To: | Thermo King Corporation (mail@iphorgan.com) |
Subject: | U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 88112752 - TK - IRC 8834 US |
Sent: | 10/12/2018 11:20:35 AM |
Sent As: | ECOM110@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. 88112752
MARK: TK
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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: Thermo King 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: 10/12/2018
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.
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.
Summary of Issues That Applicant Must Address:
(1) Specimen Unacceptable (CLASS 38 only)
(2) Identification of Goods and Services Requires Amendment
Search Results:
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).
Specimen Unacceptable:
THIS PARTIAL REFUSAL APPLIES TO CLASS 38 ONLY
Registration is refused because the specimen does not show the applied-for mark in use in commerce in International Class(es) 38. Trademark Act Sections 1 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a), 1301.04(g)(i). Specifically, the specimen appears as a screenshot for the applicant’s website; however, the specimen does not show the services identified, namely, the transmission of data or the telematics services.
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 or amendment to allege use. 15 U.S.C. §1051(a)(1); 37 C.F.R. §§2.34(a)(1)(iv), 2.56(a); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a).
Examples of specimens for services include advertising and marketing materials, brochures, photographs of business signage and billboards, and webpages that show the mark used in the actual sale, rendering, or advertising of the services. See TMEP §1301.04(a), (h)(iv)(C). Specimens comprising advertising and promotional materials must show a direct association between the mark and the services. TMEP §1301.04(f)(ii).
Applicant may respond to this refusal by satisfying one of the following for each applicable international class:
(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 services identified in the application or amendment to allege use. A “verified substitute specimen” is a specimen that is accompanied by the following statement made in a signed affidavit or supported by a declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20: “The substitute (or new, or originally submitted, if appropriate) specimen(s) was/were in use in commerce at least as early as the filing date of the application or prior to the filing of the amendment to allege use.” The substitute specimen cannot be accepted without this statement.
(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.
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.
Identification of Goods and Services Requires Amendment:
The identification of goods in classes 09 and 38 are indefinite, overly broad and must be clarified. See TMEP §1402.01. Specifically:
Applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate: (changes made in bold):
Class 09: computer software for data storage for providing food safety, regulatory conformity, fleet usage, and data control; computer software for data transfer to provide food safety, regulatory conformity, fleet usage, and data control; computer software for data management to provide food safety, regulatory conformity, fleet usage, and data control; downloadable mobile application for enabling wireless connection and for providing real-time access to data and information, namely, data and information to improve the efficiency of operations and quality of delivered cargo; telematics apparatus, namely, wireless devices and wireless networks {specify e.g., repeaters, extenders} for providing telematics services and have a cellular phone function, and for measuring, sending, receiving, and storing information relating to the cargo, climate, operation, and location of refrigeration systems via wireless devices to mobile phones, tablet computers, wireless connection devices, third party servers, and computers at remote locations; computer software for vehicle fleet management using GPS (global positioning system) technology to collect and transmit vehicle data such as speed, location, delivery and shipping status, refrigeration temperature, and other conditions in the nature of {Specify type of conditions}.
Class 38: telematics services, namely, telematic sending of data and information relating to food safety, regulatory conformity, fleet usage, and data control; telematics services, namely, telematic sending of data relating to the cargo, climate, operation, and location of refrigeration systems via wireless devices to mobile phones, computer tablets, wireless connected devices, third party servers, and computers at remote locations; telematics services, namely, telematic sending of data and information relating to refrigeration temperature and unit operating parameters in refrigeration units for trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and rail cars and for monitoring and controlling refrigeration temperature and unit operating parameters in refrigeration units for trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and rail cars; electronic transmission of data and information via wireless communications networks and via the Internet for vehicle fleet management to provide information regarding vehicle data such as speed, location, delivery and shipping status, refrigeration temperature and other conditions and for controlling such vehicle functions
Please further note that, while an application may be amended to clarify or limit the identification, additions to the identification are not permitted. 37 C.F.R. Section 2.71(a); TMEP § 1402.06. Therefore, the applicant may not amend to include any goods and services that are not within the scope of goods and services set forth in the original identification.
The applicant is encouraged to consult the PTO’s Acceptable ID Manual, which is available on the Patent and Trademark Office’s home page at http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html. The Manual includes explanations and notices of classification policy. The Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual sets out acceptable language for identifying goods and services of various types. Utilizing identification language from the Manual may enable trademark owners to avoid problems relating to indefiniteness with respect to the goods or services identified in their applications for registration; however, applicants should note that they must assert actual use in commerce or a bona fide intent to use the mark in commerce for the goods or services specified. TMEP Section 1402.04.
Assistance:
/Eliana Torres/
Examining Attorney
Law Office 110
(571) 272-6907
Eliana.Torres@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.