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  77/100497

 

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

 

No Conflicting Marks

 

After searching the Office database, the trademark examining attorney found no similar pending or registered marks which would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. Section 1052(d).  TMEP §704.02.

 

Nevertheless, applicant must respond to the following requirements.

 

Serial Number for Foreign Application Omitted

 

Applicant has claimed priority under Section 44(d) based on a foreign application.  The examining attorney notes applicant’s submission of the filing date of its foreign application.  However, applicant omitted the serial number of the foreign application.

 

Applicant must provide the serial number and filing date of the foreign application that supports the filing basis under Trademark Act Section 44(d), 15 U.S.C. §1126(d).  Paris Convention Article 4(D)(5); 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(4)(i)(A); TMEP §1003.

 

Certificate of Registration Required

 

If applicant is asserting §44(e) as a basis for registration (based on the foreign registration that will issue from the application that the applicant relied on for priority), then applicant must submit a true copy, photocopy, certification or certified copy of a foreign registration from the applicant’s country of origin.  Applicant’s country of origin must either be a party to a convention or treaty relating to trademarks to which the United States is also a party, or must extend reciprocal registration rights to nationals of the United States by law.  See TMEP §§1002.01, 1003.03 and 1004.

 

If the foreign certificate of registration is not written in English, then applicant must provide an English translation signed by the translator.  See TMEP §§1004.01 and 1004.01(b).

 

Advisory: Applicant May Proceed Solely on Intent-to-Use Basis

 

If applicant wishes to proceed relying on the applicant’s intent to use the mark in commerce under Trademark Act Section 1(b) as the sole basis for registration, with the claim of priority under Section 44(d), then applicant should so advise the trademark examining attorney.  TMEP §§806.02(f) and 806.04(b).  If applicant chooses to do so, this Office will approve the mark for publication without waiting for applicant to submit a copy of the foreign registration, once all other outstanding issues are resolved.  However, while the application may be approved for publication, the mark will not register until after an acceptable allegation of use has been filed.

 

If applicant does not indicate otherwise, this Office will presume that applicant wishes to rely on the foreign registration as an additional basis for registration.  Thus, the application will not be approved for publication until a copy of the foreign registration and, if appropriate, an English translation signed by the translator, have been filed.  TMEP §§1004.01 and 1004.01(b).

 

Response Guidelines for TEAS Plus Applicants

 

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).

 

 

/David S. Miller/

David S. Miller

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 113

Phone  (571) 272-8956

Fax      (571) 273-8956

 

 

 

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.