--- zzzz-none-000/linux-3.10.107/include/linux/ipack.h	2017-06-27 09:49:32.000000000 +0000
+++ scorpion-7490-727/linux-3.10.107/include/linux/ipack.h	2021-02-04 17:41:59.000000000 +0000
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@
  *	@ops: bus operations for the mezzanine drivers
  */
 struct ipack_bus_device {
+	struct module *owner;
 	struct device *parent;
 	int slots;
 	int bus_nr;
@@ -189,7 +190,8 @@
  * available bus device in ipack.
  */
 struct ipack_bus_device *ipack_bus_register(struct device *parent, int slots,
-					    const struct ipack_bus_ops *ops);
+					    const struct ipack_bus_ops *ops,
+					    struct module *owner);
 
 /**
  *	ipack_bus_unregister -- unregister an ipack bus
@@ -265,3 +267,23 @@
 	 .format = (_format), \
 	 .vendor = (vend), \
 	 .device = (dev)
+
+/**
+ * ipack_get_carrier - it increase the carrier ref. counter of
+ *                     the carrier module
+ * @dev: mezzanine device which wants to get the carrier
+ */
+static inline int ipack_get_carrier(struct ipack_device *dev)
+{
+	return try_module_get(dev->bus->owner);
+}
+
+/**
+ * ipack_get_carrier - it decrease the carrier ref. counter of
+ *                     the carrier module
+ * @dev: mezzanine device which wants to get the carrier
+ */
+static inline void ipack_put_carrier(struct ipack_device *dev)
+{
+	module_put(dev->bus->owner);
+}