char device

/**
* alloc_chrdev_region() - register a range of char device numbers
* @dev: output parameter for first assigned number
* @baseminor: first of the requested range of minor numbers
* @count: the number of minor numbers required
* @name: the name of the associated device or driver
*
* Allocates a range of char device numbers. The major number will be
* chosen dynamically, and returned (along with the first minor number)
* in @dev. Returns zero or a negative error code.
*/
int alloc_chrdev_region(dev_t *dev, unsigned baseminor, unsigned count,
const char *name)
{//分配字符设备的次设备号范围，主设备号有系统动态分配，不需要主动指定
struct char_device_struct *cd;
cd = __register_chrdev_region(0, baseminor, count, name);
if (IS_ERR(cd))
return PTR_ERR(cd);
*dev = MKDEV(cd->major, cd->baseminor);
return 0;
}

static struct char_device_struct *
__register_chrdev_region(unsigned int major, unsigned int baseminor,
               int minorct, const char *name)
{
    struct char_device_struct *cd, **cp;
    int ret = 0;
    int i;

    cd = kzalloc(sizeof(struct char_device_struct), GFP_KERNEL);
    if (cd == NULL)
        return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);

    mutex_lock(&chrdevs_lock);

    /* temporary */
    if (major == 0) {
        for (i = ARRAY_SIZE(chrdevs)-1; i > 0; i--) {
            if (chrdevs[i] == NULL)
                break;
        }

        if (i == 0) {
            ret = -EBUSY;
            goto out;
        }
        major = i;
        ret = major;
    }

    cd->major = major;
    cd->baseminor = baseminor;
    cd->minorct = minorct;
    strlcpy(cd->name, name, sizeof(cd->name));

    i = major_to_index(major);

    for (cp = &chrdevs[i]; *cp; cp = &(*cp)->next)
        if ((*cp)->major > major ||
            ((*cp)->major == major &&
             (((*cp)->baseminor >= baseminor) ||
              ((*cp)->baseminor + (*cp)->minorct > baseminor))))
            break;

    /* Check for overlapping minor ranges.  */
    if (*cp && (*cp)->major == major) {
        int old_min = (*cp)->baseminor;
        int old_max = (*cp)->baseminor + (*cp)->minorct - 1;
        int new_min = baseminor;
        int new_max = baseminor + minorct - 1;

        /* New driver overlaps from the left.  */
        if (new_max >= old_min && new_max <= old_max) {
            ret = -EBUSY;
            goto out;
        }

        /* New driver overlaps from the right.  */
        if (new_min <= old_max && new_min >= old_min) {
            ret = -EBUSY;
            goto out;
        }
    }

    cd->next = *cp;
    *cp = cd;
    mutex_unlock(&chrdevs_lock);
    return cd;
out:
    mutex_unlock(&chrdevs_lock);
    kfree(cd);
    return ERR_PTR(ret);
}