Migrate to the new acceleration framework "assel" introduced by Linux 6.2, Intel announced v4 version of VPU driver

CTOnews.com, December 9 (Xinhua)-- Intel announced this summer that it will be the first to equip Meteor Lake processors with open source multi-function processing units (Versatile Processing Unit, or VPU) to enhance AI computing power.

Intel has since changed VPU drivers to use the new acceleration framework / subsystem "accel" introduced in Linux 6.2 in the latest v4 release.

CTOnews.com learned that the "accel" accelerator subsystem and framework introduced in Linux 6.2 is intended to become a new common area for similar devices such as AI accelerators in the kernel. This accelerator subsystem / framework can reuse common elements of the Direct rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem, which is common in modern accelerators and GPUs.

This accelerator is very good at handling DMA-BUFF and a large number of DRM interfaces, which is much better than throwing the driver directly under the "char / misc" path. With the introduction of the accelerator subsystem in Linux 6.2, Intel's Habana lab drivers are adapting to the new framework from char / misc.