To: | Microsoft Corporation (pctrademarks@perkinscoie.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 88095745 - M12 - 41827-5012 |
Sent: | 11/13/2018 4:48:21 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. 88095745
MARK: M12
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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: Microsoft Corporation
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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: 11/13/2018
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.
SEARCH FOR 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).
PLEASE NOTE: Applicant is encouraged to telephone or email the trademark examining attorney to resolve the issues raised below by authorizing an examiner’s amendment.
Applicant must respond to the following requirements.
IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS/SERVICES
GENERAL GUIDELINES
In the identification of services, applicant must use the common commercial or generic names for the services, be as complete and specific as possible, and avoid the use of indefinite words and phrases. TMEP §1402.03(a). If applicant uses indefinite words and phrases such as "services in connection with," "such as," "including," "and like services," "concepts," or "not limited to," such wording must be followed by "namely," and a list of the specific services identified by their common commercial or generic names. See id.
Applicant may amend the identification to list only those items that are within the scope of the goods/services set forth in the application or within the scope of a previously accepted amendment to the identification. See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07.
Unacceptable identification
PLEASE NOTE: Recommended changes and suggestions to applicant’s identification have been highlighted in bold. If the recommended changes and suggestions contain brackets, applicant must remove any brackets from the identification and incorporate the bracketed information into the amended description.
Class 035
Applicant filed the following identification:
“Organizing, promoting, and conducting conferences, exhibitions, tradeshows and events in the fields of computers, technology, computer programming, computer software, computer games, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud-based technology, Internet technology, big data analytics, business management, business development, entrepreneurship and venture capital financing; Arranging and conducting business competitions for entrepreneurs and emerging and startup companies to compete for seed capital to finance business activities; Organizing, promoting, and conducting conferences, exhibitions, tradeshows and events in the field of innovation”
Some of the wording in the identification of goods and/or services above is indefinite and must be clarified because the exact nature of the goods and/or services is unclear. See TMEP §§1402.01, 1402.03. Applicant must specify the common commercial or generic name for the goods and/or services. If there is no common commercial or generic name, applicant must describe the goods and/or services, the intended consumer as well as its main purpose, channels of trade and intended uses.
Specifically, the nature of the goods/services requires further specification to ensure appropriate classification.
The following substitute identification with amended wording is suggested, if appropriate:
“Organizing, promoting, and conducting conferences, exhibitions, tradeshows and events FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES in the fields of computers, technology, computer programming, computer software, computer games, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud-based technology, Internet technology, big data analytics, business management, business development, entrepreneurship and venture capital financing; BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICES, NAMELY, ADMINISTRATION OF COMPETITIONS FOR entrepreneurs and emerging and startup companies to compete for seed capital to finance business activities; Organizing, promoting, and conducting conferences, exhibitions, tradeshows and events FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES in the field of innovation” in Class 035
Note:
1. Applicant is encouraged to reference the Manual of Acceptable Identifications of Goods and Services for common commercial names. http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html.
Class 036
Identification acceptable as filed.
Class 41
Identification acceptable as filed.
SIGNIFICANCE INQUIRY
Applicant must explain whether “M12” has any meaning or significance in the industry in which the goods and/or services are manufactured/provided, or if such wording is a “term of art” within applicant’s industry. See 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §814. Applicant must also explain whether this wording identifies a geographic place. See 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §814.
Failure to respond to a request for information is an additional ground for refusing registration. See In re Cheezwhse.com, Inc., 85 USPQ2d 1917, 1919 (TTAB 2008); In re DTI P’ship LLP, 67 USPQ2d 1699, 1701 (TTAB 2003); TMEP §814.
RESPONSE
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.
/Paul A. Moreno/
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Attorney
Law Office 103
571-272-2651
paul.moreno@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.