License: embed u-boot binary in FPGA bitstream

License: embed u-boot binary in FPGA bitstream

[Andreas Oetken]

Dear U-Boot experts,

If I embed a u-boot binary into a FPGA bitstream (block memory) are
there any license issues? I can't release the FPGA hardware description
files. So the only alternative I could think of would be another small
bootloader loading the u-boot binary from an external non-volatile
memory.

Thank you,
Best Regards,
Andreas

Re: License: embed u-boot binary in FPGA bitstream

[François Ozog]

Hi

Did you get an answer I missed ?

There’s active discussion on DTB lifecycle.

From the Xilinx boards I am aware of, there is a Xilinx primary boot loader
that then loads u-boot SPL and then U-Boot proper.

My understanding is that you can attach the hardware description DTB with
the bitstream and pass it across to U-Boot proper.
Your build system can take a base board DTS and add the FPGA devices to it
to generate the DTB.

I’ll ask an FPGA expert to comment.

Cheers

FF

Le jeu. 14 oct. 2021 à 16:18, Andreas Oetken <ennoerlangen@gmail.com> a
écrit :

> Dear U-Boot experts,
>
> If I embed a u-boot binary into a FPGA bitstream (block memory) are
> there any license issues? I can't release the FPGA hardware description
> files. So the only alternative I could think of would be another small
> bootloader loading the u-boot binary from an external non-volatile
> memory.
>
> Thank you,
> Best Regards,
> Andreas
>
> --
François-Frédéric Ozog | *Director Business Development*
T: +33.67221.6485
francois.ozog@linaro.org | Skype: ffozog

Re: License: embed u-boot binary in FPGA bitstream

[Tom Rini]

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On Tue, Oct 19, 2021 at 09:13:07AM +0200, François Ozog wrote:

> Hi
> 
> Did you get an answer I missed ?
> 
> There’s active discussion on DTB lifecycle.
> 
> From the Xilinx boards I am aware of, there is a Xilinx primary boot loader
> that then loads u-boot SPL and then U-Boot proper.
> 
> My understanding is that you can attach the hardware description DTB with
> the bitstream and pass it across to U-Boot proper.
> Your build system can take a base board DTS and add the FPGA devices to it
> to generate the DTB.
> 
> I’ll ask an FPGA expert to comment.

The only answer here is that "we are not lawyers".  Going back to the
original question, it doesn't read to me like Andreas is either.  Now,
if some lawyers have technical questions in order to formulate some
advise, that's another matter.  But it doesn't matter all that much what
a bunch of engineers think the finer points of unspecified laws mean.

-- 
Tom

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