UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER

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: 6/21/2019

 

The assigned trademark examining attorney has reviewed the referenced application and has determined the following:

 

SEARCH CONDUCTED

 

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).

 

ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS AND/OR SERVICES REQUIRED

 

Applicant has elected to use wording in the identification of goods and/or services that is not found in the U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual.  The wording that applicant has chosen to use instead does not meet the standards set forth in the Manual and is unacceptable. 

 

The exact nature of some of the goods and/or services and their correct classification cannot be determined from this wording. See TMEP §1402.01, 1402.03.  Applicant must amend this wording to specify the common commercial or generic name for the services.  If there is no common commercial or generic name for the services, then applicant must describe the nature of the services as well as their main purpose, channels of trade, and the intended consumer(s). 

 

In the identification of goods, applicant must use the common commercial or generic names for the goods, 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 such as “accessories,” “apparatus,” “components,” “devices,” “equipment,” “materials,” “parts,” “systems,” or “products,” such words must be followed by “namely,” followed by a list of the specific goods identified by their common commercial or generic names.  See TMEP §§1401.05(d), 1402.03(a).

 

The wording “consultancy information and advisory services relating to the aforesaid” in the identification of services is indefinite and must be (1) clarified to specify the common commercial or generic name for the services, or (2) deleted.  See TMEP §§1402.01, 1402.03(a).  This wording constitutes an open-ended “catch-all” word or phrase and is not acceptable because it fails to identify specific services.

 

Applicant must use the common commercial or generic name for the goods and services, be specific and all-inclusive, and avoid using indefinite words or phrases.  TMEP §§1402.01, 1402.03(a). 

 

Applicant must amend this wording to specify the common commercial or generic name for the goods and/or services.  If there is no common commercial or generic name for the goods and/or services, then applicant must describe the nature of the goods and/or services as well as their main purpose, channels of trade, and the intended consumer(s).  See TMEP §1402.01.

 

The following wording is acceptable, for example, if accurate:

 

Class 9

Satellites and structural parts thereof; telecommunications, broadband, data communications and satellite communications apparatus and instruments, namely, [indicate apparatus by common commercial name]; satellite communications terminals; communications apparatus and instruments, namely, [indicate apparatus by common commercial name]; satellite dishes; satellite earth stations; computer software programs for the operation, management and analysis of satellite communications systems

 

Class 37

Installation, maintenance and repair services for satellite communications terminals, apparatus and devices; installation, maintenance and repair services for satellite communications featuring remote diagnostic services for the functioning of satellite communications terminals, apparatus and devices and installations

 

Class 38

Broadcasting and transmission of data, visual images, sound, graphics and other information; broadcasting via a computer network; communication and broadcasting services over the Internet; communications services, namely, transmission of voice, audio, visual images and data by telecommunications networks, wireless communication networks, the Internet, information services networks and data networks; electronic mail services; leasing of communications apparatus; leasing of bandwidth; providing user access to the Internet; satellite communications services; satellite transmission services; satellite transmission featuring satellite communications network operator services

 

Class 42

Design and development of systems, apparatus and instruments for the provision of satellite communication services; design and development of computer software, computer systems and infrastructures for the operation of satellite communications equipment and satellite communications services

 

See TMEP §1402.01.

 

For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and/or services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual at http://tess2.gov.uspto.report/netahtml/tidm.html.  See TMEP §1402.04.

 

An applicant may only amend an identification to clarify or limit the goods and/or services, but not to add to or broaden the scope of the goods and/or services.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); see TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07.

 

The specific problems with the identification discussed above are provided for clarity only.  Applicant should review the entire identification to ensure that it accurately identifies applicant’s goods and/or services using common commercial wording. 

 

It is the applicant’s duty to identify the goods and/or services, and any goods and/or services deleted from the application by amendment may not be reinserted at a later point in prosecution.  TMEP §1402.01(e). 

 

Applicant may find acceptable identification wording by: 1) using the sample wording provided in the Identification Manual for this purpose; 2) researching the Register for wording that has recently been accepted by the Office and is consistent with the current rules governing identifications; 3) using wording that is the common name widely used in the relevant industry or trade; or 4) drafting wording that otherwise complies with the requirements described in the Code of Federal Regulations as exemplified by the entries in the Identification Manual. 

 

FOREIGN REGISTRATION REQUIRED

 

The application specifies a basis under Trademark Act Section 44(e); however, it does not include a copy of a foreign registration.  An application with a Section 44(e) basis must include a true copy, photocopy, certification, or certified copy of a foreign registration from an applicant’s country of origin.  15 U.S.C. §1126(e); 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(3)(ii); TMEP §§1004, 1004.01, 1016.  In addition, the applicant’s country of origin must be a party to a convention or treaty relating to trademarks to which the United States is also a party, or must extend reciprocal registration rights to nationals of the United States by law.  15 U.S.C. §1126(b); TMEP §§1002.01, 1004.

 

A copy of a foreign registration must consist of a document issued to an applicant by, or certified by, the intellectual property office in the applicant’s country of origin.  TMEP §1004.01.  If an applicant’s country of origin does not issue registrations or Madrid Protocol certificates of extension of protection, the applicant may submit a copy of the Madrid Protocol international registration that shows that protection of the international registration has been extended to the applicant’s country of origin.  TMEP §1016.

 

Therefore, applicant must provide a copy of the foreign registration from applicant’s country of origin.  If the foreign registration is not written in English, applicant must also provide an English translation.  37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(3)(ii); TMEP §1004.01(a)-(b).  The translation should be signed by the translator.  TMEP §1004.01(b).

REQUIREMENT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

The applicant must respond to the following questions for the application record:

1)    What is the meaning and significance of the wording “hy” in relation to applicant’s goods and/or services?

 

This information is necessary to evaluate accurately and fully the registrability of the applicant’s proposed designation. 37 C.F.R. Section 2.61(b); TMEP §814.  If the applicant does not provide the information required herein, registration may be refused.  The Trademark Rules of Practice have the effect of law and failure to comply with a request for information is grounds for refusal of registration.  See, e.g., In re Joseph Edward Page, 1999 TTAB LEXIS 229 (TTAB 1999); In re Babies Beat, Inc., 13 USPQ2d 1729 (TTAB 1990); In re Big Daddy's Lounges, Inc., 200 USPQ 371 (TTAB 1978); In re Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 192 USPQ2d 84, 85-86 (TTAB 1976); and In re Morrison Industries, Inc., 178 USPQ 432, 433-34 (TTAB 1973).   

 

By presenting to the Office any paper, including a response, the practitioner is certifying that all statements made therein of the party’s own knowledge are true and are, to the best of the party's knowledge, information and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances, made with the knowledge that any practitioner who knowingly and willfully falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or material fact, or knowingly and willfully makes any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations, or knowingly and willfully makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry, shall be subject to the penalties set forth under 18 U.S.C. §1001 and any other applicable criminal statute, and violations of the provisions of this section may jeopardize the probative value of the paper.  See 37 CFR §11.18(b)(2). 

 

RESPONSE GUIDELINES

 

There is no required format or form for responding to an Office action.  The Office recommends applicants use the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) to respond to Office actions online at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/index.html.  However, if applicant responds on paper via regular mail, the response should include the title “Response to Office Action” and the following information:  (1) the name and law office number of the examining attorney, (2) the serial number and filing date of the application, (3) the mailing date of this Office action, (4) applicant’s name, address, telephone number and e-mail address (if applicable), and (5) the mark.  37 C.F.R. §2.194(b)(1); TMEP §302.03(a).

 

The response should address each refusal and/or requirement raised in the Office action.  If a refusal has issued, applicant can argue against the refusal; i.e., applicant can submit arguments and evidence as to why the refusal should be withdrawn and the mark should register.  To respond to requirements, applicant should set forth in writing the required changes or statements and request that the Office enter them into the application record.

 

E-mail may not be used to file responses to Office actions.  These documents may be filed electronically using TEAS.  TMEP § 304.02.  Further, e-mail may not be used to request an advisory opinion as to the likelihood of overcoming a refusal or requirement. 

 

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ACTION

 

As noted above, if applicant has technical questions about the TEAS response to Office action form, applicant can review the electronic filing tips available online at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/e_filing_tips.jsp and send technical questions to TEAS@uspto.gov via e-mail.

 

For status inquiries, an applicant may check the status of or view documents filed in his or her trademark and/or service mark application or registration 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) database on the USPTO website at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/.  To obtain this status or view these documents, enter the application serial number or registration number and click on “Status” or “Documents.”

 

For all other non-legal matters, including petitions to revive or reinstate an application, please contact the Trademark Assistance Center (TAC).  TAC may be reached by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or by telephone at (800) 786-9199.  For non-technical matters, TAC is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), Monday through Friday, except on federal government holidays.  A list of federal government holidays is available at the following website: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/#url=2014.

 

If applicant has questions regarding the legal issues in this Office action, applicant may call the assigned trademark examining attorney.

 

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.  

 

 

 

/efennessy/

Edward Fennessy

Examining Attorney, Law Office 114

571-272-8804

Edward.Fennessy@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.

 

 

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR

U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION

 

USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED

ON 6/21/2019 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 88381265

 

Please follow the instructions below:

 

(1)  TO READ THE LETTER:  Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.uspto.gov,enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on “Documents.”

 

The Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24 hours of this e-mail notification.

 

(2)  TIMELY RESPONSE IS REQUIRED:  Please carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond, and (2) the applicable response time period.  Your response deadline will be calculated from 6/21/2019 (or sooner if specified in the Office action).  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.  For information regarding response time periods, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/responsetime.jsp.

 

Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise e-mail your response because the USPTO does NOT accept e-mails as responses to Office actions.  Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the TEAS response form located at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.

 

(3)  QUESTIONS:  For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  For technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail TSDR@uspto.gov.

 

WARNING

 

Failure to file the required response by the applicable response deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.  For more information regarding abandonment, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/basics/abandon.jsp.

 

PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:  Private companies not associated with the USPTO are using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  These companies often use names that closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.  Many solicitations require that you pay “fees.” 

 

Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.  All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.”  For more information on how to handle private company solicitations, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.