Does The Standardx have any patents material to the franchise?
The_Standardx Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
No patents or pending patent applications are material to the franchise. We and our affiliates claim copyright protection for the Copyrighted Materials. We have not registered these Copyrighted Materials with the United States Copyright Office but need not do so at this time in order to protect them. You must follow our rules when using the Copyrighted Materials. You may use the Copyrighted Materials only as we specify to operate the Hotel under the Franchise Agreement.
You must notify us immediately of any apparent infringement or challenge to your use of any Copyrighted Materials or Confidential Information, or of any person's claim of any rights in any Copyrighted Materials or Confidential Information, and not communicate with any person other than us, our affiliates, and our and their attorneys, and your attorneys, regarding any infringement, challenge, or claim. We and our affiliates may take the action we and they deem appropriate (including no action) and control exclusively any litigation or administrative proceeding arising from any infringement, challenge, or claim or otherwise concerning any Copyrighted Materials or Confidential Information. You must sign any documents and take any other reasonable actions that, in the opinion of our and our affiliates' attorneys, are necessary or advisable to protect and maintain our and our affiliates' interests in any litigation or other proceeding or otherwise to protect and maintain our and our affiliates' interests in the Copyrighted Materials and Confidential Information. We will reimburse your reasonable out-of-pocket costs for taking any requested action.
We need not participate in your defense nor indemnify you for damages and expenses you incur if you are a party to any administrative or judicial proceeding involving any Copyrighted Materials or if the proceeding is resolved unfavorably to you. If it becomes advisable at any time in our sole judgment for you to modify or discontinue using any of the Copyrighted Materials and/or for you to use one or more additional or substitute copyrighted or copyrightable items, you must immediately comply with our directions.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 68–71)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to The Standardx's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, no patents or pending patent applications are material to the franchise. However, The Standardx and its affiliates claim copyright protection for certain copyrighted materials, though these have not been registered with the United States Copyright Office.
For a prospective franchisee, this means that while you don't need to worry about patent-related issues, you must adhere to The Standardx's rules when using their copyrighted materials. These materials can only be used as specified by The Standardx to operate the hotel under the Franchise Agreement.
The FDD also stipulates that franchisees must immediately notify The Standardx of any potential infringement or challenges to the use of copyrighted materials or confidential information. The Standardx retains exclusive control over any litigation or administrative proceedings arising from such issues. Franchisees are required to cooperate in protecting The Standardx's interests in these matters, including signing necessary documents, with The Standardx reimbursing reasonable out-of-pocket costs for these actions. However, The Standardx is not obligated to defend or indemnify franchisees in proceedings involving copyrighted materials if the outcome is unfavorable to the franchisee. If The Standardx deems it necessary for a franchisee to modify or discontinue using any copyrighted materials, the franchisee must comply immediately.