To: | Netflix, Inc. (docket@hollandhart.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 87479414 - NETFLIX - 80936.1224 |
Sent: | 9/7/2017 5:48:27 PM |
Sent As: | ECOM103@USPTO.GOV |
Attachments: |
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 87479414
MARK: NETFLIX
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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: Netflix, Inc.
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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. A RESPONSE TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE TRADEMARK ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SYSTEM (TEAS) MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME OF THE LAST DAY OF THE RESPONSE PERIOD.
ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 9/7/2017
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).
However, before the application can proceed, the Applicant must respond timely and completely to the issue(s) below. 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62, 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.
Identification of Goods
The identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified because it includes wording that does not adequately describe the goods. See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01. “The purpose of the identification of goods [and/or services] is to provide the general population, including consumers and members of the relevant industry, with an understandable description of the goods and services, which is done by using the common commercial name for the goods [and/or services].” In re Gulf Coast Nutritionals, Inc., 106 USPQ2d 1243, 1247 (TTAB 2013) (citing In re Sones, 590 F.3d 1282, 1289, 93 USPQ2d 1118, 1124 (Fed. Cir. 2009)). If there is no common, ordinary name for the goods and/or services, applicant should describe the goods and/or services using wording that would be generally understood by the average person. See Schenley Indus., Inc. v. Battistoni, 112 USPQ 485, 486 (Comm’r Pats. 1957); Cal. Spray-Chem. Corp. v. Osmose Wood Pres. Co. of Am., 102 USPQ 321, 322 (Comm’r Pats. 1954); TMEP §1402.01.
An in depth knowledge of the relevant field should not be necessary for understanding a description of the goods and/or services. TMEP §1402.01. “[T]echnical, high-sounding verbiage” should be avoided. Cal. Spray-Chem. Corp. v. Osmose Wood Pres. Co. of Am., 102 USPQ at 322.
Applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate:
International Class 16: Calendars; greeting cards; posters; paper; stationery; envelopes; postcards; stickers; bumper stickers; decals; art prints; framed art pictures; crayons; markers; pencils; pencil erasers; pencil sharpeners; chalk; color pencils; pens; ballpoint pens; felt pens; pen and pencil cases and boxes; gift wrapping paper; gift bags; paper party decorations; paper cake decorations; decorative paper centerpieces; printed invitations; COLLECTIBLE TRADING CARDS; temporary tattoo transfers; paper napkins; handkerchiefs and table linen of paper; party goodie bags of paper or plastic; plastic shopping bags; dry erase writing boards and writing surfaces; packaging boxes of paper; notebooks; appointment books; craft paper; folders for paper; paper mache figurines; paperweights; paper lunch bags; flash cards; bookmarks; book ends; money clips; paper clips; passport holders; loose leaf binders; diaries; daily planners; scrapbook albums; photograph albums; rubber stamps; drawing rulers; easels; modeling clay; painting sets for children; arts and crafts paint kits; arts and crafts clay kits; arts and crafts paper kits; stencils; children's activity books; baby books; coloring books; series of fiction books; books featuring stories, games, and activities for children; graphic novels; comic books; books and magazines featuring characters from animated, action adventure, comedy and/or drama motion pictures and television shows; printed patterns for making clothes; non-magnetically encoded gift cards; holders for non-magnetically encoded gift cards; gift boxes containing note cards
If the applicant has any questions or needs assistance in responding to this Office action, please email the assigned examining attorney or call the trademark helpline at 571-272-9250.
TEAS PLUS OR TEAS REDUCED FEE (TEAS RF) APPLICANTS – TO MAINTAIN LOWER FEE, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, INCLUDING SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Applicants who filed their application online using the lower-fee TEAS Plus or TEAS RF application form must (1) file certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to Office actions (see TMEP §§819.02(b), 820.02(b) for a complete list of these documents); (2) maintain a valid e-mail correspondence address; and (3) agree to receive correspondence from the USPTO by e-mail throughout the prosecution of the application. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.22(b), 2.23(b); TMEP §§819, 820. TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional processing fee of $125 per class of goods and/or services. 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(v), 2.22(c), 2.23(c); TMEP §§819.04, 820.04. However, in certain situations, TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants may respond to an Office action by authorizing an examiner’s amendment by telephone or e-mail without incurring this additional fee.
/tmm/
Theodore McBride
Law Office 103
HELP LINE: 571-272-9250
theodore.mcbride1@uspto.gov
phone: 571-272-9281
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.