Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER 

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.

 

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 8/5/2010

 

THIS IS A FINAL ACTION.

 

 

This Office action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on July 28, 2010.

 

The following requirements are now made FINAL.  See37 C.F.R. §2.64(a).

 

 

Identification of Goods

 

In the first Office Action, the examining attorney required the applicant to amend the identification of goods because parts of it were indefinite.  In the response the applicant amended to the following: 

 

Class 09:  Computer software for use in communications, networking, and other functions in all fields; computer hardware; computer software and networking equipment, namely, network hardware and software for developing, securing, monitoring and managing machine to machine networks; computer software and networking equipment, namely, network hardware and software for securing, monitoring and managing energy in the public utilities, gas utilities, electric utilities and water utilities industries; computer software and networking equipment, namely, network hardware and software for data collection applications, namely distribution automation and demand side management applications; communications networking systems consisting of computer hardware and various types of software, including communications software, networking software, WAN (wide area network) operating software, radio frequency wireless communications technology, namely, computer network interface devices, computer network bridges, and other devices, one-way and two-way automated meter reading devices and other monitoring and control devices for use in the energy and utility fields; computer hardware and software for use in transmitting data one-way and two-way between a data computing network and remote communications devices, namely, wireless network repeaters, routers, personal computers, laptop computers, cellular phones and handheld computers; electronic interface modules for receiving and transmitting energy-related information and requests between and among commodity meters, electronic devices and a host computer over a wide area network and a local area network; computer database management software used for receiving and monitoring energy usage information from multiple remote commodity meters in the public utilities, gas utilities, electric utilities and water utilities industries; electric utility meters, namely, gas meters, electric meters, and water meters; network interface cards; gateway routers in the nature of computer control hardware; electronic devices, namely, radio frequency repeaters used in long range communication for tracking and monitoring data; advanced meter communications devices, namely, transmitters, receivers and antennas used to collect, store and process consumption data, distribution automation data, demand response data and other information in the energy and utility fields, including electric, water, gas, solar, coal, thermal and nuclear energy.

 

Applicant’s amendment is not acceptable and the requirement is made FINAL.

 

The wording used to describe the goods is indefinite as described below and must be clarified.  See TMEP §1402.01.

 

Class 09:  Computer software for use in communications, networking, and other functions in all fields-This language remains indefinite.  Communications, networking are too wide to be properly definite and “other functions” could be nearly anything.  Applicant must specifically list discrete software that has a specific field and function.   

 

computer hardware; computer software and networking equipment, namely, network hardware and software for developing, securing, monitoring and managing machine to machine networks; computer software and networking equipment, namely, network hardware and software for securing, monitoring and managing energy in the public utilities, gas utilities, electric utilities and water utilities industries; computer software and networking equipment, namely, network hardware and software for data collection applications, namely distribution automation and demand side management applications; All acceptable

 

communications networking systems consisting of computer hardware and various types of software, including communications software, networking software-<This remains unacceptable.  “Various Software” is indefinite>

 

WAN (wide area network) operating software, radio frequency wireless communications technology, namely, computer network interface devices <devices is indefinite>, computer network bridges, and other device namely<must specify all devices that are part of this system>s, one-way and two-way automated meter reading devices and other monitoring and control devices namely<must specify> for use in the energy and utility fields;   This remains unacceptable. 

 

computer hardware and software for use in transmitting data one-way and two-way between a data computing network and remote communications devices, namely, wireless network repeaters, routers, personal computers, laptop computers, cellular phones and handheld computers; electronic interface modules for receiving and transmitting energy-related information and requests between and among commodity meters, electronic devices and a host computer over a wide area network and a local area network; computer database management software used for receiving and monitoring energy usage information from multiple remote commodity meters in the public utilities, gas utilities, electric utilities and water utilities industries; electric utility meters, namely, gas meters, electric meters, and water meters; network interface cards; gateway routers in the nature of computer control hardware; electronic devices, namely, radio frequency repeaters used in long range communication for tracking and monitoring data; advanced meter communications devices, namely, transmitters, receivers and antennas used to collect, store and process consumption data, distribution automation data, demand response data and other information in the energy and utility fields, including electric, water, gas, solar, coal, thermal and nuclear energy

 

An applicant may amend an identification of goods only to clarify or limit the goods; adding to or broadening the scope of the goods is not permitted.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07 et seq. 

 

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and/or services in trademark applications, please see the online searchable Manual of Acceptable Identifications of Goods and Services at http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html.  See TMEP §1402.04.

 

The requirement for a proper identification is thus maintained and made FINAL. 

 

RESPONSE TO OFFICE ACTION

 

If applicant does not respond within six months of the date of issuance of this final Office action, the following goods to which the final refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) apply will be deleted from the application by Examiner’s Amendment: 

. 

Computer software for use in communications, networking, and other functions in all fields;

 

Communications networking systems consisting of computer hardware and various types of software, including communications software, networking software, WAN (wide area network) operating software, radio frequency wireless communications technology, namely, computer network interface devices, computer network bridges, and other devices, one-way and two-way automated meter reading devices and other monitoring and control devices for use in the energy and utility fields;

 

The application will then proceed for the remaining goods.  15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §2.65(a).

 

Applicant may respond to this final Office action by:

 

(1)  Submitting a response that fully satisfies all outstanding requirements, if feasible; and/or

 

(2)  Filing an appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, with an appeal fee of $100 per class.

 

37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(18), 2.64(a); TBMP ch. 1200; TMEP §714.04.

 

In certain rare circumstances, a petition to the Director may be filed pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §2.63(b)(2) to review a final Office action that is limited to procedural issues.  37 C.F.R. §2.64(a); TMEP §714.04; see 37 C.F.R. §2.146(b); TBMP §1201.05; TMEP §1704 (explaining petitionable matters).  The petition fee is $100.  37 C.F.R. §2.6(a)(15).

 

If the applicant has any questions or needs assistance regarding this action, please telephone the assigned examining attorney.

 

 

/Frank J Lattuca/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 109

Tel: (571) 270-1518

Email: Frank.Lattuca@uspto.gov

 

 

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:  Use the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) response form at http://teasroa.gov.uspto.report/roa/.  Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using TEAS, to allow for necessary system updates of the application.  For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.

 

WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants).  If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the response. 

 

PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:  To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) at http://tarr.gov.uspto.report/.  Please keep a copy of the complete TARR screen.  If TARR shows no change for more than six months, call 1-800-786-9199.  For more information on checking status, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/.

 

TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageE.htm.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

Your trademark application (Serial No. 77853677) has been reviewed.   The examining attorney assigned by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has written a letter (an “Office action”) on 8/5/2010 to which you must respond (unless the Office letter specifically states that no response is required).  Please follow these steps:

 

1. Read the Office letter by clicking on this link http://tmportal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow?DDA=Y&serial_number=77853677&doc_type=OOA&mail_date=20100805 OR go to  http://tmportal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow and enter your serial number to access the Office letter.  If you have difficulty accessing the Office letter, contact TDR@uspto.gov.  

                                         

PLEASE NOTE: The Office letter may not be immediately available but will be viewable within 24 hours of this e-mail notification.

 

2. Contact the examining attorney who reviewed your application if you have any questions about the content of the Office letter (contact information appears at the end thereof).

 

3. Respond within 6 months, calculated from 8/5/2010 (or sooner if specified in the Office letter), using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office Action form. If you have difficulty using TEAS, contact TEAS@uspto.gov. 

 

ALERT:

 

Failure to file any required response by the applicable deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT (loss) of your application.

 

Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise attempt to e-mail your response, as the USPTO does NOT accept e-mailed responses.