Char/Misc Updates For Linux 5.6 Bring New Qualcomm Drivers, Intel Code Updates

While not as exciting as the USB4 support and staging code lightening for these areas managed by Linux's second in command Greg Kroah-Hartman, he also sent out the char/misc updates this week with other hardware support improvements.

The "char/misc" area that basically is a catch-all for driver not belonging to another subsystem has seen its usual wide assortment of changes. For Linux 5.6 there is:

- Code Aurora has upstreamed the Qualcomm QTI SDAM (Shared Direct Access Memory Module) driver, which allows peripherals to access shared memory on QTI PMICs. This new NVMEM driver allows read/write access to the SDAM module's shared memory.

- Also new on the Qualcomm front is supporting the interconnect buses found on Qualcomm MSM8916 platforms. This INTERCONNECT_QCOM_MSM8916 driver allows working Qualcomm network-on-Chip support for the Snapdragon 410.

- Intel SoundWire updates.

- Intel Jasper Point and Comet Point (Comet Lake H) device IDs added to the MEI driver code.

- Various other fixes.

The complete list of changes via this mailing list post.