UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, WE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF OUR MAILING OR E-MAILING DATE. 

 

Serial Number  76/500205

 

The assigned examining attorney has reviewed the referenced application and determined the following.

 

Search Results

 

Although the examining attorney has searched the Office records and has found no similar registered mark which would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d), the examining attorney encloses information regarding pending Application Serial No. 78193274.  37 C.F.R. §2.83. 

 

There may be a likelihood of confusion between the applicant’s mark and the mark in the above noted application under Section 2(d) of the Act.  The filing date of the referenced application precedes the applicant’s filing date.  If the earlier‑filed application matures into a registration, the examining attorney may refuse registration under Section 2(d).

 

The examining attorney must compare the marks for similarities in sound, appearance, meaning or connotation.  In re E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 177 USPQ 563 (CCPA 1973).  Similarity in any one of these elements is sufficient to find a likelihood of confusion. In re Mack, 197 USPQ 755 (TTAB 1977).

 

Applicant seeks to register the mark “GREAT PLAINS”.    The prior pending application is for the mark “GREAT PLAINS”. The marks are identical

 

Applicant’s goods and services are described as “fabrics, leathers, textiles and linens with said products being for use in furniture manufacturing, for interior or ornamental design items and for finished consumer items.”   These goods are highly similar to the prior pending applicant’s goods and services and thus, are of a type that could be expected to come from the same source.  Furthermore, the applicant’s goods are those in the prior pending applicant’s normal fields of expansion.

 

If the applicant believes that there is no potential conflict between this application and the earlier-filed application, the applicant may present arguments relevant to the issue.  The election to file or not to file a response to this issue at this time in no way limits the applicant’s right to address this issue at a later point. 

 

Action on this application will be suspended pending the disposition of Application Serial No(s). 78193274, upon receipt of the applicant’s response resolving the following requirements.

 

Requirements

 

Identification of Goods

 

The wording “leather” in the identification of goods is unacceptable as indefinite because it is classified in Class 018, not Class 024.  The applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate:

 

Class 018:                        “Leather sold in bulk for use in the manufacture of furniture, interior and ornamental design items and for finished consumer items;”

 

Class 024:                        “Fabrics, textile fabrics and linens for use in the manufacture of furniture, interior and ornamental design items and for finished consumer items.”

 

TMEP §1402.01.

 

Please note that, while an application may be amended to clarify or limit the identification, additions to the identification are not permitted.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06.  Therefore, the applicant may not amend to include any goods that are not within the scope of goods set forth in the present identification.

 

Combined Applications

 

The application identifies goods that may be classified in several international classes.  Therefore, the applicant must either:  (1) restrict the application to the number of class(es) covered by the fee already paid, or (2) pay the required fee for each additional class(es).  37 C.F.R. §2.86(a)(2); TMEP §§810.01, 1401.04, 1401.04(b) and 1403.01. 

 

If the applicant prosecutes this application as a combined, or multiple‑class, application based on use in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. §1051(a), the applicant must comply with each of the following:

 

(1)  The applicant must specifically identify the goods in each class and list the goods by international class with the classes listed in ascending numerical order.  TMEP §1403.01.

 

(2)  The applicant must submit a filing fee for each international class of goods/services not covered by the fee already paid.  37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1) and 2.86(b); TMEP §§810.01 and 1403.01.  Effective January 1, 2003, the fee for filing a trademark application is $335 for each class.  This applies to classes added to pending applications as well as to new applications filed on or after that date.  

 

(3)  The applicant must submit: 

 

(a) dates of first use and first use in commerce and one specimen for each class that includes goods or services based on use in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(a).  The dates of use must be at least as early as the filing date of this application, 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1) and 2.86(a), and the specimen(s) must have been in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application, and/or

 

(b) a statement of a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with all the goods or services specified in each class that includes goods or services based on a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(b), where such statement was not included for the goods or services in the original application.

 

(4)      The applicant must submit an affidavit or a declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20 signed by the applicant to verify (3) above.  37 C.F.R. §§2.59(a) and 2.71(c).

 

Sample Declaration

 

The following is a properly worded declaration under 37 C.F.R. Section 2.20.  At the end of the response, the applicant should insert the declaration signed by someone authorized to sign under 37 C.F.R. Section 2.33(a).

 

Declaration

 

The specimen was in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application.

 

The undersigned, being hereby warned that willful false statements and the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under 18 U.S.C. 1001, and that such willful false statements may jeopardize the validity of the application or any resulting registration, declares that the facts set forth in this application are true; all statements made of his/her own knowledge are true; and all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true.

 

 

_____________________________

                (Signature)

 

_____________________________

(Print or Type Name and Position)

 

_____________________________

                                                                                                                    (Date)

 

Fee Increase

Fee increase effective January 1, 2003

Effective January 1, 2003, the fee for filing an application for trademark registration will be increased to $335.00 per International Class.  The USPTO will not accord a filing date to applications that are filed on or after that date that are not accompanied by a minimum of $335.00. 

 

Additionally, the fee for amending an existing application to add an additional class or classes of goods/services will be $335.00 per class for classes added on or after January 1, 2003.

 

For Applicant’s Information Only

 

Current status and status date information is available, via push button telephone, for all federal trademark registration and application records maintained in the automated Trademark Reporting and Monitoring (TRAM) system.  The information may be accessed by calling (703) 305‑8747 from 6:30 a.m. until midnight, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and entering a seven‑digit registration number or eight‑digit application number, followed by the "#" symbol, after the welcoming message and tone.  Callers may request information for up to five registration number or application number records per call.

 

If the applicant has any questions or needs assistance in responding to this Office action, please telephone the assigned examining attorney.

 

 

/Susan C. Hayash/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 110

Office:  (703) 308-9110 x.144

Fax:      (703) 746-8110

ecom110@uspto.gov (FORMAL responses)

susan.hayash@uspto.gov (INFORMAL responses)

 

 

How to respond to this Office Action:

 

To respond formally using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), visit http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html and follow the instructions.

 

To respond formally via E-mail, visit http://www.gov.uspto.report/web/trademarks/tmelecresp.htm and follow the instructions.

 

To respond formally via regular mail, your response should be sent to the mailing Return Address listed above and include the serial number, law office and examining attorney’s name on the upper right corner of each page of your response.

 

To check the status of your application at any time, visit the Office’s Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) system at http://tarr.gov.uspto.report/

 

For general and other useful information about trademarks, you are encouraged to visit the Office’s web site at http://www.gov.uspto.report/main/trademarks.htm

 

FOR INQUIRIES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OFFICE ACTION, PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSIGNED EXAMINING ATTORNEY.