To: | Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (fbhatti@buchalter.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4714823 - ENCOMPASS - N/A |
Sent: | 12/31/20 07:38:59 AM |
Sent As: | prg@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Owner’s Trademark Registration
U.S. Registration No. 4714823
Mark: ENCOMPASS
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Correspondence Address: Buchalter, A Professional Corporation |
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Owner: Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc.
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Reference/Docket No. N/A
Correspondence Email Address: |
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OFFICE ACTION
The USPTO must receive the owner’s response to this letter within the time period specified below. Respond using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). A link to the appropriate TEAS response form appears below.
Issue date: December 31, 2020
The Sections 8 & 15 Combined Affidavit was received on October 5, 2020. The Section 15 portion of the Combined Affidavit can be acknowledged. However, the Section 8 portion is not accepted for the reason(s) set forth below.
Material that functions merely to tell prospective purchasers about the goods, or to promote the sale of the goods, is unacceptable to show trademark use. TMEP §904.04(b). Invoices, business cards, announcements, price lists, listings in trade directories, order forms, bills of lading, leaflets, brochures, advertising circulars and other printed advertising material, while normally acceptable for showing use in connection with services, generally are not acceptable specimens for showing trademark use in connection with goods. See In re MediaShare Corp., 43 USPQ2d 1304, 1307 (TTAB 1997); In re Schiapparelli Searle, 26 USPQ2d 1520, 1522 (TTAB 1993); TMEP §904.04(b)-(c).
The owner may respond by submitting:
(1) A substitute specimen showing current use of the registered mark in commerce for each class of goods specified in the registration; and
(2) The following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20: “The substitute specimen was in use in commerce during the relevant period for filing the 6-year Section 8.” 37 C.F.R. §2.161(g); TMEP §1604.12(c).
Examples of specimens. Electronic specimens may be an image, such as a photograph or scanned copy, of the physical specimen. Specimens for goods include an image of (1) the actual goods bearing the mark; (2) labels or tags shown attached to the goods or including informational matter that typically appears on a tag or label in use in commerce for these types of goods; (3) an actual container or packaging for the goods bearing the mark; or (4) a point-of-sale display showing the mark directly associated with the goods. See 37 C.F.R. §2.56(b)(1), (c); TMEP §904.03(a)-(m). A webpage specimen submitted as a display associated with the goods must show the mark in association with a picture or textual description of the goods and include information necessary for ordering the goods. See 37 C.F.R. §2.56(b)(1), (c); TMEP §904.03(i). Any webpage printout or screenshot submitted as a specimen must include the webpage’s URL and the date it was accessed or printed. 37 C.F.R. §2.56(c).
The owner was using the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods and/or services identified in the registration for which use of the mark in commerce is claimed, as evidenced by the submitted specimen, during the relevant period for filing the 6-year Section 8.
The undersigned, being hereby warned that willful false statements and the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under 18 U.S.C. §1001, and that such willful false statement may jeopardize the validity of this document, declares that s/he is properly authorized to execute this document on behalf of the owner, and all statements made of his/her own knowledge are true and that all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true.
__________________________
Signature of Authorized Person
__________________________
Type or Print Name
__________________________
Date
The following persons are properly authorized to sign a Section 8 Affidavit on behalf of the owner:
(1) A person with legal authority to bind the owner (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 owner; or
(3) An authorized attorney who has an actual written or verbal power of attorney or an implied power of attorney from the owner.
37 C.F.R. §§2.161(b), 2.193(e)(1); TMEP §1604.08(a).
DEFICIENCY SURCHARGE INFORMATION: If the response to this Office action is received by the Office after date of 6th year anniversary, a $100 deficiency surcharge must be submitted. 37 C.F.R. §§2.6, 2.164(a)(1); TMEP §1604.17(a). (Note: This only applies when the response time deadline above falls after the 6th year anniversary date.)
ADVISORY: If a response to this Office action is not filed within the response deadline above, and time remains in the grace period, the owner may avoid cancellation of its registration by filing a new affidavit of use within the grace period. 37 C.F.R. §2.163(c). Additional fees are required to file a new affidavit during the grace period. 37 C.F.R. §2.161(d)(1)-(2). For more information about this, please contact the undersigned.
How to respond. Click to file a Response to Post-Registration Office action.
Direct questions about this Office action to the Post Registration staff member below.
/Whitsey, Tamika/
Trademark Specialist
571-272-4321
RESPONSE GUIDANCE