UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

PRIORITY ACTION

 

 

RESPONSE TIME LIMIT:  To avoid abandonment, the Office must receive a proper response to this Office action within six-months of the mailing or e-mailing date.  If applicant responds to the issues below within two months of the above mailing or e-mailing  date, this case will be given priority handling.  TMEP §708.01.

 

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 Office communication.

 

OFFICE RECORDS SEARCH:  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.

 

QUESTIONS:  Please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney with any questions.

 

 

Serial Number  76/648567

 

The following were discussed in communication with Aleksander Mihailovic on April 25, 2006.  Applicant must respond to each refusal and/or requirement raised below.

 

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

 

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.

 

Standard Character Drawing Claim

 

Applicant appears to have intended a standard character drawing.  If true, the applicant must submit the following standard character claim:  “The mark is presented in standard characters without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.”  37 C.F.R. §2.52(a).

 

Standard character drawing explained

 

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.  37 C.F.R. §2.52; Exam Guide 01-03, section I; See TMEP §§807.06 et seq. and TMEP §807.07 et seq.

 

Incorrect Classification of Particular Item(s)

 

Applicant must correct the classification of the goods in the application and amend the application to classify them in International Class 25.  37 C.F.R. §§2.32(a)(7) and 2.85; TMEP §§1401.02(a) and 1401.03(b).

 

Specimen of Use

 

The specimen is unacceptable for the goods, “t-shirts and jackets,” because the specimens consist of websites advertising services but does not show how the applicant actually uses its mark in commerce in relation to those goods in Class 25.  The 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.

 

Applicant should note the specimen is acceptable for Classes 35 and 41.

 

A specimen showing use of the mark in commerce for the identified goods and 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.

 

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.  Displays associated with the goods essentially comprise point-of-sale material, such as banners, shelf-talkers, window displays, menus and similar devices.  TMEP §§904.04, 904.06, 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.

 

The applicant must verify, with an affidavit or a declaration under 37 C.F.R. Section 2.20, that 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.

 

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.  See below for sample declaration.

 

Amend to Section 1(b) Basis

 

If applicant cannot comply with the requirement for a new specimen for the Section 1(a) use-basis asserted, then applicant may substitute a different basis for filing if applicant can meet the requirements for the new basis.  See TMEP §§806.03 et seq.

 

In this case, applicant may wish to amend the application to assert a Intent-to-Use basis under Section 1(b).  If so, applicant must submit the following statement in order to satisfy the application requirements for asserting a basis for registration under Section 1(b) of the Trademark Act:

 

“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 as of the filing date of the application.”

 

Trademark Act Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. §1051(b).  This statement must be verified with an affidavit or a signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20.  Trademark Act Section 1(b), 15 U.S.C. §1051(b); 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(2); TMEP §§806.01(b) and 804.02.

 

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)[1].

 

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)

 

Please note, there is no required format or form for responding to this Office action.  The Office recommends applicants use the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) to respond to Office actions online at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html.  However, if applicant responds on paper via regular mail, the response should include the following information:  (1) the name and law office number of the examining attorney; (2) the serial number of this application; (3) the mailing date of this Office action; and, (4) applicant's telephone number.

 

When responding to this Office action, applicant must make sure to respond to each refusal and requirement raised.  If there is a refusal to register the proposed mark, then applicant may wish to argue against the refusal, i.e., submit arguments and/or evidence as to why the refusal should be withdrawn and why the mark should register.  If there are other requirements, then applicant should simply set forth in writing the required changes or statements and request that the Office enter them into the application record.  Applicant must also sign and date its response.

 

The applicant is encouraged to telephone the assigned Examining Attorney with any questions regarding the application.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/James W. Stein/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 107

Phone No. (571) 272-3056

Fax No. (571) 273-3056

 

 

 

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS OFFICE ACTION:

·            ONLINE RESPONSE:  You may respond using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office action form available on our website at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html.  If the Office action issued via e-mail, you must wait 72 hours after receipt of the Office action to respond via TEAS.  NOTE:  Do not respond by e-mail.  THE USPTO WILL NOT ACCEPT AN E-MAILED RESPONSE.

·            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.  NOTE:  The filing date of the response will be the date of receipt in the Office, not the postmarked date.  To ensure your response is timely, use a certificate of mailing.  37 C.F.R. §2.197.

 

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