Offc Action Outgoing

STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTIFICATION: TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF THE REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF PROTECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE A COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL NOTIFICATION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE “DATE ON WHICH THE NOTIFICATION WAS SENT TO WIPO (MAILING DATE)” LOCATED ON THE WIPO COVER LETTER ACCOMPANYING THIS NOTIFICATION.

In addition to the Mailing Date appearing on the WIPO cover letter, a holder (hereafter “applicant”) may confirm this Mailing Date using the USPTO’s Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/. To do so, enter the U.S. application serial number for this application and then select “Documents.” The Mailing Date used to calculate the response deadline for this provisional full refusal is the “Create/Mail Date” of the “IB-1rst Refusal Note.”

This is a PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL of the request for extension of protection of the mark in the above-referenced U.S. application. See 15 U.S.C. §1141h(c). See below in this notification (hereafter “Office action”) for details regarding the provisional full refusal.

The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney. Applicant must respond timely and completely to the issue(s) below. 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(a), 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.

No Conflicting Marks Found

The trademark examining attorney has searched the Office’s database of registered and pending marks and has found no conflicting marks that would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d). TMEP §704.02; see 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).

SUMMARY OF ISSUES:

Description of the mark
Identification of goods and services

Description of the Mark

The applied-for mark is not in standard characters and applicant did not provide a description of the mark with the initial application. Applications for marks not in standard characters must include an accurate and concise description of the entire mark that identifies literal elements as well as any design elements. See 37 C.F.R. §2.37; TMEP §§808.01, 808.02, 808.03(b).

Therefore, applicant must provide a description of the applied-for mark. The following is suggested:

The mark consists of the stylized word “SONY” within a curved-edged rectangle which is divided horizontally by a curved line.

Identification of Goods and Services

The identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified to indicate the common commercial name of the goods and/or to indicate the subject matter of other goods. See the bolded requirements specified below. See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01. Applicant may substitute the following wording, if accurate:

Blank digital recording media in the nature of optical discs and recordable DVDs; Telecommunication machines and apparatus in the nature of [must indicate the common commercial name(s) of the “machines and apparatus” in Class 9]; Computer software for streaming audiovisual and multimedia content via the internet and global communications networks; Computer software for streaming audiovisual and multimedia content to mobile digital electronic devices; Computer software for searching, organizing, and recommending multimedia content; Computer software for creating computer software and mobile applications; Computer programs for [must indicate purpose/field of use]; Electronic machines, apparatus and their parts, namely, [must indicate the common commercial name(s) of the goods in Class 9]; Prerecorded optical discs featuring music; Prerecorded video cassettes featuring music; Prerecorded video tapes featuring music; Phonograph records featuring music; Downloadable music files; Video disks and video tapes with recorded animated cartoons; Audio and video prerecorded optical discs featuring [must indicate subject matter of the recording; e.g., “music”]; Downloadable image files containing [must indicate content or subject matter]; Prerecorded video discs and video tapes featuring [must indicate subject matter of the recording]; Prerecorded motion picture films about [must indicate subject matter]; Compact discs featuring [must indicate content or subject matter]; Exposed cinematographic films; Exposed slide films; Slide film mounts; Electronic downloadable publications, namely, [must indicate specific nature of publication; e.g., “books”; “magazines”] featuring [must indicate subject matter], in International Class 9.

Video on demand transmissions; Cable television broadcasting; Satellite television broadcasting; Subscription television broadcasting; Television broadcasting; Radio broadcasting, in International Class 38.

{NOTE: “Broadcasting” by itself is indefinite; the nature of the broadcasting service is required, as applicant specified in its prior listings}

Video tape film production; Providing films, not downloadable, via video-on-demand transmission services; Providing on-line, non-downloadable videos featuring [must indicate subject matter; e.g., music, mathematics instruction, etc.]; Movie theatres; Film production and distribution, other than advertising films; Entertainment services of ongoing television programs in the field of [must indicate specific field; e.g., news, comedy, variety] via a website; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring [must indicate subject matter; e.g., comedy, action, adventure, etc.] distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Provision of non-downloadable films and television program via a video-on-demand service; Production of radio and television programs; Radio entertainment services, namely, radio programs featuring performances by a {indicate person or individual; e.g., fictional character, radio personality}; Production of videotape film in the field of education, culture, entertainment and sports; Video production; Arranging and planning of movies, shows, plays or musical performances; Direction of making of radio and television programs; Providing amusement facilities, in International Class 41.

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual. See TMEP §1402.04.

In a Trademark Act Section 66(a) application, classification of goods and/or services may not be changed from that assigned by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization. 37 C.F.R. §2.85(d); TMEP §§1401.03(d), 1904.02(b). Additionally, classes may not be added or goods and/or services transferred from one class to another in a multiple-class Section 66(a) application. 37 C.F.R. §2.85(d); TMEP §1401.03(d).

Applicant’s goods and/or services may be clarified or limited, but may not be expanded beyond those originally itemized in the application or as acceptably amended. See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06. Applicant may clarify or limit the identification by inserting qualifying language or deleting items to result in a more specific identification; however, applicant may not substitute different goods and/or services or add goods and/or services not found or encompassed by those in the original application or as acceptably amended. See TMEP §1402.06(a)-(b). The scope of the goods and/or services sets the outer limit for any changes to the identification and is generally determined by the ordinary meaning of the wording in the identification. TMEP §§1402.06(b), 1402.07(a)-(b). Any acceptable changes to the goods and/or services will further limit scope, and once goods and/or services are deleted, they are not permitted to be reinserted. TMEP §1402.07(e).

/Laura Gorman Kovalsky/

Trademark Attorney, Law Office 110

571.272.9182 phone

laura.kovalsky@uspto.gov

(Telephone and e-mail inquiries are welcome; however, responses are not accepted via e-mail)

WHO IS PERMITTED TO RESPOND TO THIS PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL: Any response to this provisional refusal must be personally signed by an individual applicant, all joint applicants, or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner). 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(b), 2.193(e)(2)(ii); TMEP §712.01. If applicant hires a qualified U.S. attorney to respond on his or her behalf, then the attorney must sign the response. 37 C.F.R. §§2.193(e)(2)(i), 11.18(a); TMEP §§611.03(b), 712.01. Qualified U.S. attorneys include those in good standing with a bar of the highest court of any U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. commonwealths or U.S. territories. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.17(a), 2.62(b), 11.1, 11.14(a); TMEP §§602, 712.01. Additionally, for all responses, the proper signatory must personally sign the document or personally enter his or her electronic signature on the electronic filing. See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(a); TMEP §§611.01(b), 611.02. The name of the signatory must also be printed or typed immediately below or adjacent to the signature, or identified elsewhere in the filing. 37 C.F.R. §2.193(d); TMEP §611.01(b).

In general, foreign attorneys are not permitted to represent applicants before the USPTO (e.g., file written communications, authorize an amendment to an application, or submit legal arguments in response to a requirement or refusal). See 37 C.F.R. §11.14(c), (e); TMEP §§602.03-.03(b), 608.01.

DESIGNATION OF DOMESTIC REPRESENTATIVE: The USPTO encourages applicants who do not reside in the United States to designate a domestic representative upon whom any notice or process may be served. TMEP §610; see 15 U.S.C. §§1051(e), 1141h(d); 37 C.F.R. §2.24(a)(1)-(2). Such designations may be filed online at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.

/Laura G Kovalsky/

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER: Go to http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp. Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), to allow for necessary system updates of the application. For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov. For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney. E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to this Office action by e-mail.

All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.

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 the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/. Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen. If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or 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/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.