UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
| SERIAL NO: 76/615583 APPLICANT: Daktronics, Inc. | |
| CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS: | RETURN ADDRESS: Commissioner for Trademarks P.O. Box 1451 Alexandria, VA 22313-1451 |
| MARK: PROCAST | |
| CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO: N/A CORRESPONDENT EMAIL ADDRESS: | Please provide in all correspondence: 1. Filing date, serial number, mark and applicant's name. 2. Date of this Office Action. 3. Examining Attorney's name and Law Office number. 4. Your telephone number and e-mail address. |
MAILING/E-MAILING DATE INFORMATION: If the mailing or e-mailing date of this Office action does not appear above, this information can be obtained by visiting the USPTO website at http://tarr.uspto.gov/, inserting the application serial number, and viewing the prosecution history for the mailing date of the most recently issued Office communication.
Serial Number 76/615583
Please note that the Office has reassigned this application to the undersigned examining attorney.
The examining attorney has carefully reviewed the applicant’s response to the first Office action containing amendments and arguments in favor of registration. The amended recitation of services has been entered into the record. As to the other outstanding issues, the examining attorney has determined the following.
The specimen is not acceptable because it does not show the applied-for mark in use in commerce. An application based on Section 1(a) must include a specimen showing the applied-for mark in use in commerce for each class of services. Trademark Act Sections 1 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051 and 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv) and 2.56; TMEP §904.11.
The specimen consists of an advertisement for services and is unacceptable as evidence of actual service mark use because it does not show use of the mark with goods. Thus, it fails to show proper use of the applied-for mark in the sale or advertising of the services. Examples of 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.
Therefore, applicant must submit the following:
(1) A substitute specimen showing the mark in use in commerce for the services specified in the application; and
(2) The following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20: “The substitute specimen was in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application.” 37 C.F.R. §2.59(a); TMEP §904.09. If submitting a specimen requires an amendment to the dates of use, applicant must also verify the amended dates. 37 C.F.R. §2.71(c).
The statement supporting use of the substitute specimen must read as follows:
The substitute specimen was in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application.
The applicant must sign this statement either in affidavit form or with a declaration under 37 C.F.R. Section 2.20. 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 a signed declaration.
“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.” The signature should include the title of the signatory and the date the declaration was signed.
If applicant cannot satisfy the above requirements, applicant may amend the Section 1(a) filing basis (use in commerce) to Section 1(b) (intent to use basis), for which no specimen is required. However, should applicant amend the basis to Section 1(b), registration cannot be granted until applicant later amends the application back to use in commerce by filing an acceptable allegation of use with a proper specimen. 15 U.S.C. §1051(c); 37 C.F.R. §§2.76, 2.88; TMEP Chapter 1100.
To amend the basis the applicant must submit the following statement:
The applicant has had a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods or services listed in the application since the filing date of the application.
Trademark Act Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b). This statement must be verified with an affidavit or a declaration under 37 C.F.R. Section 2.20 (See above). Trademark Act Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b); 37 C.F.R. Section 2.71(d)(1).
Please note that an applicant may not assert both use of the mark in commerce, under Trademark Act Section 1(a), 15 U.S.C. Section 1051(a), and intent to use the mark in commerce, under Trademark Act Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b), for the same goods or services. 37 C.F.R. Section 2.34(b)(1).
Pending an adequate response to the above, registration is also refused because the specimens of record do not show use of the proposed mark as a trademark and/or service mark. Trademark Act Sections 1, 2, 3 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1052, 1053 and 1127; TMEP §§904.11, 1202 and 1301.02 et seq.
If the applicant has any questions or needs assistance in responding to this office action, please telephone the assigned examining attorney.
/Jason F. Turner/
Examining Attorney
Law Office 108
(571) 272-9353
(571) 273-9108 (Fax for Official Responses)
HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS OFFICE ACTION:
STATUS OF APPLICATION: To check the status of your application, visit the Office’s Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) system at http://tarr.uspto.gov.
VIEW APPLICATION DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Documents in the electronic file for pending applications can be viewed and downloaded online at http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal/tow.
GENERAL TRADEMARK INFORMATION: For general information about trademarks, please visit the Office’s website at http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
FOR INQUIRIES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OFFICE ACTION, PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSIGNED EXAMINING ATTORNEY SPECIFIED ABOVE.