CAN License

[snahmad75]

Hi,
Yes, no license is needed on ESP32.

_________________________________

Kind regards,

Wei DAI

Technical Support | Espressif Systems

www.espressif.com

#101, Block 2, 690 Bibo Road,

Zhang Jiang High-Tech Park, Shanghai, China

Can you confirm please it is free.

Have a look at this document.

http://www.bosch-semiconductors.com/med ... itions.pdf


Hi,
Do we need to purchase can driver license for our first commercial product. -------- No, you need not.
You can find more information about ESP32 CAN from https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp ... s/can.html



Hi,
Do we need to purchase can driver license for our first commercial product. -------- No, you need not.
You can find more information about ESP32 CAN from https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp ... s/can.html

_________________________________

Kind regards,

Wei DAI

Technical Support | Espressif Systems

www.espressif.com

#101, Block 2, 690 Bibo Road,

Zhang Jiang High-Tech Park, Shanghai, China
--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: 乐鑫 [naeem.ahmad@actisense.com]
Sent: 2019-6-1 PM10:10
To: sales@espressif.com
Subject: CAN Driver license

Presales Enquiry
Submitted on Saturday, June 1, 2019 - 22:10 Submitted by user: Anonymous Submitted values are:

Name: naeem ahmad
Espressif Product: ESP32 wrover
Subject: CAN Driver license
Question:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7171&e=1&view=unread#unread

Do we need to purchase can driver license for our first commercial product.
How and where?

[ESP_Sprite]

Note that the ESP32 implements the "classic" CAN, not CAN FD.

[permal]

Note that the ESP32 implements the "classic" CAN, not CAN FD.

Still, the document clearly states a license is required for both of them, does it not?

Important Notice
The CAN Protocol and CAN FD Protocol are developed by the Robert Bosch GmbH and protected by intellectual property rights. The CAN Protocol and CAN FD Protocol License is required for any implementation of the CAN Protocol and CAN FD Protocol, i.e. self-developed CAN IP modules, CAN IP modules purchased from Bosch or another vendor. TTCAN Protocol and TTCAN FD Protocol intellectual property rights are included in the license conditions.

[WiFive]

Note that the ESP32 implements the "classic" CAN, not CAN FD.

Still, the document clearly states a license is required for both of them, does it not?

Important Notice
The CAN Protocol and CAN FD Protocol are developed by the Robert Bosch GmbH and protected by intellectual property rights. The CAN Protocol and CAN FD Protocol License is required for any implementation of the CAN Protocol and CAN FD Protocol, i.e. self-developed CAN IP modules, CAN IP modules purchased from Bosch or another vendor. TTCAN Protocol and TTCAN FD Protocol intellectual property rights are included in the license conditions.

If you are actually using the Bosch intellectual property, yes. If you have developed a compatible implementation without using the Bosch IP then I don't think so, unless your implementation is infringing. But since the patents are expired, it should not be. Since you have not actually done an "implementation of the CAN Protocol", you implemented your own protocol which happens to be compatible.

[snahmad75]

So, the final verdict is CAN hardware module/driver is free for commercial use as well.

[permal]

So, the final verdict is CAN hardware module/driver is free for commercial use as well.

Personally I wouldn't draw that conclusion. Even Espressif says to obtain a license, as by the first post in this thread. Ask a lawyer.

[WiFive]

So, the final verdict is CAN hardware module/driver is free for commercial use as well.

Personally I wouldn't draw that conclusion. Even Espressif says to obtain a license, as by the first post in this thread. Ask a lawyer.

That was from a previous release and has since been removed. But yes, nothing in this thread is a guarantee and a lawyer's advice is not a guarantee. It's probably cheaper to just buy the licenses than hire a lawyer.

[Ritesh]

So, the final verdict is CAN hardware module/driver is free for commercial use as well.

Personally I wouldn't draw that conclusion. Even Espressif says to obtain a license, as by the first post in this thread. Ask a lawyer.

That was from a previous release and has since been removed. But yes, nothing in this thread is a guarantee and a lawyer's advice is not a guarantee. It's probably cheaper to just buy the licenses than hire a lawyer.

Thanks for suggestiins for same. I would also like to prefer to purchase license or cinsult with lawyer is already you have.

We are also planning to use CAN into our products and will discuss with our lawyer. If still need any clarifications then will contact Espressif Team directly for that.

[snahmad75]

Strange. such as simple question. still we don't know do we need license or not.

We should not involve lawyer in these matters. It is not legal issue.

[Ritesh]

Strange. such as simple question. still we don't know do we need license or not.

We should not involve lawyer in these matters. It is not legal issue.

I believe we should include lawyer in this type of care in which if we don't know how it can be handled from license perspective.

If you don't have any lawyer then just get more clarifications from Espressif Team before moving further for that otherwise will create issue in case of product launch. This is just my suggestion from licensing perspective.