Who owns the copyright registrations that Epcon Communities franchisees are licensed to use?
Epcon_Communities Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You will be granted a limited, non-exclusive license to use the information that is the subject of certain copyright registrations, as designated by us for use in the development and construction of your project(s) in accordance with the terms of your Franchise Agreement. The copyright registrations are owned by IP86 and are licensed to us. A list of these copyright registrations is attached to this disclosure document as Exhibit Q. A disclosure regarding the terms of the sublicense agreement between us and IP86, LLC appears in Item 13.
All of the copyright registrations have a duration of 70 years after the death of the last surviving author. All of the copyright registrations listed on Exhibit Q relate to architectural designs, drawings and blueprints that we will license to you to use in development and construction of your project(s). No other copyrights are material to the Epcon Communities franchise.
We do not currently have any patents or any pending patent applications that are material to the Epcon Communities franchise.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 53–54)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Epcon Communities's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the copyright registrations that franchisees are licensed to use are owned by IP86 and are licensed to Epcon Communities. These copyright registrations are designated by Epcon Communities for use in the development and construction of projects, in accordance with the terms of the Franchise Agreement. A list of these copyright registrations is attached to the disclosure document as Exhibit Q, and the terms of the sublicense agreement between Epcon Communities and IP86, LLC are disclosed in Item 13.
These copyright registrations pertain to architectural designs, drawings, and blueprints that Epcon Communities licenses to franchisees for use in project development and construction. The duration of all copyright registrations extends to 70 years after the death of the last surviving author. Epcon Communities does not currently have any patents or pending patent applications that are material to the Epcon Communities franchise.
As an Epcon Communities franchisee, it is important to understand that while you are granted a license to use these copyrights, you do not own them. You must adhere to the Franchise Agreement, manuals, and any rules prescribed by Epcon Communities regarding their use. Additionally, you are required to promptly notify Epcon Communities of any potential copyright infringements or litigation involving these copyrights. Epcon Communities has the discretion to handle any litigation related to the copyrights, and franchisees are obligated to assist in the defense, prosecution, or settlement of such litigation if requested.