UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

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

SUSPENSION NOTICE:  NO RESPONSE NEEDED

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 12/5/2012

TEAS PLUS APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY OR SUBMIT FEE:  Applicants who filed their application online using the reduced-fee TEAS Plus application must continue to submit certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to Office actions.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.23(a)(1).  For a complete list of these documents, see TMEP §819.02(b).  In addition, such applicants must accept correspondence from the Office via e-mail throughout the examination process and must maintain a valid e-mail address.  37 C.F.R. §2.23(a)(2); TMEP §§819, 819.02(a).  TEAS Plus applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional fee of $50 per international class of services.  37 C.F.R. §2.6(a)(1)(iv); TMEP §819.04.  In appropriate situations and where all issues can be resolved by amendment, responding by telephone to authorize an examiner’s amendment will not incur this additional fee.

The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.  The trademark examining attorney is suspending action on the application for the reason stated below.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.67; TMEP §§716 et seq. 

ACTION IS SUSPENDED

The trademark examining attorney is suspending action on the application for the reason stated below.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.67; TMEP §§716 et seq. 

Action is Suspended Pending Disposition of Earlier-Filed Pending Application

The effective filing date of the pending Application Serial No. 85581401 precedes the filing date of applicant’s application.  If the mark in the referenced application registers, applicant’s mark may be refused registration under Section 2(d) because of a likelihood of confusion with that registered marks.  See 15 U.S.C. §1052(d); 37 C.F.R. §2.83; TMEP §§1208 et seq.  Therefore, action on this application is suspended until the earlier-filed referenced application is either registered or abandoned.  37 C.F.R. §2.83(c).  A copy of information relevant to this referenced application is attached.

NO RESPONSE REQUIRED

The USPTO will periodically conduct a status check of the application to determine whether suspension remains appropriate, and the trademark examining attorney will issue as needed an inquiry letter to applicant regarding the status of the matter on which suspension is based.  TMEP §§716.04, 716.05.  Applicant will be notified when suspension is no longer appropriate.  See TMEP §716.04.

If applicant has questions about its application or this Notice of Suspension, please telephone the assigned trademark examining attorney directly at the number below.  Otherwise, no response to this notice is necessary; however, if applicant wants to respond, applicant should use the “Response to Suspension Inquiry or Letter of Suspension” form online at http://teasroa.gov.uspto.report/rsi/rsi.

/Timothy Schimpf/

Examining Attorney

Law Office 113

(571) 272-9072

timothy.schimpf@uspto.gov

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/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR

U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION

USPTO LETTER (AN OFFICE ACTION) HAS ISSUED ON 12/5/2012 FOR

SERIAL NO. 85709793

Please follow the instructions below:

TO READ OFFICE LETTER: Click on this link or go to http://portal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow and enter the application serial number to access the Office letter

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

HELP: For technical assistance in accessing the Office correspondence, please e-mail TDR@uspto.gov.  Please contact the assigned examining attorney with questions about the Office letter.