Suspension Letter

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application

 

 

 

SUSPENSION NOTICE

No Response Required

 

 

Issue date:  November 26, 2019

 

The application is suspended for the reason(s) specified below.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.67; TMEP §§716 et seq. 

 

The pending application(s) below has an earlier filing date or effective filing date than applicant’s application.  If the mark in the application(s) below registers, the USPTO may refuse registration of applicant’s mark under Section 2(d) because of a likelihood of confusion with the registered mark(s). 15 U.S.C. §1052(d); see 37 C.F.R. §2.83; TMEP §§1208.02(c). Action on this application is suspended until the prior-filed application(s) below either registers or abandons.  37 C.F.R. §2.83(c).  Information relevant to the application(s) below was sent previously.

 

            - U.S. Application Serial No(s). 87080411, 88121515, and 88248151

 

Refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) maintained and continued. 

 

The following refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) is/are maintained and continued: 

 

• Identification of Goods Requirement

 

See TMEP §713.02.

 

Please note that the above requirement is maintained and continued because the wording “downloadable software featuring recipes and information about cooking” is not acceptable.  This wording does not describe “the purpose or function of the software” because, while the word “featuring” indicates that “recipes and information about cooking” are features, qualities, or characteristics of the software, this word does not indicate “[t]he action or purpose for which” the software “is suited or employed”.  See TMEP §1402.03(d); http://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=feature (defining a feature as “A prominent or distinctive part, quality, or characteristic”); http://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=function (defining a “function” as “[t]he action or purpose for which a person or thing is suited or employed”). 

The USPTO requires such specificity defining the purpose or function of computer software in order for a trademark examining attorney to examine the application properly and make appropriate decisions concerning possible conflicts between the applicant’s mark and other marks.  See In re N.A.D. Inc., 57 USPQ2d 1872, 1874 (TTAB 2000); TMEP §1402.03(d).  The following are examples of acceptable identifications in International Class 9:  “recorded desktop publishing software” and “downloadable mobile applications for managing bank accounts.” 

Please note that the following amendment would satisfy the outstanding identification of goods requirement, if accurate:

 

Class 9:           Downloadable software for controlling and monitoring cooking equipment; downloadable software for providing recipes and information about cooking

 

            Class 11:         Sous-vide machines; electric sous-vide cookers

 

Stylized text indicates changes

 

Suspension process.  The USPTO will periodically check this application to determine if it should remain suspended.  See TMEP §716.04.  As needed, the trademark examining attorney will issue a letter to applicant to inquire about the status of the reason for the suspension.  TMEP §716.05. 

 

No response required.  Applicant may file a response, but is not required to do so. 

 

 

/Matthew Tully/

Matthew Tully

Trademark Examining Attorney

Law Office 105

(571) 270-5943

matthew.tully@uspto.gov

 

 

 

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

 

USPTO OFFICIAL NOTICE

 

Office Action (Official Letter) has issued

on November 26, 2019 for

U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88328437

 

Your trademark application has been reviewed by a trademark examining attorney.  As part of that review, the assigned attorney has issued an official letter.  Please follow the steps below.

 

(1)  Read the official letter.  No response is necessary.

 

(2)  Direct questions about the contents of the Office action to the assigned attorney below. 

 

Tully, Matthew

 

 

Direct questions about navigating USPTO electronic forms, the USPTO website, the application process, the status of your application, and/or whether there are outstanding deadlines or documents related to your file to the Trademark Assistance Center (TAC).

 

 

 

GENERAL GUIDANCE

·       Check the status of your application periodically in the Trademark Status & Document Retrieval (TSDR) database to avoid missing critical deadlines.

 

·       Update your correspondence email address, if needed, to ensure you receive important USPTO notices about your application.

 

·       Beware of misleading notices sent by private companies about your application.  Private companies not associated with the USPTO use public information available in trademark registrations to mail and email trademark-related offers and notices – most of which require fees.  All official USPTO correspondence will only be emailed from the domain “@uspto.gov.”