Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

Serial Number  76/639720

 

OFFICE ACTION

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DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE:  THE OFFICE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE DATE IT WAS MAILED OR E-MAILED.

 

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.gov.uspto.report/, inserting the application serial number, and viewing the prosecution history for the mailing date of the most recently issued communication.

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

 

REFUSAL TO REGISTER ON PRINCIPAL REGISTER – MERE DESCRIPTIVENESS

 

Registration on the Principal Register is refused because the proposed mark merely describes a feature of the applicant’s goods.  Trademark Act §2(e)(1), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(1); TMEP §§1209 et seq.

 

A mark is merely descriptive under Trademark Act §2(e)(1), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(1), if it describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the relevant goods and/or services.  In re Gyulay, 820 F.2d 1216, 3 USPQ2d 1009 (Fed. Cir. 1987);  In re Bed & Breakfast Registry, 791 F.2d 157, 229 USPQ 818 (Fed. Cir. 1986); In re MetPath Inc., 223 USPQ 88 (TTAB 1984); In re Bright‑Crest, Ltd., 204 USPQ 591 (TTAB 1979); TMEP §1209.01(b).  A mark that describes an intended user of a product or service is also merely descriptive within the meaning of §2(e)(1).  Hunter Publishing Co. v. Caulfield Publishing Ltd., 1 USPQ2d 1996 (TTAB 1986); In re Camel Mfg. Co., Inc., 222 USPQ 1031 (TTAB 1984); In re Gentex Corp., 151 USPQ 435 (TTAB 1966).

 

The goods consist of grates which contain a fiber-optic sensor.  The word “smart” has been held descriptive of automated devices.  See In re Cryomedical Sciences Inc., 32 USPQ2d 1377 (TTAB 1994) “SMARTPROBE” merely descriptive of disposable cryosurgical probes); See also In re Tower Tech, Inc., 64 USPQ2d 1314 (TTAB 2002) “SMARTTOWER” merely descriptive of “commercial and industrial cooling towers”).

 

Since “SMARTGRATE” indicates that the goods include an electronic device, the proposed mark is merely descriptive of a feature of the goods.

 

AMENDMENT TO SUPPLEMENTAL REGISTER

 

Although the examining attorney has refused registration on the Principal Register, the applicant may amend the application to seek registration on the Supplemental Register.  Trademark Act §23, 15 U.S.C. §1091; 37 C.F.R. §§2.47 and 2.75(a); TMEP §§801.02(b), 815 and 816 et seq.

 

If the applicant chooses to respond to this communication, the applicant must also respond to the following issue:

 

SPECIMEN UNACCEPTABLE

 

The specimen is unacceptable as evidence of trademark use because it consists of advertising material.  Invoices, announcements, order forms, bills of lading, leaflets, brochures, publicity releases and other printed advertising material generally are not acceptable specimens.  In re Bright of America, Inc., 205 USPQ 63 (TTAB 1979); TMEP §§904.05 and 904.07.  See In re Ultraflight Inc., 221 USPQ 903 (TTAB 1984).  The applicant must submit a specimen showing the mark as it is used with the goods.  37 C.F.R. §2.56.  Examples of acceptable specimens are tags, labels, containers, and photographs that show the mark on the goods or packaging.  TMEP §§904.04 et seq. 

 

The applicant must submit a statement supporting use of the substitute specimen which reads 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.

 

DECLARATION

 

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 someone 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)

 

 

 

/Sue Carruthers/

Trademark Attorney, Law Office 108

Phone: 571-272-9139

Fax: 571-273-9108 (formal responses only)

E-mail: sue.carruthers@uspto.gov (informal communications only)

 

 

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.