To: | Minnesota Public Radio (govtfiling@mpr.org) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88493426 - T H E C U R R E N T - N/A |
Sent: | August 27, 2019 02:48:31 PM |
Sent As: | ecom105@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 88493426
Mark: T H E C U R R E N T
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Correspondence Address:
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Applicant: Minnesota Public Radio
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Reference/Docket No. N/A
Correspondence Email Address: |
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The USPTO must receive applicant’s response to this letter within six months of the issue date below or the application will be abandoned. Respond using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). A link to the appropriate TEAS response form appears at the end of this Office action.
Issue date: August 27, 2019
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 OF OFFICE’S DATABASE OF 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).
SUMMARY OF ISSUES
IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SERVICES
The identification of services is indefinite and must be clarified because the wording “broadcasting services” must indicate the type of broadcasting, e.g., radio, television, satellite, and the wording “streaming audio and delivery of audio and visual programs in the field of music, music news, culture, and the arts accessible via the Internet and portable and wireless communication devices” is misclassified as it is a Class 038 service. See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01. The USPTO has the discretion to determine the degree of particularity needed to clearly identify goods and/or services covered by a mark. In re Fiat Grp. Mktg. & Corp. Commc’ns S.p.A, 109 USPQ2d 1593, 1597 (TTAB 2014) (citing In re Omega SA, 494 F.3d 1362, 1365, 83 USPQ2d 1541, 1543-44 (Fed. Cir. 2007)). Accordingly, the USPTO requires the description of goods and/or services in a U.S. application to be specific, definite, clear, accurate, and concise. TMEP §1402.01; see In re Fiat Grp. Mktg. & Corp. Commc’ns S.p.A, 109 USPQ2d at 1597-98; Cal. Spray-Chem. Corp. v. Osmose Wood Pres. Co. of Am., 102 USPQ 321, 322 (Comm’r Pats. 1954).
Suggested Amendments
Suggested amendments appear below in bold, explanatory information appears in brackets and should is not part of the identification, and matter to be deleted, if any, is struck through. Please note that these suggestions are illustrative and not exhaustive. Applicant should refer to the Identification Manual referenced below for further guidance and suggestions of acceptable identifications.
Applicant may adopt the following identification, if accurate:
Class 038: Radio broadcasting services in the field of music, music news, culture and the arts rendered through the media of radio and satellite systems, and via the Internet and portable and wireless communication devices; streaming of audio, audio broadcasting, transmission and delivery of audio content in the field of music, music news, culture and the arts via radio and satellite systems, and via the Internet and portable and wireless communication devices; streaming audio and delivery of audio and audio visual programs in the field of music, music news, culture and the arts accessible via the Internet and portable and wireless communication devices {moved from Class 041}
Class 041: Entertainment and educational services, namely, a series of audio and audio-visual programs in the field of music, music news,
culture and the arts accessible via radio broadcast, the Internet and portable and wireless communication devices; streaming audio and delivery of audio and audio
visual programs in the field of music, music news, culture and the arts accessible via the Internet and portable and wireless communication devices {moved to Class 038”
Advisory
For assistance with identifying and classifying goods and services in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual. See TMEP §1402.04.
AMENDED MARK DESCRIPTION REQUIRED
Applicant must submit a description of the mark, because one was not included in the application. 37 C.F.R. §2.37; see TMEP §§808.01, 808.02. Applications for marks not in standard characters must include an accurate and concise description of the entire mark that identifies all the literal and design elements. See 37 C.F.R. §2.37; TMEP §§808.01, 808.02, 808.03(b). In this case, the drawing of the mark is not in standard characters. A complete description must identify all the literal and design elements in the mark and specify where the colors appear in those elements. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.37, 2.52(b)(1); TMEP §§807.07(a) et seq. The color of the space between the ovals was not indicated even though white is claimed.
The following description is suggested, if accurate:
The mark consists of the letters “T H E” in white over the letters “C U R R E N T” in white with the letters “T H E” centered over the letters U R within a red oval with a white space and surrounded by a thin red oval.
MARK ON SPECIMEN AND MARK ON DRAWING FAIL TO MATCH
Registration is refused because the specimen does not show the mark in the drawing in use in commerce in International Class(es) 038 and 041, which is required in the application or amendment to allege use. 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). The mark appearing on the specimen and in the drawing must match; that is, the mark in the drawing “must be a substantially exact representation of the mark” on the specimen. See 37 C.F.R. §2.51(a)-(b); TMEP §807.12(a).
In this case, the specimen displays the mark as “THE CURRENT” inside an incomplete oval design with the top and bottom portions of the oval missing. However, the drawing displays the mark as “THE CURRENT” inside a complete oval design. The mark on the specimen does not match the mark in the drawing because it is missing the entire oval design that is present in the drawing as it cuts off the top and bottom portions of the oval. Applicant has thus failed to provide the required evidence of use of the mark in commerce. See TMEP §807.12(a).
Applicant may respond to this refusal by satisfying one of the following:
(1) Submit a new drawing of the mark that shows the mark on the specimen and, if appropriate, an amendment of the description and/or color claim that agrees with the new drawing. See 37 C.F.R. §2.72(a)-(b). The following amended description is suggested, if accurate: “The mark consists of the letters “T H E” in white over the letters “C U R R E N T” in white with the letters “T H E” centered over the letters U R within a red oval with a white space and surrounded by a thin red oval.” Applicant may amend the mark in the drawing to match the mark on the specimen but may not make any other changes or amendments that would materially alter the drawing of the mark. See 37 C.F.R. §2.72(a)-(b); TMEP §807.14.
(2) Submit a different specimen (a verified “substitute” specimen) for each applicable international class that (a) shows the mark in the drawing in actual use in commerce for the goods and/or services in the application or amendment to allege use, and (b) 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.
Examples of specimens for goods include tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or packaging, and displays associated with the actual goods at their point of sale. See TMEP §§904.03 et seq. Webpages may also be specimens for goods when they include a picture or textual description of the goods associated with the mark and the means to order the goods. TMEP §904.03(i). 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).
For more information about drawings and instructions on how to satisfy these response options online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, see the Drawing webpage.
INFORMATION REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH TRADEMARK OFFICE
Please call or email the assigned trademark examining attorney with questions about this Office action. Although the trademark examining attorney cannot provide legal advice or statements about applicant’s rights, the trademark examining attorney can provide applicant with additional explanation about the refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) in this Office action. See TMEP §§705.02, 709.06. Although the USPTO does not accept emails as responses to Office actions, emails can be used for informal communications and will be included in the application record. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05.
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.
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action
Mark Shiner
/Mark Shiner/
Trademark Examining Attorney
Law Office 105
Phone: 571-272-1489
E-mail: mark.shiner@uspto.gov
RESPONSE GUIDANCE