CERN OHL version 2 Tristan Gingold Document reference 2 13/03/2019
Foreword... I am not a lawyer, I just want to explain • CERN OHLv2 US: to license, a license • UK: to license, a licence • Document reference 3 07/03/2019
Why a Licence from CERN ? CERN designs many electronic boards • Some of them are general-purpose • – ADC, PCI carriers, WR switches… Some are needed in large amount (>100x) • Produced by external companies • Increase the market size to reduce the price • We need a licence! • Document reference 4 07/03/2019
Why an Open HW Licence ? CERN is funded by public money • Knowledge dissemination is part of CERN’s • mandate. – An open license is a natural way to disseminate HW. Document reference 5 07/03/2019
Why not using GPL (or CC) ? GPL is well known and ‘tested’ in courts • But, HW designers use: Proprietary tools and file formats • Proprietary / Patented IP cores • Copying is understood • Running is not meaningful/well defined... • Building the product is essential • Document reference 6 07/03/2019
Why OHL version 2 ● OHL v1.2 is working well for HW designs like PCB, mechanical designs... ● More difficult to apply to HDL, FPGA, ASIC... – Can closed-source IP cores be used ? ● Writing exceptions makes the license more complex. – We want a text that is legally strong. – We want a text that can be understood. Document reference 7 13/03/2019
An Open License The freedoms Copy and distribute copies of sources • Modify the sources • Distribute your changes • Make and distribute the product • But you must keep notices, and provide the • sources Document reference 8 07/03/2019
The product The product can be: A bitstream (for an HDL design) • A mounted PCB (for an electronic design) • A device (for a ready to use design) • A 3D printed object • An ASIC • … • We tried to be as general as possible. Does it work for your domain ? Document reference 9 13/03/2019
CERN OHLv2 for designers ● If the design is fully your own: you have all the rights; you’d better to put a notice on the PCB/product. ● If the design is not fully your own (you use IPs, cores, …) that’s supported by CERN OHL, check the licence of the components Document reference 10 07/03/2019
CERN OHLv2 for makers ● You’re allowed to make the product, and even to modify it. – In general, the author is not aware of that. ● If you distribute your changes, keep the notice and describe your changes. Document reference 11 07/03/2019
CERN OHL for manufacturers ● You’re allowed to manufacture and sell the product. ● You become a Licensee. ● You must distribute the sources or make them available at a location. ● The idea is that the buyer should be able to build the same product. Document reference 12 07/03/2019
What are the sources ? A product is made from • – Sources (schematics, drawings, HDL…) – Available components (hardware components, cores…) Document reference 13 07/03/2019
What are the sources ? Available components must be available • – Either they are also sources with a compatible license (eg: a core) – Or you can get them from the market (under no specific licence) ● ICs, resistors, ... ● Cores, cells from third-parties – Or available with the tools ● Cores Document reference 14 07/03/2019
Strong vs Less Strong: ● Only physical parts can be components available from the marker – Like ICs, resistors, … – No third-party non-open cores Document reference 15 07/03/2019
OHL version 2 (still a draft) 3 Versions: ● Strong Reciprocal ● Less Reciprocal – 6 pages each – The only difference is the definition of Available Components ● Permissive – Patent clause – 4 pages Document reference 16 07/03/2019
Feedback We’d like to get your feedback. ● Still drafting ● We’d like to finalize the licence ● We know well about PCB and FPGA, but less about ASICs, mechanics, … ● Does the CERN OHL v2 fit your domain ? ● Would you use it ? ● Is the wording clear enough ? Document reference 17 07/03/2019
Resources https://www.ohwr.org/project/cernohl/wikis/CERN-OHL-v2-draft Licences (still draft) ● FAQ ● Rationale ● Forum (https://forums.ohwr.org/c/cernohl) ● Document reference 18 07/03/2019
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