suse man page for pci_dev_get

PCI_DEV_GET(9)							Hardware Interfaces						    PCI_DEV_GET(9)

NAME
       pci_dev_get - increments the reference count of the pci device structure

SYNOPSIS
       struct pci_dev * pci_dev_get(struct pci_dev * dev);

ARGUMENTS
       dev
	   the device being referenced

DESCRIPTION
       Each live reference to a device should be refcounted.

       Drivers for PCI devices should normally record such references in their probe methods, when they bind to a device, and release them by
       calling pci_dev_put, in their disconnect methods.

       A pointer to the device with the incremented reference counter is returned.

COPYRIGHT
Kernel Hackers Manual 2.6.					     July 2010							    PCI_DEV_GET(9)