schedule_delayed_work(&ir->work, msecs_to_jiffies(ir->polling_interval));
 }
 
+static int ir_open(struct rc_dev *dev)
+{
+       struct IR_i2c *ir = dev->priv;
+
+       schedule_delayed_work(&ir->work, 0);
+
+       return 0;
+}
+
+static void ir_close(struct rc_dev *dev)
+{
+       struct IR_i2c *ir = dev->priv;
+
+       cancel_delayed_work_sync(&ir->work);
+}
+
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 static int ir_probe(struct i2c_client *client, const struct i2c_device_id *id)
        rc->input_phys       = ir->phys;
        rc->device_name      = name;
        rc->dev.parent       = &client->dev;
+       rc->priv             = ir;
+       rc->open             = ir_open;
+       rc->close            = ir_close;
 
        /*
         * Initialize the other fields of rc_dev
        if (!rc->driver_name)
                rc->driver_name = KBUILD_MODNAME;
 
+       INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&ir->work, ir_work);
+
        err = rc_register_device(rc);
        if (err)
                goto err_out_free;
 
-       /* start polling via eventd */
-       INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&ir->work, ir_work);
-       schedule_delayed_work(&ir->work, 0);
-
        return 0;
 
  err_out_free: