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: 6/2/2014

 

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

 

NO CONFLICTING 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).

 

SURNAME REFUSAL

 

Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is primarily merely a surname.  Trademark Act Section 2(e)(4), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(4); see TMEP §1211.  The primary significance of the mark to the purchasing public determines whether a term is primarily merely a surname.  In re Kahan & Weisz Jewelry Mfg. Corp., 508 F.2d 831, 832, 184 USPQ 421, 422 (C.C.P.A. 1975); In re Binion, 93 USPQ2d 1531, 1537 (TTAB 2009); see TMEP §§1211, 1211.01.

 

Please see the attached evidence from LexisNexis, establishing the surname significance of the surname FUNAI.  This evidence shows the applied-for mark appearing 100 times as a surname in a nationwide telephone directory of names.

 

The examining attorney notes that applicant was founded by Tetsuro Funai.  Please see the attached evidence from the online Wikipedia encyclopedia.  A term that is the surname of an individual applicant or that of an officer, owner, or principal of applicant’s business is probative evidence of the term’s surname significance.  TMEP §1211.02(b)(iv); see, e.g., In re Etablissements Darty et Fils, 759 F.2d 15, 16, 225 USPQ 652, 653 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (holding DARTY primarily merely a surname where “Darty” was the surname of applicant’s corporate president); Mitchell Miller, P.C. v. Miller, 105 USPQ2d 1615, 1620-21 (TTAB 2013) (holding MILLER LAW GROUP primarily merely a surname where “Miller” was the surname of the applicant and the term “law group” was found generic and disclaimed); In re Cazes, 21 USPQ2d 1796, 1796-97 (TTAB 1991) (holding BRASSERIE LIPP primarily merely a surname where “Lipp” was the surname of the restaurant’s founder and the term “brasserie” (translated as “brewery”) was found merely descriptive and disclaimed).

 

A mark deemed primarily merely a surname may be registered on the Principal Register under Trademark Act Section 2(f) by satisfying one of the following:

 

            (1) Submit a claim of ownership of one or more prior registrations on the Principal Register for a mark that is the same as the mark in the application and for the same or related goods and/or services.  37 C.F.R. §2.41(b); TMEP §§1212, 1212.04.  The following wording is suggested:  “The mark has become distinctive under Section 2(f) of the goods or services as evidenced by ownership of U.S. Registration No(s). [specify] on the Principal Register for the same mark for the same or related goods and/or services.”  TMEP §1212.04(e).;

 

            (2) Submit the following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20:  “The mark has become distinctive of the goods and/or services through applicant’s substantially exclusive and continuous use in commerce for at least the five years immediately before the date of this statement.”  37 C.F.R. §2.41(b); TMEP §1212.05(d); see 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(1).; or

 

            (3) Submit actual evidence of acquired distinctiveness.  37 C.F.R. §2.41(a); TMEP §1212.06.  Such evidence may include the following:  examples of advertising and promotional materials that specifically promote the applied-for mark as a trademark and/or service mark in the United States; dollar figures for advertising devoted to such promotion; dealer and consumer statements of recognition of the applied-for mark as a trademark and/or service mark; and any other evidence that establishes recognition of the applied-for mark as a source-identifier for the goods and/or services.  See In re Ideal Indus., Inc., 508 F.2d 1336, 184 USPQ 487 (C.C.P.A. 1975); In re Instant Transactions Corp. of Am., 201 USPQ 957 (TTAB 1979); TMEP §§1212.06 et seq.

 

Trademark Act Section 2(f), 15 U.S.C. §1052(f); see 37 C.F.R. §2.41; TMEP §§1211, 1212.

 

If applicant cannot satisfy one of the above, applicant can amend the application to seek registration on the Supplemental Register.  Trademark Act Section 23, 15 U.S.C. §1091; see 37 C.F.R. §§2.47, 2.75(a).

 

IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS (AS TO “INKS” ONLY)

 

The identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified.  Applicant must specify the nature of the “inks” and classify them accordingly.  See TMEP §1402.01.  Applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate:  

 

“Printing inks; pigments; [specify, e.g., “copying,” “engraving,” etc.] inks; filled ink cartridges for printers, printing machines, facsimile machines, and copying machines; toners; filled toner cartridges for printers, printing machines, facsimile machines and copying machines,” in International Class 2.

 

“[specify, e.g., “calligraphy,” “drawing,” “India,” etc.] ink,” in International Class 16.

 

Although identifications of goods or services may be amended to clarify or limit the goods or services, adding to or broadening the scope of the goods or services is not permitted.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07.  Therefore, applicant may not amend the identification to include goods or services that are not within the scope of the goods set forth in the present identification.

 

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods 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.

 

MULTIPLE CLASS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

 

The application identifies goods in more than one international class; therefore, applicant must satisfy all the requirements below for each international class based on Trademark Act Section 1(b):

 

(1)       List the goods and/or services by their international class number in consecutive numerical order, starting with the lowest numbered class.

 

(2)       Submit a filing fee for each international class not covered by the fee already paid (view the USPTO’s current fee schedule at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/tm_fee_info.jsp).  The application identifies goods that are classified in at least two classes; however, applicant submitted a fee sufficient for only one class.  Applicant must either submit the filing fees for the classes not covered by the submitted fees or restrict the application to the number of classes covered by the fees already paid.

 

See 15 U.S.C. §§1051(b), 1112, 1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §§2.32(a)(6)-(7), 2.34(a)(2)-(3), 2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).

 

For an overview of the requirements for a Section 1(b) multiple-class application and how to satisfy the requirements online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, please go to http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/law/multiclass.jsp.

 

QUESTIONS

 

If applicant has questions regarding this Office action, please telephone or e-mail the assigned trademark examining attorney.  All relevant e-mail communications will be placed in the official application record; however, an e-mail communication will not be accepted as a response to this Office action and will not extend the deadline for filing a proper response.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05.  Further, although the trademark examining attorney may provide additional explanation pertaining to the refusals or requirements in this Office action, the trademark examining attorney may not provide legal advice or statements about applicant’s rights.  See TMEP §§705.02, 709.06.

 

 

 

/John M. Gartner/

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 102

(571) 272-9255

John.Gartner@uspto.gov (informal correspondence)

 

 

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.

 

Search:	Public Records : Surname
Terms:	last-name(FUNAI) maxresults(500)

 

 

Total number found: 100
No.	Name	Address	Phone
1.	FUNAI, A	12660 HILLCREST RD DALLAS, TX 75230-2032	972-960-2348
2.	FUNAI, ADAM	119 POND DR DUNNSVILLE, VA 22454-3330	804-443-2390
3.	FUNAI, ALAN R	ROUTE ALPHA, IL 61413	309-667-2167
4.	FUNAI, ALBERT L	779 HIGHLAND AVE MEDFORD, MA 02155-1110	781-324-2924
5.	FUNAI, ALDO F JR.	11929 GARDENGATE RD MIDLOTHIAN, VA 23112-3705	804-744-1945
6.	FUNAI, ALFRED	3800 WASHINGTON RD WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33405-2366	561-832-3848
7.	FUNAI, ANITA	94 WESTCHESTER DR LITTLE EGG HARBOR TWP, NJ 08087-3012	609-812-1003
8.	FUNAI, ARNOLD	69726 WEST MEADOW PKWY SISTERS, OR 97759-9660	541-549-2104
9.	FUNAI, ARTHUR	10 SAUNDERS RD LYNNFIELD, MA 01940-1747	781-334-6347
10.	FUNAI, BRIAN	45-019 KA HANAHOU CIR KANEOHE, HI 96744-3006	808-247-8493
11.	FUNAI, BRIAN	19-01 PROSPECT AVE FAIR LAWN, NJ 07410-5328	201-791-7513
12.	FUNAI, BRYAN	9687 E BALANCING ROCK RD SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85262-2323	480-419-4116
13.	FUNAI, BRYAN	2013 SUMMER COVE CT LAS VEGAS, NV 89134-2508	702-896-4743
14.	FUNAI, C M	HONOLULU, HI 96818
15.	FUNAI, CAROL R	1860 CORSON ST PASADENA, CA 91107-3203	626-793-1545
16.	FUNAI, CHARLES T	KAILUA, HI 96734	808-261-2995
17.	FUNAI, CHRISTOPER	LAS VEGAS, NV 89138	702-463-3835
18.	FUNAI, CHRISTOPHE	LAS VEGAS, NV 89135	702-538-8829
19.	FUNAI, CHRISTOPHER	RICHMOND, VA 23226	804-377-9186
20.	FUNAI, COLIN	ALLMAN OAKLAND, CA 94602
21.	FUNAI, CRAIG	650 ARGUELLO BLVD SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118-4039	415-666-0585
22.	FUNAI, D A	30710 REHOBETH RD WESTOVER, MD 21871-3846	410-957-9481
23.	FUNAI, DANA	HONOLULU, HI 96825	808-396-0052
24.	FUNAI, DAVID	HILO, HI 96720	808-959-0340
25.	FUNAI, DEBBIE	45-584 KEAAHALA RD APT B KANEOHE, HI 96744-7304	808-247-9072
26.	FUNAI, DEBORAH	100 N CEDAR AVE HIGHLAND SPRINGS, VA 23075-1429	804-737-0144
27.	FUNAI, DEBRA	HILO, HI 96720	808-934-7951
28.	FUNAI, DENNIS K	PEARL CITY, HI 96782
29.	FUNAI, DICKSON	45-584 KEAAHALA RD APT B KANEOHE, HI 96744-7304	808-247-9072
30.	FUNAI, DONALD K	1507 CANDLEWOOD ST FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22407-4816	540-786-7087
31.	FUNAI, DREW	926 LOCUST AVE LONG BEACH, CA 90813-5801	562-513-3177
32.	FUNAI, DWIGHT E	14521 132ND CT NE WOODINVILLE, WA 98072-4618	425-821-3311
33.	FUNAI, EDWARD L	LODI, OH 44254
34.	FUNAI, EJ	136 MAIN ST AGAWAM, MA 01001-1885	413-786-7892
35.	FUNAI, F	1443 KEALIA DR HONOLULU, HI 96817-1956	808-845-8491
36.	FUNAI, FRANK	4709 JADE ST NACOGDOCHES, TX 75965-1556	936-560-9201
37.	FUNAI, G	89 EAST ST SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104-1518	413-747-7476
38.	FUNAI, GEORGE	4927 25TH AVE S SEATTLE, WA 98108-2014	206-723-3153
39.	FUNAI, H MASON	606 JOHNSTON WILLIS DR NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA 23236-3949	804-794-3281
40.	FUNAI, HEIDI	320 CHURCH ST APT 3 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114-1738	415-874-9149
41.	FUNAI, ITSUKO	11432 82ND PL S SEATTLE, WA 98178-3865
42.	FUNAI, J	KANEOHE, HI 96744	808-236-2355
43.	FUNAI, J Y	PAPAIKOU, HI 96781	808-964-1971
44.	FUNAI, J	RICHMOND, VA 23226	804-918-3578
45.	FUNAI, JANI	4907 LAUDEEN DR NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA 23234-3817	804-447-7796
46.	FUNAI, JANICE	8195 J DAVID LN MECHANICSVILLE, VA 23111-4668	804-746-2956
47.	FUNAI, JEFFREY T	1356 WALNUT RIDGE DR UNIONTOWN, OH 44685-7774	330-899-0618
48.	FUNAI, JESSE	99-616 HOOHALAWAI PL AIEA, HI 96701-3646	808-486-0305
49.	FUNAI, JIMMY S	3291 KILIHUNE PL HONOLULU, HI 96816-2511	808-735-1895
50.	FUNAI, JOHN	KALAHEO, HI 96741	808-332-0644
51.	FUNAI, JOHN	LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL 60156	847-515-2474
52.	FUNAI, JOSEPH	9631 LOCKBERRY RIDGE LOOP NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA 23237-3192	804-279-0499
53.	FUNAI, K	COLUMBUS, OH 43085
54.	FUNAI, KATHLEEN	91-850 KEMIKA PL EWA BEACH, HI 96706-2714
55.	FUNAI, KAZUE	6542 OCEAN CREST DR RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5400	310-377-1452
56.	FUNAI, KEITH	4209 SW SEATTLE ST SEATTLE, WA 98116-1737	206-932-4524
57.	FUNAI, KEITH	RICHMOND, VA 23228	804-422-0373
58.	FUNAI, KEITH	RICHMOND, VA 23234	804-523-3241
59.	FUNAI, KIM	8140 LAKE RD SEVILLE, OH 44273-9131	330-769-2645
60.	FUNAI, L F	CHIPPEWA LAKE, OH 44215	330-769-2388
61.	FUNAI, L	HONOLULU, HI 96813	808-545-2665
62.	FUNAI, LEWIS R	5801 COLLINS RUN PKWY PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA 23140-3042	804-966-9309
63.	FUNAI, M	3644 LEONARD DR ENDICOTT, NY 13760-2412	607-748-0397
64.	FUNAI, M	8975 LINDBERGH BLVD OLMSTED FALLS, OH 44138-2401	440-234-1556
65.	FUNAI, M	DAVIS, CA 95616	530-758-5113
66.	FUNAI, MARY ANNE	23 WIVELISCOMBE NEW ALBANY, OH 43054-7601	614-245-8401
67.	FUNAI, MASAMI	22806 FERN AVE TORRANCE, CA 90505-2934	310-325-5918
68.	FUNAI, MASARU	94-292 WAIPAHU ST WAIPAHU, HI 96797-1452	808-677-5840
69.	FUNAI, MELISSA A	4211 WINDING WILLOW DR TAMPA, FL 33618-8636	813-265-0282
70.	FUNAI, MELVIN T	612 AINAPO ST HONOLULU, HI 96825-1042	808-395-5841
71.	FUNAI, MICHELLE	CLOVIS, CA 93612
72.	FUNAI, NANCY	6973 HAPPY VALLEY RD ANDERSON, CA 96007-9579	530-378-1601
73.	FUNAI, NANCYE	5905 TATTERSALL DR DURHAM, NC 27713-9062	919-797-2003
74.	FUNAI, NATHAN	55 FAIR OAKS AVE LYNN, MA 01904-1735	781-593-5661
75.	FUNAI, NORMA	69726 WEST MEADOW PKWY SISTERS, OR 97759-9660	541-549-2104
76.	FUNAI, P	25 FERNCLIFF AVE SPRINGFIELD, MA 01119-2501	413-783-8933
77.	FUNAI, P	EPPING, NH 03042
78.	FUNAI, PENNY L	313 HARLANDALE DR WILMINGTON, NC 28411-9629	910-686-5347
79.	FUNAI, R	14-23 11TH ST FAIR LAWN, NJ 07410-1956	201-791-0099
80.	FUNAI, R	2209 GELDING WAY BEL AIR, MD 21015-8924	410-569-2813
81.	FUNAI, RICHARD C	313 HARLANDALE DR WILMINGTON, NC 28411-9629	910-686-5347
82.	FUNAI, ROBERT	2016 MONTEREY ST SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101-4604	805-682-1160
83.	FUNAI, RONALD	AIEA, HI 96701	808-487-0194
84.	FUNAI, ROY	1181 KAUMAHANA ST PAHALA, HI 96777	808-928-8378
85.	FUNAI, S	COLUMBUS, OH 43085
86.	FUNAI, S	KANEOHE, HI 96744	808-247-8833
87.	FUNAI, SARAH	1101 FAIRFAX ST RADFORD, VA 24141-5341	540-731-3188
88.	FUNAI, SATSUKI	PAHALA, HI 96777
89.	FUNAI, STEVEN	METHUEN, MA 01844
90.	FUNAI, T	1443 KEALIA DR HONOLULU, HI 96817-1956	808-845-8491
91.	FUNAI, T	W 149 HAWTHORNE, CA 90250
92.	FUNAI, TOSHIO	REDMOND, WA 98052
93.	FUNAI, TROY	HILO, HI 96720	808-934-7951
94.	FUNAI, V	1941 VISTA DEL MAR SAN MATEO, CA 94404-2493	650-578-8019
95.	FUNAI, V	BOTHELL, WA 98011	425-408-1118
96.	FUNAI, VIRGIL	8195 J DAVID LN MECHANICSVILLE, VA 23111-4668	804-746-2956
97.	FUNAI, VONDA	HONOLULU, HI 96821	808-377-1357
98.	FUNAI, WILLIAM	16637 BRATTICE MILL RD CHESTERFIELD, VA 23838-1726
99.	FUNAI, WILLIAM	15223 S DES PLAINES ST PLAINFIELD, IL 60544-2815	815-436-5939
100.	FUNAI, WILLIAM P	825 GREEN PASTURES LN KING WILLIAM, VA 23086	804-769-7703

 

LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier

Search:	Public Records : Surname
Terms:	last-name(FUNAI) maxresults(500)
Date/Time:	Friday, May 23, 2014 4:15 PM
Permissible Use:	DPPA - I have no permissible use GLBA - I have no permissible use

 

 

Copyright © 2014 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR

U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED

ON 6/2/2014 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 86191639

 

Please follow the instructions below:

 

(1)  TO READ THE LETTER:  Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.uspto.gov,enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on “Documents.”

 

The Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24 hours of this e-mail notification.

 

(2)  TIMELY RESPONSE IS REQUIRED:  Please carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond, and (2) the applicable response time period.  Your response deadline will be calculated from 6/2/2014 (or sooner if specified in the Office action).  For information regarding response time periods, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/responsetime.jsp.

 

Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise e-mail your response because the USPTO does NOT accept e-mails as responses to Office actions.  Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) response form located at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.

 

(3)  QUESTIONS:  For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  For technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail TSDR@uspto.gov.

 

WARNING

 

Failure to file the required response by the applicable response deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.  For more information regarding abandonment, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/basics/abandon.jsp.

 

PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:  Private companies not associated with the USPTO are using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  These companies often use names that closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.  Many solicitations require that you pay “fees.” 

 

Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.  All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.”  For more information on how to handle private company solicitations, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.