Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

RESPONSE TIME LIMIT:  TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, THE OFFICE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE MAILING OR E-MAILING DATE. 

 

 

Serial Number  76/620002

 

This letter responds to the applicant’s communication filed on July 25, 2005.

 

The amendment to the identification of goods is acceptable and made of record.

 

The amendment to the recitation of services is acceptable and made of record.

 

The additional filing fee is acceptable and made of record.

 

The statement that applicant is an individual United States citizen is acceptable and made of record.

 

The telephone number is of record.

 

 

 

 

 

 

STANDARD CHARACTER STATEMENT

The requirement that applicant delete the standard character statement is CONTINUED.

Applicant has submitted a special form drawing and must delete the standard character claim from the application.  An applicant can make a standard character claim only if the mark on the drawing is presented without any claim to a particular font style, size or color.  37 C.F.R. §2.52(b); TMEP §807.03(c). 

In the present case, the standard character claim is inappropriate because applicant’s mark contains a design element.

ADDITIONAL CLASSES

 

Since applicant is prosecuting 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;

 

(2)   Applicant must submit a filing fee for each international class of goods and/or services not covered by the fee already paid (current fee information should be confirmed at http://www.uspto.gov); (APPLICANT HAS ALREADY DONE SO) and

 

(3)   For each additional class of goods and/or services, applicant must submit:

 

(a)    dates of first use of the mark anywhere and dates of first use of the mark in commerce, or a statement that the dates of use in the initial application apply to that class; the dates of use, both anywhere and in commerce, must be at least as early as the filing date of the application;

 

(b)   one specimen showing use of the mark for each class of goods and/or services; the specimen must have been in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application;

 

(c)    a statement that “the specimen was in use in commerce on or in connection with the goods and/or services listed in the application at least as early as the filing date of the application;” and

 

(d)   verification of the statements in 3(a) and 3(c) in an affidavit or a signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20.  (NOTE:  Verification is not required where (1) the dates of use for the added class are stated to be the same as the dates of use specified in the initial application, or (2) the original specimens are acceptable for the added class.)

 

37 C.F.R. §§2.6, 2.34(a), 2.59, 2.71(c), and 2.86(a); TMEP §§810, 904.09, 1403.01 and 1403.02(c).

 

Please note that the specimen(s) of record are not acceptable for either class as it appears to be simply  reproduction of the mark.

 

SPECIMEN FOR CLASS 16

 

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) for each class of goods 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 an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20.  37 C.F.R. §2.56(a); TMEP §§904.01 et seq. and 904.09.

 

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.

 

SPECIMEN FOR CLASS 35

 

This application does not include a specimen for any of the identified class(es) of services.  A specimen showing use of the mark in commerce for each class of 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. 

 

Applicant must submit (1) a specimen (i.e., an example of how applicant actually uses its mark in the sale or advertising of its services) for each class of services 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 an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20.  37 C.F.R. §2.56(a); TMEP §§904.01 et seq 904.09.

 

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.

 

Pending an adequate response to the above, the examining attorney refuses registration under Trademark Act Sections 1, 2, 3 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1052, 1053 and 1127, because the record does not show use of the proposed mark as a service mark.  TMEP §§904.11 and 1301.02 et seq.

 

 

SPECIMEN STATEMENT

 

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. §2.20; TMEP §904.09. 

 

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

 

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)

 

 

 

 

 

/Kathleen M. Vanston/

Examining Attorney

Law Office 103

(571) 272-9235

 

 

 

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS OFFICE ACTION:

• ONLINE RESPONSE:  You may respond formally using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office Action form (visit http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html and follow the instructions, but if the Office Action has been issued via email, you must wait 72 hours after receipt of the Office Action to respond via TEAS).
• REGULAR MAIL RESPONSE:  To respond by regular mail, your response should be sent to the mailing return address above and include the serial number, law office number and examining attorney’s name in your response.

 

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.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow.

 

GENERAL TRADEMARK INFORMATION: For general information about trademarks, please visit the Office’s website at http://www.gov.uspto.report/main/trademarks.htm

 

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