Publication of the FPGA bitstream (.pof) as Open Source

[Laura6721]

Hello everyone,

I am reaching out here because, after directly contacting Intel’s support team, they advised me to post this question on this forum.

I am working on a project in collaboration with several research laboratories. We have developed a system based on FPGA technology, which has generated significant interest within the neuroscience community. In this context, I would like to know if it is possible to publish the bitstream (.pof) of the FPGA program as Open Source, even though it includes some Intel IP blocks that I used in the project.

A few important points:

• I only want to share the bitstream (.pof) file, without the project files (any modification would therefore require purchasing the corresponding IP blocks by those who want to make changes).

• The goal is to publish the complete system architecture in a scientific journal, so that the neuroscience community can easily implement this system.

• Interested neuroscientists would naturally have to purchase the necessary hardware (especially the FPGA boards).

• There is no commercial intent: the idea is simply to provide them with a file they can flash onto the EEPROM to use the system.

I would therefore like to know:
- Is it possible, according to the licenses and rules in force (Intel/Altera Quartus and the relevant IPs), to publish only the bitstream (.pof) as Open Source?
- Are there any specific restrictions or steps to be taken with Intel (or other rights holders) to avoid any risk of violating licenses?

Thank you in advance for your feedback and advice.

Best regards,
Laura Durieux

[anonimcs]

Hi,

I have no experience on this, but sharing the binary should be fine, because you cannot get the source code or project from the binary. But I have to say that binaries are generated depending on the content of your project AND the target Fpga board. So not everyone that you share the .pof with can make use of the binary unless they have the exact same part themselves. This means, either both parties must have the same FPGA part, or you have to generate binaries for the same project with different Fpga parts

[Laura6721]

Hi,

Thank you very much for your response — I really appreciate your input.

Yes, I fully agree with your point: that’s exactly why I’m considering sharing only the bitstream and not the full project. I’m aware that the binary is only useful if someone uses the same FPGA part, and I’m fine with that limitation.

However, before proceeding, I just wanted to double-check that sharing only the bitstream doesn’t violate any copyright or licensing rules, especially considering that the project includes Intel IP blocks. I prefer to be cautious and make sure I’m doing everything correctly from a legal standpoint.

Do you happen to know who I could contact — at Intel or elsewhere — to get an official confirmation on this? Or how I could proceed to ensure that everything is compliant?

Thanks again for your help!

Best regards,
Laura Durieux

[anonimcs]

I definitely understand your concern. However, unless you have an exclusive support from Intel, posting on the community and waiting for their reply is the way to go unfortunately. And yes, they can be extremely slow at replying to your question. So if there’sa tight urgency, you might consider getting the exclusive support (which I assume is very expensive)

[Laura6721]

Thank you very much for this information.
I’m going to go with the first option — wait and see — because the project has very limited funding.
Let’s see what happens, and again, thank you so much for your help.

Best regards,
Laura

[Fakhrul · Accepted solution]

Hi Laura6721,

My apologies for overlooking your post. To address your questions, it is generally possible to publish a compiled FPGA bitstream (.pof) that includes Intel IP cores as "open-source," provided that the IP cores used in your design are properly licensed. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

Intel IP Licensing: If you have obtained the necessary production licenses for the Intel IP cores used in your project, you are allowed to distribute the compiled bitstream (.pof) without violating Intel's licensing terms. This is similar to shipping a pre-programmed FPGA device, the end-user can flash the bitstream onto their hardware, but they cannot modify or extract the proprietary IP.

Restrictions: The bitstream can only be shared in binary form, without the source project files. This ensures that others who wish to modify the design will need to purchase the appropriate IP licenses from Intel. The IP itself remains closed and protected within the bitstream.

Steps to Follow:

Ensure that all the IP cores included in your design are licensed for production use (not in evaluation mode).

In your publication or accompanying documentation, make it clear that the bitstream includes proprietary Intel IP cores and cannot be modified without obtaining the necessary IP licenses.

You can include a disclaimer such as: “This FPGA bitstream includes licensed Intel® FPGA IP cores. Modifications to the design require an appropriate Intel license.”

Intel’s Approval: Generally, there is no requirement to seek formal approval from Intel to distribute the bitstream, as long as you comply with the licensing terms. However, it's always a good practice to double-check the specifics of your IP license if you're unsure.

In summary, you can proceed to share the .pof file openly with the neuroscience community for non-commercial use, as long as the IP cores are properly licensed. Just be mindful of the restrictions related to IP modifications.

Please feel free to reach out if you need further clarification.

Regards,

Fakhrul

[Laura6721]

Hello Fakhrul,

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. That was exactly what I was looking for — confirmation that I was on the right track. I will include a disclaimer; that’s a great idea! And yes, the IPs I used are properly licensed (without that, I wouldn’t have felt legitimate asking directly on the Intel forum ^^).

Thank you again!

Best regards,
Laura

[Fakhrul]

Hi Laura,

I’m glad that your question has been addressed, I now transition this thread to community support. This thread will be transitioned to community support. If you have a new question, feel free to open a new thread to get support from Intel experts. Otherwise, the community users will continue to help you on this thread. Thank you.

Regards,

Fakhrul