To: | Peas in a Pod, Inc. (john@yarmoski.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 77753520 - PEAS IN A POD - N/A |
Sent: | 9/12/2009 12:33:13 PM |
Sent As: | ECOM111@USPTO.GOV |
Attachments: |
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
SERIAL NO: 77/753520
MARK: PEAS IN A POD
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CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS: |
RESPOND TO THIS ACTION: http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageD.htm
GENERAL TRADEMARK INFORMATION: http://www.gov.uspto.report/main/trademarks.htm
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APPLICANT: Peas in a Pod, Inc.
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CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO: CORRESPONDENT E-MAIL ADDRESS: |
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TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, THE OFFICE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE.
ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 9/12/2009
The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.
No Conflicting Marks
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.
However, the applicant must address the following informalities.
Identification of Services
The identification of services is unacceptable for several reasons. First, the applicant has applied for the identical language in two different International Classes, which is unacceptable.
Applicant must adopt the appropriate international classification number for the goods and/or services identified in the application. The United States follows the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks, established by the World Intellectual Property Organization, to classify goods and services. 37 C.F.R. §2.85(a); TMEP §§1401.02, 1401.02(a).
Applicant may substitute the following wording, if accurate.
Administration of patient reimbursement programs in International Class 035.
Medical services, namely, DNA screening provided to human egg donors and recipients for medical purposes; providing an internet-based database of patient medical information in the nature of human egg donor information; medical assistance consultancy provided by doctors and other specialized medical personnel in the field of fertility in International Class 044.
Providing patient advocate and case management services to human egg donors and recipients in International Class 045.
Combined Applications
(1) Applicant must list the goods/services by international class;
(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); and
(3) For each additional international 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 the mark in use in commerce 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. If a single specimen supports multiple classes, applicant should indicate which classes the specimen supports rather than providing multiple copies of the same specimen. Examples of 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 §§904.03 et seq. Examples of 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.;
(c) The following statement: “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) (above) in an affidavit or a signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §§2.20, 2.33. 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, and (2) the original specimens are acceptable for the added class(es).
See 15 U.S.C. §§1051(a), 1112, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.32(a)(5), 2.34(a)(1), 2.56(a), 2.71(c), 2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).
Specimen
Therefore, applicant must submit the following:
(1) A specimen (i.e., an example of how applicant actually uses its mark in commerce) for each class of goods and/or services based on use in commerce; and
(2) The following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §§2.20, 2.33: “The 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 §904.05. If submitting a specimen requires an amendment to the dates of use, applicant must also verify the amended dates. 37 C.F.R. §2.71(c); TMEP §904.05.
Examples of specimens for goods are tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or packaging, or displays associated with the actual goods at their point of sale. See TMEP §§904.03 et seq. Examples of specimens for services are signs, photographs, brochures, website printouts or advertisements that show the mark used in the actual sale or advertising of the services. See TMEP §§1301.04 et seq.
If applicant cannot satisfy the above requirements, applicant may amend the application from a use in commerce basis under Section 1(a) to an intent to use basis under Section 1(b), for which no specimen is required. See TMEP §806.03(c). However, if applicant amends the basis to Section 1(b), registration will not be granted until applicant later amends the application back to use in commerce by filing an acceptable allegation of use with a proper specimen. See 15 U.S.C. §1051(c), (d); 37 C.F.R. §§2.76, 2.88; TMEP §1103.
To amend to Section 1(b), applicant must submit the following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §§2.20, 2.33: “Applicant has had a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods and/or services listed in the application as of the filing date of the application.” 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(2); TMEP §806.01(b); see 15 U.S.C. §1051(b); 37 C.F.R. §2.35(b)(1).
Pending receipt of a proper response, registration is refused because applicant has not provided evidence of the applied-for mark in use in commerce as a trademark and/or service mark. Trademark Act Sections 1(a)(1) and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051(a)(1), 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a).
/allison holtz/
Allison Holtz
Trademark Examining Attorney
allison.holtz@uspto.gov
571-272-9383
RESPOND TO THIS ACTION: Applicant should file a response to this Office action online using the form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageD.htm, waiting 48-72 hours if applicant received notification of the Office action via e-mail. For technical assistance with the form, please e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov. For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned examining attorney. Do not respond to this Office action by e-mail; the USPTO does not accept e-mailed responses.
If responding by paper mail, please include the following information: the application serial number, the mark, the filing date and the name, title/position, telephone number and e-mail address of the person signing the response. Please use the following address: Commissioner for Trademarks, P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, VA 22313-1451.
STATUS CHECK: Check the status of the application at least once every six months from the initial filing date using the USPTO Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) online system at http://tarr.uspto.gov. When conducting an online status check, print and maintain a copy of the complete TARR screen. If the status of your application has not changed for more than six months, please contact the assigned examining attorney.