Does Belocal have any pending patent applications that are material to the Franchised Business?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
N
We do not own any patents and do not have any pending patent applications that are material to the Franchised Business. We and/or our affiliate do claim copyright protection and proprietary rights in the original materials used in the System, including our Franchise Brand Standards Manual, the design elements of the Marks, bulletins, correspondence and communications with our franchisees, training, advertising and promotional materials, the content and design of any Online Presence, the content and design of all of our affiliate's publications (including but not limited to BELOCAL publications), other written materials relating to the operation of the Franchised Business and the System, and any other works of authorship owned by us or our affiliate fixed in a tangible medium of expression ("Copyrighted Materials"). We may change the Copyrighted Materials at any time. If we do, you must use the then-current Copyrighted Materials, and you must discontinue, as we require, the use of Copyrighted Materials.
There is no presently effective determination of the U.S. Copyright Office (Library of Congress) or any court affecting our copyrights. There is no currently effective agreement that limits our right to use and/or license our copyrights. We are not obligated by the Franchise Agreement, or otherwise, to protect any rights you have to use the Copyrighted Materials or to defend or indemnify you for claims relating to the Copyrighted Materials. We have no actual knowledge of any infringements that could materially affect the ownership, use, or licensing of any of our copyrights.
You must immediately notify us of any infringement of the Copyrighted Materials or of any challenge to your use of any of the Copyrighted Materials or claim by any person of any rights in any of the Copyrighted Materials. You and your Principals must agree not to communicate with any person other than us, any designated affiliate, and our or their counsel about any infringement, challenge, or claim of this type. We or our affiliates have sole discretion (but not the obligation) to take any action we deem appropriate and the right to exclusively control any litigation, or U.S. Copyright Office (or other) proceeding, arising out of any alleged infringement, challenge, or claim concerning any of the Copyrighted Materials. You must execute all instruments and documents and give us any assistance that, in our counsel's opinion, may be necessary or advisable to protect and maintain our interests or those of our affiliates in any litigation or proceeding of this type or to otherwise protect and maintain our or their interests in the Copyrighted Materials. We and our affiliates may, in our sole discretion, modify or discontinue use of the Copyrighted Materials or other confidential information and/or use other information and/or rights in their place. If we decide to modify or discontinue use of any of the Copyrighted Materials or other confidential information for any reason, you must do the same, at your expense.
We treat all Copyrighted Materials as trade secrets, and you must treat all Copyrighted Materials we communicate to you confidentially.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 46–47)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Belocal does not own any patents and does not have any pending patent applications that are material to the Franchised Business. However, Belocal and/or its affiliate claim copyright protection and proprietary rights in the original materials used in the System, including the Franchise Brand Standards Manual, the design elements of the Marks, bulletins, correspondence and communications with franchisees, training, advertising and promotional materials, the content and design of any Online Presence, the content and design of all of their affiliate's publications (including but not limited to BELOCAL publications), other written materials relating to the operation of the Franchised Business and the System, and any other works of authorship owned by them or their affiliate fixed in a tangible medium of expression ("Copyrighted Materials").
Belocal may change the Copyrighted Materials at any time, and franchisees must use the then-current Copyrighted Materials and discontinue the use of previous versions as required. There is no presently effective determination of the U.S. Copyright Office (Library of Congress) or any court affecting Belocal's copyrights, and no currently effective agreement limits Belocal's right to use and/or license its copyrights. Belocal is not obligated by the Franchise Agreement to protect any rights franchisees have to use the Copyrighted Materials or to defend or indemnify them for claims relating to the Copyrighted Materials. Belocal has no actual knowledge of any infringements that could materially affect the ownership, use, or licensing of any of its copyrights.
Belocal treats all Copyrighted Materials as trade secrets, and franchisees must treat all Copyrighted Materials communicated to them confidentially. Other confidential information includes, without limitation, research, plans, products, services, customer lists, supplier information, advertisers, business plans, marketing data and materials, software, electronic code, forms, processes, methods of operation, strategic information, financial information, manuals, and other business information. Franchisees and their Principals must agree not to distribute or use Belocal's confidential information for the benefit of anyone else during and after the term of the Franchise Agreement and must immediately cease using any of Belocal's confidential information upon termination, expiration, or transfer of the Franchise Agreement. Franchisees and their Principals can give this confidential information only to their employees, contractors, and representatives who need it to operate their Franchised Business.
If a franchisee, their staff, or their Principals develop any new concept, process, or improvement in the operation or promotion of their Franchised Business, they must promptly notify Belocal and provide all necessary information about such new process or improvement, without compensation. Franchisees, their staff, and their Principals agree that any of these concepts, processes, or improvements will become Belocal's property, and Belocal may use or disclose them to other franchisees, as they determine appropriate. This is a fairly standard clause in franchise agreements, ensuring that any innovations developed within the franchise system can be shared and utilized by the franchisor and other franchisees.