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: 8/25/2010

 

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.

 

SEARCH OF OFFICE’S DATABASE OF MARKS

 

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).

 

CLEAR DRAWING REQUIRED

 

The drawing is not acceptable because it is a photocopy of the mark that does not create a high quality image when reproduced.  Specifically, the drawing includes miscellaneous lines and markings that do not appear to be part of the mark.  A clear drawing of the mark is an application requirement.  37 C.F.R. §2.52.  Therefore, applicant must submit a new drawing showing a clear depiction of the mark.  All lines must be clean, sharp and solid, and not fine or crowded.  37 C.F.R. §§2.53(c), 2.54(e); TMEP §§807.05(c), 807.06(a).

 

If applicant submits a new drawing in the form of a digitized image, it must be in jpg format.  The Office recommends that the digitized image have a length and width no smaller than 250 pixels and no larger than 944 pixels.  37 C.F.R. §2.53(c); TMEP §807.05(c).

 

Amendments or changes to the applied-for mark in a substitute drawing will not be accepted if the changes would materially alter the mark.  37 C.F.R. §2.72; see TMEP §§807.13 et seq., 807.14.

 

CLAIM OF OWNERSHIP OF PRIOR REGISTRATIONS

 

If applicant is the owner of U.S. Registration Nos. 1504283 and 3282152, then applicant must submit a claim of ownership.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.36; TMEP §812.  The following standard format is suggested:

 

Applicant is the owner of U.S. Registration Nos. 1504283 and 3282152.

 

OPTION TO DELETE SECTION 1(b) BASIS

 

The application specifies both an intent to use basis under Trademark Act Section 1(b) and reliance on a foreign registration(s) under Section 44(e).  See 15 U.S.C. §§1051(b), 1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(2)-(3).  However, the foreign registration alone may serve as a basis for obtaining a U.S. registration.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(3); TMEP §806.01(d).  If applicant wants to rely solely on the foreign registration under Section 44(e) as the basis, applicant can request deletion of the Section 1(b) basis.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.35(b)(1); TMEP §806.04. 

 

Unless applicant indicates otherwise, this Office will presume that applicant is relying on both Sections 1(b) and 44(e).  Thus, although the mark may be approved for publication, it will not register until an acceptable allegation of use has been filed for the goods and/or services based on Section 1(b).

 

IDENTIFICATION OF SERVICES

 

The wording “foreign exchange services”, “guarantee services” and “savings and trust services” in the identification of services are indefinite and must be clarified because the exact nature of the services is unclear.  See TMEP §1402.01.

 

Applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate:

 

International Class 036: Banking services; foreign exchange services, NAMELY, ________ {indicate specific service, e.g., foreign exchange transactions, foreign exchange information services}; import and export financing and FINANCIAL guarantee services; bills brokerage services; savings and trust services, NAMELY, ________ {indicate specific service, e.g., administration of savings accounts, savings banks, trust management accounts, financial trust operations}

 

An applicant may amend an identification of services only to clarify or limit the services; adding to or broadening the scope of the services 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.

 

If applicant has questions about the application or this Office action, please telephone the assigned trademark examining attorney at the telephone number below.

 

 

 

/Hai-Ly H. Lam/

Trademark Attorney

Law Office 112

Office: 571-272-3354

Fax: 571-273-9112

 

 

 

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. 85034286) has been reviewed.   The examining attorney assigned by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has written a letter (an “Office action”) on 8/25/2010 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=85034286&doc_type=OOA&mail_date=20100825 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 8/25/2010 (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.