somDriver

somDriver is a software driver framework designed to provide a consistent interface for system-on-module (SoM) hardware in embedded and edge devices. By abstracting vendor-specific hardware details, somDriver enables applications, operating system services, and development tools to access common peripherals and capabilities across different SoMs without rewriting device-specific code.

Architecture and operation: somDriver typically comprises a hardware abstraction layer, a set of backends for different SoM vendors, and a user-space API or kernel module, depending on the target platform. The driver uses module descriptors to identify the board, available buses (I2C, SPI, UART), GPIOs, and power-management features, and it translates high-level requests into device-specific operations.

Platform support and distribution: somDriver is used primarily in Linux-based environments, where it can be delivered as a kernel module with accompanying user-space utilities. Implementations exist for other operating systems and RTOSes as plug-ins or libraries. The project emphasizes portability and a clean API for adding new module variants.

Features and usage: core capabilities include device discovery, peripheral enumeration, bus access, GPIO and PWM control, and power management through hardware sleep and wake signaling. Developers typically install the package, load the driver, and configure devices via a descriptor file or device-tree-like mechanism. Documentation and licensing are maintained in the official repository.

See also: device driver, Linux kernel module, System-on-Module, I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO.