hardcode a new family name
there.

> > The "minor version" seems also
> > useless, either you can do the change in a backward compatible way or
> > you cannot and need to provide compat code.
> 
> No it is not -- you are missing the case of adding an API
> call/signal. Addition doesn't break backwards compatibility, yet a
> user that requires the addition has to double check it is
> available.

No! API additions can always be discovered through the genl controller,
it supports listing which operations are available. Check out the genl
command from iproute2.

johannes

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Inaky Perez-Gonzalez Dec. 4, 2008, 8:11 p.m. UTC | #4
On Thursday 04 December 2008, Johannes Berg wrote:
> On Tue, 2008-12-02 at 18:07 -0800, Inaky Perez-Gonzalez wrote:
> > On Thursday 27 November 2008, Johannes Berg wrote:
> > > Why bother versioning the API? Since this is generic netlink, and
> > > things are looked up by the family name, a completely new version would
> > > just use a new family name and be done with it, old userspace won't
> > > even _find_ that new "version" of the API.
> >
> > That'd be a way to do majors -- hadn't thought about it.
> >
> > But then, it forces a way to create "a way to grok versions" in the
> > family name, which is moving the problem from one place to the other.
> >
> > Because parsing in the family means having to set a protocol and
> > parsing ASCII, I'd say it's easier to use the family's version field,
> > as it is available.
>
> I wasn't actually advocating parsing the family name, but thinking that
> if you were to actually do a major revision then you'd be rewriting all
> the userland code anyway and could just hardcode a new family name
> there.

Well, if the change were *that* big, then yes, that makes full sense. 
I hope we don't have to go that route...at least too often :)

> > > The "minor version" seems also
> > > useless, either you can do the change in a backward compatible way or
> > > you cannot and need to provide compat code.
> >
> > No it is not -- you are missing the case of adding an API
> > call/signal. Addition doesn't break backwards compatibility, yet a
> > user that requires the addition has to double check it is
> > available.
>
> No! API additions can always be discovered through the genl controller,
> it supports listing which operations are available. Check out the genl
> command from iproute2.

Oh, then this can be used too -- I mean, one does not preclude the other.
diff mbox

Patch

diff --git a/include/net/wimax.h b/include/net/wimax.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e8bbf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/net/wimax.h
@@ -0,0 +1,568 @@ 
+/*
+ * Linux WiMAX
+ * Kernel space API for accessing WiMAX devices
+ *
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2007-2008 Intel Corporation <linux-wimax@intel.com>
+ * Inaky Perez-Gonzalez <inaky.perez-gonzalez@intel.com>
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
+ * 02110-1301, USA.
+ *
+ *
+ * The WiMAX stack provides an API for controlling and managing the
+ * system's WiMAX devices. This API affects the control plane; the
+ * data plane is accessed via the network stack (netdev).
+ *
+ * Parts of the WiMAX stack API and notifications are exported to
+ * user space via Generic Netlink. In user space, libwimax (part of
+ * the wimax-tools package) provides a shim layer for accessing those
+ * calls.
+ *
+ * The API is standarized for all WiMAX devices and different drivers
+ * implement the backend support for it. However, device-specific
+ * messaging pipes are provided that can be used to issue commands and
+ * receive notifications in free form.
+ *
+ * Currently the messaging pipes are the only means of control as it
+ * is not known (due to the lack of more devices in the market) what
+ * will be a good abstraction layer. Expect this to change as more
+ * devices show in the market. This API is designed to be growable in
+ * order to address this problem.
+ *
+ * USAGE
+ *
+ * Embed a `struct wimax_dev` in the device's private structure,
+ * initialize and register it. For details, see `struct
+ * wimax_dev`s documentation.
+ *
+ * Once this is done, wimax-tools's libwimax can be used to
+ * communicate with the driver from user space.
+ *
+ * Remember this is a very low level API that will to provide all of
+ * WiMAX features. Other daemons and services running in user space
+ * are the expected clients of it. They offer a higher level API that
+ * applications should use (an example of this is the Intel's WiMAX
+ * Network Service for the i2400m).
+ *
+ * DESIGN
+ *
+ * Although not set on final stone, this very basic interface is
+ * mostly completed. Remember this is meant to grow as new common
+ * operations are decided upon. New operations will be added to the
+ * interface, intent being on keeping backwards compatibility as much
+ * as possible.
+ *
+ * This layer implements a set of calls to control a WiMAX device,
+ * exposing a frontend to the rest of the kernel and user space (via
+ * generic netlink) and a backend implementation in the driver through
+ * function pointers.
+ *
+ * WiMAX devices have a state, and a kernel-only API allows the
+ * drivers to manipulate that state. State transitions are atomic, and
+ * only some of them are allowed (see `enum wimax_st`).
+ *
+ * Most API calls will set the state automatically; in most cases
+ * drivers have to only report state changes due to external
+ * conditions.
+ *
+ * All API operations are 'atomic', serialized thorough a mutex in the
+ * `struct wimax_dev`.
+ *
+ * EXPORTING TO USER SPACE THROUGH GENERIC NETLINK
+ *
+ * The API is exported to user space using generit netlink (other
+ * methods can be added as needed).
+ *
+ * For user-to-kernel traffic we use a function call marshalling
+ * mechanism, where a message X with attributes A, B, C sent from user
+ * space to kernel space means executing the WiMAX API call wimax_X(A,
+ * B, C), sending the results back as a message. For kernel-to-user
+ * (notifications) we use messages over multicast groups. This way we
+ * can have multiple applications monitoring them.
+ *
+ * Each WiMAX network interface gets assigned a unique Generic Netlink
+ * Family ID (named "WiMAX <IFACEINDEX>").
+ *
+ * This makes it easy (and cheap) to map device to family ID
+ * considering that most deployments will have a single WiMAX device
+ * per system (without any limits on how many WiMAX adaptors per
+ * device might be present). For details, see file
+ * drivers/net/wimax/id-table.c.
+ *
+ * It also makes it easy to do traffic segregation using different
+ * multicast groups, that allow many applications to listen for
+ * notifications without being disrupted by the amount of traffic sent
+ * to other groups.
+ *
+ * User space must explicitly send an open command to the kernel [use
+ * libwimax:wimax_open()] to open a WiMAX handle. The kernel replies
+ * with information about the device that user space will need to talk
+ * to it. Once done, liwimax:wimax_close() releases the handle. No
+ * handle state information is maintained in the kernel (the
+ * connection is stateless).
+ *
+ * TESTING FOR THE INTERFACE AND VERSIONING
+ *
+ * If network interface X is a WiMAX device, there will be a Generic
+ * Netlink family named "WiMAX X" and the device will present a
+ * "wimax" directory in it's network sysfs directory
+ * (/sys/class/net/DEVICE/wimax) [used by HAL].
+ *
+ * The inexistence of any of these means the device does not support
+ * the WiMAX API.
+ *
+ * At open time, an 'open' command is issued; that returns interface
+ * information and with it, the API version the kernel is currently
+ * exporting.
+ *
+ * NOTE: this versioning is a last resort to avoid hard
+ *    incompatibilities. It is the intention of the design of this
+ *    stack not to introduce backward incompatible changes.
+ *
+ * The version code has to fit in one byte (restrictions imposed by
+ * generic netlink); we use `version / 10` for the major version and
+ * `version % 10` for the minor. This gives 9 minors for each major
+ * and 25 majors.
+ *
+ * The version change protocol is as follow:
+ *
+ * - Major versions: needs to be increased if an existing message/API
+ *   call is changed or removed. Doesn't need to be changed if a new
+ *   message is added.
+ *
+ * - Minor verion: needs to be increased if new messages/API calls are
+ *   being added or some other consideration that doesn't impact the
+ *   user-kernel interface too much (like some kind of bug fix) and
+ *   that is kind of left up in the air to common sense.
+ *
+ * User space code should not try to work if the major version it was
+ * compiled for differs from what the kernel offers. As well, if the
+ * minor version of the kernel interface is lower than the one user
+ * space is expecting (the one it was compiled for), the kernel
+ * might be missing API calls; user space shall be ready to handle
+ * said condition.
+ *
+ * libwimax:wimax_open() takes care of checking versions.
+ *
+ * THE OPERATIONS:
+ *
+ * Each operation is defined in its on file (drivers/net/wimax/op-*.c)
+ * for clarity. The parts needed for an operation are:
+ *
+ *  - a function pointer in `struct wimax_dev`: optional, as the
+ *    operation might be implemented by the stack and not by the
+ *    driver.
+ *
+ *    All function pointers are named wimax_dev->op_*(), and drivers
+ *    must implement them except where noted otherwise.
+ *
+ *  - When exported to user space, a `struct nla_policy` to define the
+ *    attributes of the generic netlink command and a `struct genl_ops`
+ *    to define the operation.
+ *
+ * All the declarations for the operation codes (WIMAX_GNL_OP_<NAME>)
+ * and generic netlink attributes (WIMAX_GNL_<NAME>_*) are declared in
+ * include/linux/wimax.h; this file is intended to be cloned by user
+ * space to gain access to those declarations.
+ *
+ * A few caveats to remember:
+ *
+ *  - Need to define attribute numbers starting in 1; otherwise it
+ *    fails.
+ *
+ *  - the `struct genl_family` requires a maximum attribute id; when
+ *    defining the `struct nla_policy` for each message, it has to have
+ *    an array size of WIMAX_GNL_ATTR_MAX+1.
+ *
+ * THE PIPE INTERFACE:
+ *
+ * This interface is kept intentionally simple. The driver can create
+ * any number of pipes through which it can send
+ * messages/notifications to user space. User space can also send
+ * messages through the messaging pipe back to kernel space. See
+ * drivers/net/wimax/op-msg.c for details.
+ *
+ * The kernel-to-user messages are sent with wimax_pipe_msg(), over a
+ * generic netlink multicast group named after the pipe name and
+ * associated to the device's generic netlink family.
+ *
+ * There is always a default pipe created, the messaging pipe. It's up
+ * to the driver to create other pipes (for example, to send a lot of
+ * diagnostics information).
+ *
+ * The bidirectional messaging interface is built over said
+ * "messaging" pipe [which always exists], and the functions
+ * wimax_msg_*() are already setup to work with it. Messages from user
+ * space are sent as unicast and received by the kernel driver through
+ * wimax_dev->op_msg_from_user().
+ *
+ * RFKILL:
+ *
+ * RFKILL support is built into the wimax_dev layer; the driver just
+ * needs to call wimax_report_rfkill_{hw,sw}() to inform of changes in
+ * the hardware or software RF kill switches. When the stack wants to
+ * turn the radio off, it will call wimax_dev->op_rfkill_sw_toggle(),
+ * which the driver implements.
+ *
+ * User space can set the software RF Kill switch by calling
+ * wimax_rfkill().
+ *
+ * The code for now only supports devices that don't require polling;
+ * If the device needs to be polled, create a self-rearming delayed
+ * work struct for polling or look into adding polled support to the
+ * WiMAX stack.
+ *
+ * When initializing the hardware (_probe), after calling
+ * wimax_dev_add(), query the device for it's RF Kill switches status
+ * and feed it back to the WiMAX stack using
+ * wimax_report_rfkill_{hw,sw}(). If any switch is missing, always
+ * report it as ON.
+ *
+ * NOTE: the wimax stack uses an inverted terminology to that of the
+ * RFKILL subsystem:
+ *
+ *  - ON: radio is ON, RFKILL is DISABLED or OFF.
+ *  - OFF: radio is OFF, RFKILL is ENABLED or ON.
+ *
+ * MISCELLANEOUS OPS:
+ *
+ * wimax_reset() can be used to reset the device to power on state; by
+ * default it issues a warm reset that maintains the same device
+ * node. If that is not possible, it falls back to a cold reset
+ * (device reconnect). The driver implements the backend to this
+ * through wimax_dev->op_reset().
+ */
+
+#ifndef __NET__WIMAX_H__
+#define __NET__WIMAX_H__
+#ifdef __KERNEL__
+
+#include <linux/wimax.h>
+#include <net/genetlink.h>
+#include <linux/netdevice.h>
+
+struct net_device;
+struct genl_info;
+struct wimax_dev;
+struct wimax_pipe;
+struct input_dev;
+
+/**
+ * struct wimax_dev - Generic WiMAX device
+ *
+ * @net_dev: [fill] Pointer to the &struct net_device this WiMAX
+ *     device implements.
+ *
+ * @op_msg_from_user: [fill] Driver-specific operation to
+ *     handle a raw message from user space to the driver. The
+ *     driver can send messages to user space using with
+ *     wimax_msg_to_user().
+ *
+ * @op_rfkill_sw_toggle: [fill] Driver-specific operation to act on
+ *     userspace (or any other agent) requesting the WiMAX device to
+ *     change the RF Kill software switch (WIMAX_RF_ON or
+ *     WIMAX_RF_OFF).
+ *     If such hardware support is not present, it is assumed the
+ *     radio cannot be switched off and it is always on (and the stack
+ *     will error out when trying to switch it off). In such case,
+ *     this function pointer can be left as NULL.
+ *
+ * @op_reset: [fill] Driver specific operation to reset the
+ *     device.
+ *     This operation should always attempt first a warm reset that
+ *     does not disconnect the device from the bus and return 0.
+ *     If that fails, it should resort to some sort of cold or bus
+ *     reset (even if it implies a bus disconnection and device
+ *     dissapearance). In that case, -ENODEV should be returned to
+ *     indicate the device is gone.
+ *     This operation has to be synchronous, and return only when the
+ *     reset is complete. In case of having had to resort to bus/cold
+ *     reset implying a device disconnection, the call is allowed to
+ *     return inmediately.
+ *     See wimax_reset()'s documentation.
+ *
+ * @name: [fill] A way to identify this device. We need to register a
+ *     name with many subsystems (input for RFKILL, workqueue
+ *     creation, etc). We can't use the network device name as that
+ *     might change and in some instances we don't know it yet (until
+ *     we don't call register_netdev()). So we generate an unique one
+ *     using the driver name and device bus id, place it here and use
+ *     it across the board. Recommended naming:
+ *     DRIVERNAME-BUSNAME:BUSID (dev->bus->name, dev->bus_id).
+ *
+ * @id_table_node: [private] link to the list of wimax devices kept by
+ *     id-table.c. Protected by it's own spinlock.
+ *
+ * @pipe_list: [private] List of registered pipes.
+ *
+ * @pipe_msg: [private] Generic Netlink multicast group for the
+ *     driver to report answers to messages and driver-specific
+ *     reports.
+ *
+ * @mutex: [private] Serializes all concurrent access and execution of
+ *     operations.
+ *
+ * @state: [private] Current state of the WiMAX device.
+ *
+ * @gnl_family: [private] Generic Netlink pipe ID.
+ *
+ * @rfkill: [private] integration into the RF-Kill infrastructure.
+ *
+ * @rfkill_input: [private] virtual input device to process the
+ *     hardware RF Kill switches.
+ *
+ * @rf_sw: [private] State of the software radio switch (OFF/ON)
+ *
+ * @rf_hw: [private] State of the hardware radio switch (OFF/ON)
+ *
+ * Description:
+ * This structure defines a common interface to access all WiMAX
+ * devices from different vendors and provides a common API as well as
+ * a free-form device-specific messaging channel.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ *  1. Embed a &struct wimax_dev at *the beginning* the network
+ *     device structure so that net_dev->priv points to it.
+ *
+ *  2. memset() it to zero
+ *
+ *  3. Initialize with wimax_dev_init(). This will leave the WiMAX
+ *     device in the %__WIMAX_ST_NULL state.
+ *
+ *  4. Fill all the fields marked with [fill]; once called
+ *     wimax_dev_add(), those fields CANNOT be modified.
+ *
+ *  5. Call wimax_dev_add() *after* registering the network
+ *     device. This will leave the WiMAX device in the %WIMAX_ST_DOWN
+ *     state.
+ *     Protect the driver's net_device->open() against succeeding if
+ *     the wimax device state is lower than %WIMAX_ST_DOWN.
+ *
+ *  6. Select when the device is going to be turned on/initialized;
+ *     for example, it could be initialized on 'ifconfig up' (when the
+ *     netdev op 'open()' is called on the driver).
+ *
+ * When the device is initialized (at `ifconfig up` time, or right
+ * after calling wimax_dev_add() from _probe(), make sure the
+ * following steps are taken
+ *
+ *  a. Move the device to %WIMAX_ST_UNINITIALIZED. This is needed so
+ *     some API calls that shouldn't work until the device is ready
+ *     can be blocked.
+ *
+ *  b. Initialize the device. Make sure to turn the SW radio switch
+ *     off and move the device to state %WIMAX_ST_RADIO_OFF when
+ *     done. When just initialized, a device should be left in RADIO
+ *     OFF state until user space devices to turn it on.
+ *
+ *  c. Query the device for the state of the hardware rfkill switch
+ *     and call wimax_rfkill_report_hw() and wimax_rfkill_report_sw()
+ *     as needed. See below.
+ *
+ * This will populate sysfs entries in the device's directory that tag
+ * it as a device that supports the WiMAX interface (for
+ * userspace). wimax_dev_rm() undoes before unregistering the network
+ * device. Once wimax_dev_add() is called, the driver can get called
+ * on the wimax_dev->op_* function pointers
+ *
+ * CONCURRENCY:
+ *
+ * The stack provides a mutex for each device that will disallow API
+ * calls happening concurrently; thus, op calls into the driver
+ * through the wimax_dev->op*() function pointers will always be
+ * serialized and *never* concurrent.
+ *
+ * For locking, take wimax_dev->mutex is taken; (most) operations in
+ * the API have to check for wimax_dev_is_ready() to return 0 before
+ * continuing (this is done internally).
+ *
+ * REFERENCE COUNTING:
+ *
+ * The WiMAX device is reference counted by the associated network
+ * device. The only operation that can be used to reference the device
+ * is wimax_dev_get_by_genl_info(), and the reference it acquires has
+ * to be released with dev_put(wimax_dev->net_dev).
+ *
+ * RFKILL:
+ *
+ * At startup, both HW and SW radio switchess are assumed to be off.
+ *
+ * At initialization time [after calling wimax_dev_add()], have the
+ * driver query the device for the status of the software and hardware
+ * RF kill switches and call wimax_report_rfkill_hw() and
+ * wimax_rfkill_report_sw() to indicate their state. If any is
+ * missing, just call it to indicate it is ON (radio always on).
+ *
+ * Whenever the driver detects a change in the state of the RF kill
+ * switches, it should call wimax_report_rfkill_hw() or
+ * wimax_report_rfkill_sw() to report it to the stack.
+ */
+struct wimax_dev {
+	struct net_device *net_dev;
+	struct list_head id_table_node;
+	struct list_head pipe_list;
+	struct wimax_pipe *pipe_msg;
+	struct mutex mutex;		/* Protects all members and API calls */
+	enum wimax_st state;
+
+	int (*op_msg_from_user)(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev,
+				const void *, size_t,
+				const struct genl_info *info);
+	int (*op_rfkill_sw_toggle)(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev,
+				   enum wimax_rf_state);
+	int (*op_reset)(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev);
+
+	struct genl_family gnl_family;
+	struct rfkill *rfkill;
+	struct input_dev *rfkill_input;
+	unsigned rf_hw;
+	unsigned rf_sw;
+	char name[32];
+};
+
+
+
+/*
+ * WiMAX stack public API for device drivers
+ * -----------------------------------------
+ *
+ * These functions are not exported to user space.
+ */
+extern void wimax_dev_init(struct wimax_dev *);
+extern int wimax_dev_add(struct wimax_dev *, struct net_device *);
+extern void wimax_dev_rm(struct wimax_dev *);
+
+static inline
+struct wimax_dev *net_dev_to_wimax(struct net_device *net_dev)
+{
+	return netdev_priv(net_dev);
+}
+
+static inline
+struct device *wimax_dev_to_dev(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev)
+{
+	return wimax_dev->net_dev->dev.parent;
+}
+
+extern void wimax_state_change(struct wimax_dev *, enum wimax_st);
+extern enum wimax_st wimax_state_get(struct wimax_dev *);
+
+/*
+ * Radio Switch state reporting.
+ *
+ * enum wimax_rf_state is declared in linux/wimax.h so the exports
+ * to user space can use it.
+ */
+extern void wimax_report_rfkill_hw(struct wimax_dev *, enum wimax_rf_state);
+extern void wimax_report_rfkill_sw(struct wimax_dev *, enum wimax_rf_state);
+
+/*
+ * Free-form message sending over pipes
+ *
+ * This is a facility for sending messages/notifications to user
+ * space over "pipes".
+ *
+ * There is one pipe created by default, the "msg" pipe (which is
+ * bidirectional); drivers can create others for sending notifications
+ * with wimax_pipe_add() and wimax_pipe_rm(). Mostly useful for
+ * multiplexing chunks of unrelated information (like high-bandwidth
+ * traces, diagnostics, etc) over each pipe without disturbing each
+ * other's listeners.
+ *
+ * pipe_handle = wimax_pipe_add(wimax_dev, "PIPENAME");
+ * ...
+ * wimax_pipe_msg*(wimax_dev, pipe_handle, ...);
+ * ...
+ * wimax_pipe_rm(wimax_dev, pipe_handle);
+ *
+ * In user space, use libwimax's pipe facilities to read from them.
+ */
+extern struct wimax_pipe *wimax_pipe_add(struct wimax_dev *, const char *);
+extern void wimax_pipe_rm(struct wimax_dev *, struct wimax_pipe *);
+
+/*
+ * Sending a message over a pipe:
+ *
+ * Sending a buffer:
+ *
+ *   wimax_pipe_msg(wimax_dev, pipe_handle, buf, buf_size, GFP_KERNEL);
+ *
+ * Broken up:
+ *
+ *   skb = wimax_pipe_msg_alloc(wimax_dev, pipe_handle, buf_size, GFP_KERNEL);
+ *   ...fill up skb...
+ *   wimax_pipe_msg_send(wimax_dev, pipe_handle, skb);
+ *
+ * Be sure not to modify skb->data in the middle (ie: don't use
+ * skb_push()/skb_pull()/skb_reserve() on the skb).
+ */
+extern struct sk_buff *wimax_pipe_msg_alloc(struct wimax_dev *,
+					    const void *, size_t, gfp_t);
+extern int wimax_pipe_msg_send(struct wimax_dev *, struct wimax_pipe *,
+			       struct sk_buff *);
+extern int wimax_pipe_msg(struct wimax_dev *, struct wimax_pipe *,
+			  const void *, size_t, gfp_t);
+
+extern const void *wimax_msg_data(struct sk_buff *);
+extern ssize_t wimax_msg_len(struct sk_buff *);
+
+
+/*
+ * Same as before, but default to the "msg" pipe; as well, data
+ * can be received from user space (the wimax_dev->op_msg_from_user())
+ * will be called for each message sent.
+ */
+static inline
+struct sk_buff *wimax_msg_to_user_alloc(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev,
+					const void *msg, size_t size, gfp_t gfp)
+{
+	return wimax_pipe_msg_alloc(wimax_dev, msg, size, gfp);
+}
+
+static inline
+int wimax_msg_to_user_send(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev, struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return wimax_pipe_msg_send(wimax_dev, wimax_dev->pipe_msg, skb);
+}
+
+static inline
+int wimax_msg_to_user(struct wimax_dev *wimax_dev,
+		      const void *buf, size_t size, gfp_t gfp)
+{
+	return wimax_pipe_msg(wimax_dev, wimax_dev->pipe_msg,
+			      buf, size, gfp);
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * WiMAX stack user space API
+ * --------------------------
+ *
+ * This API is what gets exported to user space for general
+ * operations. As well, they can be called from within the kernel,
+ * (with a properly referenced `struct wimax_dev`).
+ *
+ * Properly referenced means: the 'struct net_device' that embeds the
+ * device's control structure and (as such) the 'struct wimax_dev' is
+ * referenced by the caller.
+ */
+extern int wimax_rfkill(struct wimax_dev *, enum wimax_rf_state);
+extern int wimax_reset(struct wimax_dev *);
+
+#else
+/* You might be looking for linux/wimax.h */
+#error This file should not be included from user space.
+#endif /* #ifdef __KERNEL__ */
+#endif /* #ifndef __NET__WIMAX_H__ */