CAN License

[electrobabble]

Latest release of IDF contains this License notice:
Warning

Please note that the ESP32 includes a CAN peripheral. The CAN Protocol is protected by the intellectual property rights of Robert Bosch GmbH. Therefore a license is required for any implementation of the CAN Protocol (see CAN Protocol License Conditions). Since the selling price of the ESP32 includes no such royalty fee, Espressif hereby disclaims any liability or obligation regarding the CAN Protocol license. Users of the CAN Protocol via the ESP32's CAN peripheral should contact Robert Bosch GmbH directly for the necessary license.

Has anyone implemented CAN interface on a commercial design and if so, how have you dealt with the licensing issue?

[WiFive]

By the way, the original patents of the Classical CAN protocol ran out in May 2016. This means that everyone can now implement the Classical CAN protocol royalty free, but implementation patents might still exist. The CAN FD protocol is still patent-protected.

It would be nice if there were esp32 part numbers that included a can royalty because the first 10k units are 0.25€ but additional are 0.05€.

[snahmad75]

Hi,

Can you confirm Is CAN driver is free to use in commercial products. If we need to buy license.
How and where we can buy license. Our number of devices will be about 2500

Thanks,
Naeem

[snahmad75]

Can some one answer from Espressif. we need to ship our product.

Hi,

Can you confirm Is CAN driver is free to use in commercial products. But If we need to buy license.
How and where we can buy license. Our number of devices will be about 2500

Thanks,
Naeem

[Ritesh]

Can some one answer from Espressif. we need to ship our product.

Hi,

Can you confirm Is CAN driver is free to use in commercial products. But If we need to buy license.
How and where we can buy license. Our number of devices will be about 2500

Thanks,
Naeem

Hi Naeem,

I suggest to contact Espressif Sales Team directly for this type of commercial discussion as they can provide proper information from their respective team.

So, Better to ask directly to Espressif Sales Team to get quick and perfect response.

[Ritesh]

Latest release of IDF contains this License notice:
Warning

Please note that the ESP32 includes a CAN peripheral. The CAN Protocol is protected by the intellectual property rights of Robert Bosch GmbH. Therefore a license is required for any implementation of the CAN Protocol (see CAN Protocol License Conditions). Since the selling price of the ESP32 includes no such royalty fee, Espressif hereby disclaims any liability or obligation regarding the CAN Protocol license. Users of the CAN Protocol via the ESP32's CAN peripheral should contact Robert Bosch GmbH directly for the necessary license.

Has anyone implemented CAN interface on a commercial design and if so, how have you dealt with the licensing issue?

Hi,

Would you please send me where this type of License for CAN driver mentioned?

[snahmad75]

I got reply from Espressif Systems sales team.

No license need for CAN driver. It is free.

[Ritesh]

I got reply from Espressif Systems sales team.

No license need for CAN driver. It is free.

Great.

Thanks for update regarding same.

[permal]

I am not a lawyer, but http://www.bosch-semiconductors.com/ip- ... -protocol/ states the following:

The CAN FD Protocol is developed by Robert Bosch GmbH and is patented. In addition to the CAN IP modules offered by Bosch, a CAN FD Protocol License is required. The CAN FD Protocol License is also required for self-developed CAN modules or for CAN modules purchased from other vendors.

Reading the document linked on the page also indicates that a license is required.

What was the exact question asked to Espressif sales team?

[Ritesh]

Hi snahmad75 ,

Would you please let us know which question you have asked to Espressif Sales team? Better to post conversation here as well for more clarity.