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  76/597323

 

The assigned trademark examining attorney has reviewed the referenced application filed on June 15, 2004, and has determined the following.

 

STANDARD CHARACTER DRAWING CLAIM REQUIRED

 

In the application, the applicant indicates that it is submitting a drawing in stylized form, however, it is unclear as to whether that is the applicant’s intention.  The drawing appears to be in standard characters.  The Trademark Rules pertaining to drawings were amended on November 2, 2003.  For applications filed after November 2, 2003, applicants must follow the new standard character drawing rules.  See Exam Guide 01-03, section I.B.6.[1]   Accordingly, the applicant must clarify its intentions. 

 

In a standard character drawing, the mark on the drawing consists of only words, letters or numbers, but does not include any designs or claims as to particular font style, size, or color.  A registration for a mark using a standard character drawing affords protection not only for the standard character version of the mark, but for any possible renderings of the mark, as long as those renderings do not contain any design elements; i.e., a registered standard character drawing of the mark gives protection for display on the specimens in any lettering style.  A special-form drawing, on the other hand, shows the mark in stylized letters and/or with a design element and provides protection for only that specific rendering. 

 

Because of the degree of stylization of the font used to depict the mark on the drawing page, applicant must clarify whether a standard character drawing format or a special-form drawing format was intended.  If a standard character drawing was intended, then applicant must submit the following statement:  “The mark is presented in standard character format without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.”  37 C.F.R. §2.52(a).  If a special-form drawing was intended, then applicant must state so for the record.  37 C.F.R. §2.52(b).

 

IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS/RECITATION OF SERVICES

 

The identification of goods/recitation of services is unacceptable as indefinite because as worded, it is unclear as to whether the applicant is providing goods or services or both.  Specifically, although the applicant’s printed newsletters fall in International Class 16, if the applicant also provides its newsletters in electronic form, such action may be considered a service.

 

The applicant may adopt any or all of the following identifications/recitations, if accurate:

 

            “Newsletters in the field of intermodal rail transportation, transportation logistics, freight forwarding, freight transportation, cargo transportation, air freight services and logistics management and services for customers with national and international shipping requirements,” in International Class 16.

 

            “Providing newsletters in the field of intermodal rail transportation, transportation logistics, freight forwarding, freight transportation, cargo transportation, air freight services and logistics management and services for customers with national and international shipping requirements via e-mail,” in International Class 41.

 

TMEP Sections 1402.01 and 1402.11.

 

Please note that, while an application may be amended to clarify or limit the identification/recitation, additions to the identification are not permitted.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a)-(b); TMEP Sections 804.09 and 1402.06.  Therefore, the applicant may not amend to include any goods/services that are not within the scope of goods/services set forth in the present identification/recitation.  For assistance regarding an acceptable listing of goods and/or services, please see the on‑line searchable Manual of Acceptable Identifications of Goods and Services, at http://www.gov.uspto.report/web/offices/tac/doc/gsmanual/.

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMBINED APPLICATIONS

 

As indicated above, the application identifies goods and services in two International Classes, however, the applicant has submitted a fee sufficient for only one International Class.  If applicant prosecutes this application as a combined, or multiple-class application, then applicant must comply with each of the requirements below for those goods and/or services based on actual use in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(a):

 

(1)   Applicant must list the goods/services by international class with the classes listed in ascending numerical order.  TMEP §1403.01.

 

(2)   Applicant must submit a filing fee for each international class of goods and/or services not covered by the fee already paid.  37 C.F.R. §2.86(a)(2); TMEP §§810.01 and 1403.01.

 

(3)   Applicant must submit:

 

(a)    dates of first use of the mark anywhere and dates of first use of the mark in commerce; the dates of use, both anywhere and in commerce, must be at least as early as the filing date of the application; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(l)(i), 2.34(a)(1 )(ii) and 2.86(a)(3);

 

(b)   one specimen showing use of the mark for each class of goods and/or services; the specimen(s) must have been in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv) and 2.86(a)(3); and

 

(c)    both the dates of use and a statement that "the specimen was in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application" must be verified in a notarized affidavit or a signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20; 37 C.F.R. §§2.59(a) and 2.71(c).

 

SPECIMENS NOT FOUND

 

Applicant must submit (1) a specimen (i.e., an example of how applicant actually uses its mark in commerce for the goods listed in the application) showing the mark as it is used in commerce, and, (2) a statement that “the specimen was in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application,” verified with a notarized affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20.  37 C.F.R. §2.59(a); TMEP §904.09.

 

A specimen showing use of the mark in commerce for the identified goods is required for an application based on use of the mark in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. §1051(a).  A specimen showing use of the mark in the sale or advertising of the identified services is required for an application based on use of the mark in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. §1051(a).  TMEP §904.  This application does not include a specimen related to goods or services.  TMEP §904.

 

Examples of acceptable specimens for goods are tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, photographs that show the mark on the goods or packaging, or displays associated with the goods at their point of sale.  TMEP §§904.04 et seq.  Examples of acceptable specimens for services are signs, photographs, brochures, website printouts or advertisements that show the mark used in the sale or advertising of the services.  TMEP §§1301.04 et seq.

 

DRAWING UNACCEPTABLE

 

NOTE:  The Trademark Rules pertaining to drawings were amended on November 2, 2003.  See Exam Guide 01-03, section I.B.6.[2]

 

The drawing is not acceptable because it will not reproduce satisfactorily and it appears to contain spots that do not appear to be a part of the mark.  This may have been the result of a poor electronic transmission at the initial filing stage.  The applicant must submit a new drawing showing the mark clearly and conforming to 37 C.F.R. §2.52.  TMEP §807.07(a).

 

NEW SPECIAL FORM DRAWING RULES AS OF NOVEMBER 2, 2003

 

Special-Form Drawing Through TEAS - Requirements

 

To submit a special form drawing electronically, applicant must attach a digitized image of the mark to the submission.  The Office will only accept an image in .jpg format.  The image must be formatted at no less than 300 dots per inch and no more than 350 dots per inch; and with a length and width of no less than 250 pixels and no more than 944 pixels.  All lines in the image must be clean, sharp and solid, and not fine or crowded, and produce a high quality image when copied.  37 C.F.R. §2.53.

 

Special-Form Drawing On Paper - Requirements

 

The requirements for a special-form drawing are as follows:

 

·        The drawing must appear in black and white if color is not claimed as a feature of the mark, or in color if color is claimed as a feature of the mark.

 

·        Drawings must be typed or made with a pen or by a process that will provide high definition when copied.  A photolithographic, printer’s proof copy, or other high quality reproduction of the mark may be used.  All lines must be clean, sharp and solid, and must not be fine or crowded.

 

·        The image must be no larger than 3.15 inches (8 cm) high by 3.15 inches (8cm) wide.

 

·        If reduction of the mark to the required size renders any details illegible, then applicant may insert a statement in the application to describe the mark and these details.

 

37 C.F.R. §§2.52(b); See TMEP §§807.01(b) and 807.07(a).

 

If submitted on paper, the Office prefers that the drawing be depicted on a separate sheet of non-shiny, white paper that is 8 to 8.5 inches wide and 11 to 11.69 inches long (20.3 to 21.6 cm. wide and 27.9 to 29.7 cm. long).  One of the shorter sides of the sheet should be regarded as its top edge. In addition, the drawing should include the caption “DRAWING PAGE” at the top of the drawing beginning one-inch (2.5 cm) from the top edge.  37 C.F.R. §2.54.

 

The Office strictly enforces these drawing requirements.

 

DISCLAIMER

 

The applicant must insert a disclaimer of FACTS in the application.  Trademark Act Section 6, 15 U.S.C. §1056; TMEP §1213.  The word is descriptive because it merely describes a characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the relevant goods and/or services.

 

A properly worded disclaimer should read as follows:

 

            No claim is made to the exclusive right to use FACTS apart from the mark as shown.

 

Trademark Act Section 6(a), 15 U.S.C. §1056(a), permits the Office to require a disclaimer of an unregistrable component of a mark.  Trademark Act Section 2(e), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e), bars the registration of a mark which is merely descriptive or deceptively misdescriptive, or primarily geographically descriptive of the goods. Therefore, the examining attorney may require the disclaimer of a portion of a mark which, when used in connection with the goods or services, is merely descriptive or deceptively misdescriptive, or primarily geographically descriptive.  If an applicant does not comply with a disclaimer requirement, the examining attorney may refuse registration of the entire mark.  TMEP §1213.01(b).

 

A disclaimer does not remove the disclaimed matter from the mark.  It is simply a statement that the applicant does not claim exclusive rights in the disclaimed wording or design apart from the mark as shown in the drawing.

 

GENERAL INQUIRY ON SIGNIFICANCE

 

The applicant must indicate whether “STACK” has any significance in the relevant trade.  37 C.F.R. §2.61(b).

 

NO CONFLICTING MARKS NOTED

 

The Office records have been searched and no similar registered or pending mark has been found that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).  TMEP §704.02.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Because it delays processing, submission of duplicate papers is discouraged.  Unless specifically requested to do so by the Office, parties should not mail follow up copies of documents transmitted by fax.  Cf. ITC Entertainment Group Ltd. V. Nintendo of America Inc. 45 USPQ2d 2021 (TTAB 1998).

 

NOTICE:  FEE CHANGE   

 

Effective January 31, 2005 and pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Pub. L. 108-447, the following are the fees that will be charged for filing a trademark application:

 

(1) $325 per international class if filed electronically using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS); or 

 

(2)   $375 per international class if filed on paper

 

These fees will be charged not only when a new application is filed, but also when payments are made to add classes to an existing application. If such payments are submitted with a TEAS response, the fee will be  $325 per class, and if such payments are made with a paper response, the fee will be $375 per class.

 

The new fee requirements will apply to any fees filed on or after January 31, 2005.

 

NOTICE:  TRADEMARK OPERATION RELOCATION

 

The Trademark Operation has relocated to Alexandria, Virginia.  Effective October 4, 2004, all Trademark-related paper mail (except documents sent to the Assignment Services Division for recordation, certain documents filed under the Madrid Protocol, and requests for copies of trademark documents) must be sent to:

 

Commissioner for Trademarks

P.O. Box 1451

Alexandria, VA  22313-1451

 

Applicants, attorneys and other Trademark customers are strongly encouraged to correspond with the USPTO online via the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howard Smiga /HS/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 102

571-272-9220

571-273-9102 Fax

Howard.Smiga@uspto.gov

 

 

How to respond to this Office Action:

 

You may respond formally using the Office's Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office Action form (visit http://eteas.gov.uspto.report/V2.0/oa242/WIZARD.htm and follow the instructions therein, but you must wait until at least 72 hours after receipt if the office action issued via e-mail).  PLEASE NOTE: Responses to Office Actions on applications filed under the Madrid Protocol (Section 66(a)) CANNOT currently be filed via TEAS.

 

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.