Does Byrider have any patents material to the franchise?
Byrider Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
There are no patents that are material to the franchise, nor do we have any pending patent applications that are material to the franchise.
Byrider Franchising Partners claims copyrights in 5 manuals, which rights were assigned from Byrider Franchising in September 2024: Sales Operations (TXu 1-714-594), CNAC Operations (TXu 1-715-293), J.D. Byrider/CNAC Reports (TXu 1-714-652), Service Operations (TXu 1-714-673), and J.D. Byrider/CNAC Accounting Operations (TXu 1-715-294), all granted on December 16, 2010 (the "Manuals"). In addition, Byrider Franchising Partners claims copyrights in two computer programs: Discover (TX6-082-231) granted on November 8, 2004; and Discover v.2 (TXu 1-719-153) granted on March 8, 2011.
The Manuals and other materials Byrider Franchising Partners possesses contain Byrider Franchising Partners' confidential information. This information includes methods, formats, specifications, standards, systems, procedures, sales and marketing techniques and knowledge of and experience used to develop and operate Byrider Businesses as well as particular methods of processing and tracking financial information about Byrider Franchising Partners customers. The unique formula Byrider Franchising Partners uses for credit approval of Byrider Franchising Partners customers is confidential information. You may not use Byrider Franchising Partners' confidential information in an unauthorized manner either during or after the term of the Franchise Agreement and must take reasonable steps to prevent its disclosure to others. For example, you may not duplicate any part of the Operating Manual, remove the manual at your Business location or fail to return it to Byrider Franchising Partners when the franchise term is over.
All ideas, concepts, techniques, names or materials concerning Byrider Businesses, whether or not they constitute protectable intellectual property, and whether created by or for you or your owners, must be promptly disclosed to Byrider Franchising Partners, and will be deemed to be Byrider Franchising Partners' property and part of its System as works made-for-hire for Byrider Franchising Partners. You and your owners must sign whatever documents Byrider Franchising Partners requests to evidence Byrider Franchising Partners' ownership or to help Byrider Franchising Partners secure intellectual property rights in these ideas, concepts, techniques, names or materials.
Source: Item 14 — (FDD pages 54–55)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Byrider's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, there are no patents that are material to the franchise, nor are there any pending patent applications that are material to the franchise. However, Byrider Franchising Partners claims copyrights in 5 manuals, which rights were assigned from Byrider Franchising in September 2024: Sales Operations, CNAC Operations, J.D. Byrider/CNAC Reports, Service Operations, and J.D. Byrider/CNAC Accounting Operations, all granted on December 16, 2010. In addition, Byrider Franchising Partners claims copyrights in two computer programs: Discover granted on November 8, 2004; and Discover v.2 granted on March 8, 2011.
This means that while Byrider franchisees do not need to be concerned with any patents, they must adhere to the copyright protections Byrider has in place for its manuals and software. These manuals contain confidential information, including methods, formats, specifications, standards, systems, procedures, sales and marketing techniques, knowledge, experience, and particular methods of processing and tracking financial information about Byrider Franchising Partners customers. The unique formula Byrider Franchising Partners uses for credit approval of Byrider Franchising Partners customers is confidential information.
As a franchisee, you are prohibited from using Byrider's confidential information in an unauthorized manner during or after the franchise term. You must also take reasonable steps to prevent its disclosure to others. For instance, you cannot duplicate any part of the Operating Manual, remove the manual from your Business location, or fail to return it to Byrider Franchising Partners when the franchise term is over. This is a fairly standard clause in franchise agreements, as franchisors need to protect their intellectual property and trade secrets to maintain a competitive advantage and the integrity of their brand.
Furthermore, all ideas, concepts, techniques, names or materials concerning Byrider Businesses, whether or not they constitute protectable intellectual property, and whether created by or for you or your owners, must be promptly disclosed to Byrider Franchising Partners, and will be deemed to be Byrider Franchising Partners' property and part of its System as works made-for-hire for Byrider Franchising Partners. You and your owners must sign whatever documents Byrider Franchising Partners requests to evidence Byrider Franchising Partners' ownership or to help Byrider Franchising Partners secure intellectual property rights in these ideas, concepts, techniques, names or materials.