Work Queues¶
On CAVS platforms, the wall clock is used as a time source for multiple work queues (one work queue instance per active core).
Since enough comparators are not available, all instances register to a shared interrupt where one comparator is used to wake up all. The primary core re-programs the wall clock to the next wake event. Its work queue operates in primary mode. Work queues running on other cores are attached to the shared time source on CAVS SMP platforms; these are configured to the secondary mode. On other SMP platforms where multiple independent time sources are available, all queues can be configured in primary mode.
Synchronous SysTick on All Cores¶
The shared time source aligns work scheduling on all cores as all synchronously wake up on the same periodic event via a system tick timer, or SysTick.
SysTick periods are configurable. While no resolution is guaranteed, the default value of 1ms is acceptable for works that are typically scheduled on this system, specifically low latency works that are enabled and can be run on multiple cores in sync. For ultra low latency configurations, the SysTick period can be configured to a value of < 1ms.
An HD/A DMA running in circular buffer mode (@ dai) is already registered in the work queue with a specified timeout period of 1ms. Other DMAs can be switched from their individual interrupt sources (buffer completion) to work queues, thus making pipelines scheduling fully systick aligned.
In the case of more complex topologies, pipelines that start/terminate with a component other then dai can be also driven by work queues.
Note
Work queue primary/secondary mode vs. independent mode configurable by CONFIG @ compile time. The work queue min tick (1ms/0.33ms/1us) is configurable @ run-time so that the current mode is still fully supported.