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. 

 

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.

 

Serial Number  77/077491

 

TEAS PLUS APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY OR SUBMIT FEE:  TEAS Plus applicants should submit the following documents using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html:  (1) written responses to Office actions; (2) preliminary amendments; (3) changes of correspondence address; (4) changes of owner’s address; (5) appointments and revocations of attorney; (6) amendments to allege use; (7) statements of use; (8) requests for extension of time to file a statement of use, and (9) requests to delete a §1(b) basis.  If any of these documents are filed on paper, they must be accompanied by a $50 per class fee.  37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(iv) and 2.23(a)(i).  Telephone responses will not incur an additional fee.  NOTE:  In addition to the above, applicant must also continue to accept correspondence from the Office via e-mail throughout the examination process in order to avoid the additional fee.  37 C.F.R. §2.23(a)(2).

 

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

 

 

Search of Records

 

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

 

 

Section 2(e)(1) Merely Descriptive Refusal

 

The examining attorney refuses registration on the Principal Register because the proposed mark merely describes the goods/services.  Trademark Act Section 2(e)(1), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(1); TMEP §§1209 et seq.

 

A mark is merely descriptive under Trademark Act Section 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 Section 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).

 

In the present instance, the proposed mark CANTONESEDIRECT is merely descriptive of a feature or function of the services offered.  Please see dictionary definition below and attached registrations in which the term DIRECT has been held merely descriptive for similar or related services.

 

Can·ton·ese

 
Can·ton·ese (kàn´te-nêz¹, -nês¹) noun

The dialect of Chinese spoken in and around Guangzhou (formerly Canton), China.

— Can´ton·ese¹ adjective[1]

 

A mark that combines descriptive terms may be registrable if the composite creates a unitary mark with a separate, nondescriptive meaning.  In re Colonial Stores, Inc., 394 F.2d 549, 157 USPQ 382 (C.C.P.A. 1968) (holding SUGAR & SPICE not to be merely descriptive of bakery products).  However, the mere combination of descriptive words does not automatically create a new nondescriptive word or phrase.  E.g., In re Associated Theatre Clubs Co., 9 USPQ2d 1660, 1662 (TTAB 1988) (finding GROUP SALES BOX OFFICE descriptive for theater ticket sales services).  The registrability of a mark created by combining only descriptive words depends on whether a new and different commercial impression is created, and/or the mark so created imparts an incongruous meaning as used in connection with the goods and/or services.  Where, as in the present case, the combination of the descriptive words creates no incongruity, and no imagination is required to understand the nature of the goods and/or services, the mark is merely descriptive.  E.g., In re Copytele Inc., 31 USPQ2d 1540, 1542 (TTAB 1994); Associated Theatre Clubs, 9 USPQ2d at 1662. 

 

See, e.g., In re Tower Tech, Inc., 64 USPQ2d 1314 (TTAB 2002) (SMARTTOWER merely descriptive of “commercial and industrial cooling towers and accessories therefor, sold as a unit”); In re Sun Microsystems Inc., 59 USPQ2d 1084 (TTAB 2001) (AGENTBEANS merely descriptive of “computer software for use in development and deployment of application programs on a global computer network”); In re Putman Publ’g Co., 39 USPQ2d 2021 (TTAB 1996) (FOOD & BEVERAGE ON-LINE merely descriptive of news and information service for the food processing industry); In re Copytele Inc., 31 USPQ2d 1540 (TTAB 1994) (SCREEN FAX PHONE merely descriptive of facsimile terminals employing electrophoretic displays); In re Entenmann’s Inc., 15 USPQ2d 1750 (TTAB 1990) (OATNUT held to be merely descriptive of bread containing oats and hazelnuts).

 

 

For the purpose of a Section 2(e)(1) analysis, a term need not describe all of the purposes, functions, characteristics or features of the goods and/or services to be merely descriptive.  In re Dial-a-Mattress Operating Corp., 240 F.3d 1341, 1346, 57 U.S.P.Q.2d 1807 (Fed. Cir. 2001).  It is enough if the term describes only one significant function, attribute or property.  In re Oppedahl & Larson LLP, 373 F.3d 1171, 1173, 71 USPQ2d 1370, 1371 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (“[A] mark may be merely descriptive even if it does not describe the ‘full scope and extent’ of the applicant’s goods or services.”) (quoting In re Dial-A-Mattress Operating Corp., 240 F.3d 1341, 1346, 57 USPQ2d 1807, 1812 (Fed. Cir. 2001)).

 

A novel spelling of a merely descriptive term is also merely descriptive if purchasers would perceive the different spelling as the equivalent of the descriptive term.  Andrew J. McPartland, Inc. v. Montgomery Ward & Co., Inc., 164 F.2d 603, 76 USPQ 97 (C.C.P.A. 1947), cert. denied, 333 U.S. 875,77 USPQ 676 (S. Ct. 1948) (“KWIXTART,” phonetic spelling of “quick start,” is descriptive of electric storage batteries); In re Hercules Fasteners, Inc., 203 F.2d 753, 97 USPQ 355(C.C.P.A. 1953) (“FASTIE,” as phonetic spelling of “fast tie,” connotes that which unites or joins quickly, and hence the notation is descriptive of the function and character of tube sealing machines); C-Thru Ruler Co. v. Needleman, 190 USPQ 93 (E.D. Pa. 1976) (C-THRU held to be the equivalent of “see-through” and therefore merely descriptive of transparent rulers and drafting aids); In re Hubbard Milling Co., 6 USPQ2d 1239 (TTAB 1987) (MINERAL-LYX held generic for mineral licks for feeding livestock); In re State Chemical Manufacturing Co., 225 USPQ 687 (TTAB 1985) (“FOM,” equivalent to word “foam,” is descriptive for foam rug shampoo); TMEP §1209.03(j).

 

Accordingly, the proposed mark is refused under Section 2(e)(1).

 

 

Although the trademark examining attorney has refused registration, applicant may respond to the refusal to register by submitting evidence and arguments in support of registration. 

 

Advisory – Section 1(b) Application Not Eligible for Supplemental Register Until Allegation of Use is Filed

 

A mark in an application under Trademark Act Section 1(b) is not eligible for registration on the Supplemental Register until an acceptable amendment to allege use under 37 C.F.R. §2.76 or statement of use under 37 C.F.R. §2.88 has been filed.  37 C.F.R. §§2.47(d) and 2.75(b); TMEP §1102.03.  When a Section 1(b) application is amended to the Supplemental Register, the effective filing date of the application is the date of filing of the allegation of use.  37 C.F.R. §2.75(b); TMEP §§206.01 and 1102.03.

 

 

/sshih/

Sally Shih

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 106

USPTO

(tel) 571-272-9712

(fax) 571-273-9106

 

 

 

NOTICE OF NEW PROCEDURE FOR E-MAILED OFFICE ACTIONS:  In late spring 2007, for any applicant who authorizes e-mail communication with the USPTO, the USPTO will no longer directly e-mail the actual Office action to the applicant.  Instead, upon issuance of an Office action, the USPTO will e-mail the applicant a notice with a link/web address to access the Office action using Trademark Document Retrieval (TDR), which is located on the USPTO website at http://portal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow.  The Office action will not be attached to the e-mail notice.  Upon receipt of the notice, the applicant can then view and print the actual Office action and any evidentiary attachments using the provided link/web address.  TDR is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays and weekends.  This new process is intended to eliminate problems associated with e-mailed Office actions that contain numerous attachments.

 

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

 

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