To: | Pearl Enterprises LLC (lauferja@aol.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 86165972 - PEARL ENTERPRISES - N/A |
Sent: | 4/24/2014 3:58:04 PM |
Sent As: | ECOM112@USPTO.GOV |
Attachments: | Attachment - 1 Attachment - 2 |
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 86165972
MARK: PEARL ENTERPRISES
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CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS: |
CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER: http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
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APPLICANT: Pearl Enterprises LLC
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CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO: CORRESPONDENT E-MAIL ADDRESS: |
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OFFICE ACTION
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: 4/24/2014
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 Similar Marks to Bar Registration
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).
1. Substitute Specimen Required – Mark Not Shown with any of the Services Specified in the Application
An application based on Trademark Act Section 1(a) must include a specimen showing the applied-for mark in use in commerce for each international class of services identified in the application. 15 U.S.C. §1051(a)(1); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a).
Accordingly, registration is refused because the applicant has failed to evidence usage of the mark with the services identified in the application. Although applicant’s mark has been refused registration, applicant may respond to the refusal(s) by submitting evidence and arguments in support of registration.
Applicant may respond to this refusal by satisfying one of the following:
(1) Submit a different specimen (a verified “substitute” specimen) that (a) was in actual use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application or prior to the filing of an amendment to allege use and (b) shows the mark in actual use in commerce for the goods and/or services identified in the application.
(2) Amend the filing basis to intent to use under Section 1(b), for which no specimen is required. This option will later necessitate additional fee(s) and filing requirements such as providing a specimen at a subsequent date.
For an overview of both response options referenced above and instructions on how to satisfy either option online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, please go to http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/law/specimen.jsp.
Substitute Specimen Requirements
Applicant may submit a declaration online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) response to Office action form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp. When in the screen of the TEAS response form wizard, answer “yes” to the wizard question relating to submitting a “signed declaration,” and follow the instructions within the form for signing. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.20, 2.33(a)-(b)(1), 2.193(a)-(e)(1); TMEP §§611.01(c), 804.01(b).
To properly “sign” a form online in the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), applicant can do one of the following:
(1) Enter in the signature block any combination of letters, numbers, spaces and/or punctuation marks that the filer has adopted as a signature, placed between two forward slash (/) symbols (e.g., /john doe/);
(2) E-mail the completed form from within TEAS to a second party for his/her electronic signature, which will then be automatically returned to the original preparer for submission with the form; or
(3) Fill out the form online, print it in text format, and mail or fax it to the signatory who will sign the printed form in the traditional pen-and-ink manner. The signature portion, along with a declaration, if required, is then scanned to create a jpg or pdf image file and attached to the form for electronic submission.
See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(c); TMEP §611.01(c).
For each method, the proper signatory must personally sign or personally enter his/her electronic signature. See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(a); TMEP §§611.01(c), 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(c).
(1) A person with legal authority to bind the applicant (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner);
(2) A person with firsthand knowledge of the facts and actual or implied authority to act on behalf of the applicant; or
(3) An authorized attorney who has an actual written or verbal power of attorney or an implied power of attorney from the applicant.
37 C.F.R. §§2.33(a), 2.193(e)(1); TMEP §§611.03(a), 804.04; see 37 C.F.R. §§11.1, 11.14.
Option to Amend to an Intent-to-Use Basis
If the applicant cannot meet the requirements of the use basis, then the applicant may wish to amend to an intent-to-use basis.
Applicant has had a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods or services listed in the application as of the filing date of the application.
15 U.S.C. §1051(b)(3)(B); 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(2); TMEP §806.01(b); see 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(1).
Applicant may submit a declaration online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) response to Office action form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp. When in the screen of the TEAS response form wizard, answer “yes” to the wizard question relating to submitting a “signed declaration,” and follow the instructions within the form for signing. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.20, 2.33(a)-(b)(1), 2.193(a)-(e)(1); TMEP §§611.01(c), 804.01(b).
To properly “sign” a form online in the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), applicant can do one of the following:
(1) Enter in the signature block any combination of letters, numbers, spaces and/or punctuation marks that the filer has adopted as a signature, placed between two forward slash (/) symbols (e.g., /john doe/);
(2) E-mail the completed form from within TEAS to a second party for his/her electronic signature, which will then be automatically returned to the original preparer for submission with the form; or
(3) Fill out the form online, print it in text format, and mail or fax it to the signatory who will sign the printed form in the traditional pen-and-ink manner. The signature portion, along with a declaration, if required, is then scanned to create a jpg or pdf image file and attached to the form for electronic submission.
See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(c); TMEP §611.01(c).
For each method, the proper signatory must personally sign or personally enter his/her electronic signature. See 37 C.F.R. §2.193(a); TMEP §§611.01(c), 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(c).
The following persons are properly authorized to sign a verification or declaration on behalf of an applicant:
(1) A person with legal authority to bind the applicant (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner);
(2) A person with firsthand knowledge of the facts and actual or implied authority to act on behalf of the applicant; or
(3) An authorized attorney who has an actual written or verbal power of attorney or an implied power of attorney from the applicant.
37 C.F.R. §§2.33(a), 2.193(e)(1); TMEP §§611.03(a), 804.04; see 37 C.F.R. §§11.1, 11.14.
ENTERPRISES is defined as, “A business organization.” See attached dictionary definition of ENTERPRISES. In this case, the applicant is a business organization in the nature of a limited liability company offering on-line retail stores. Thus, the wording merely describes the provider of the applicant’s services and must be disclaimed.
An applicant may not claim exclusive rights to terms or designs that others may need to use to describe or show their goods or services in the marketplace. See Dena Corp. v. Belvedere Int’l, Inc., 950 F.2d 1555, 1560, 21 USPQ2d 1047, 1051 (Fed. Cir. 1991); In re Aug. Storck KG, 218 USPQ 823, 825 (TTAB 1983). A disclaimer of unregistrable matter does not affect the appearance of the mark; that is, a disclaimer does not physically remove the disclaimed matter from the mark. See Schwarzkopf v. John H. Breck, Inc., 340 F.2d 978, 978, 144 USPQ 433, 433 (C.C.P.A. 1965); TMEP §1213.
If applicant does not provide the required disclaimer, the USPTO may refuse to register the entire mark. See In re Stereotaxis Inc., 429 F.3d 1039, 1040-41, 77 USPQ2d 1087, 1088-89 (Fed. Cir. 2005); TMEP §1213.01(b).
Applicant should submit a disclaimer in the following standardized format:
No claim is made to the exclusive right to use “ENTERPRISES” apart from the mark as shown.
For an overview of disclaimers and instructions on how to satisfy this disclaimer requirement online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, please go to http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/law/disclaimer.jsp.
RESPONDING TO THIS OFFICE ACTION
To expedite prosecution of the application, applicant is encouraged to file its response to this Office action online via the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), which is available at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/index.jsp.
If applicant has technical questions about the TEAS response to Office action form, applicant can review the electronic filing tips available online at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/e_filing_tips.jsp and email technical questions to TEAS@uspto.gov.
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 goods and/or 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.
/Eli J. Hellman/
Trademark Examining Attorney
United States Patent & Trademark Office
Law Office 112
(571) 272-8276
eli.hellman@uspto.gov
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.