Offc Action Outgoing

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

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

 

 

 

NONFINAL OFFICE ACTION

 

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:  October 25, 2019

 

The examining attorney has searched the Office records and has found no similar registered or pending mark which would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).  TMEP §704.02.   Nevertheless, the applicant must respond to the following issue(s) and note the advisory which follows. 

SECTION 2(E)(4) SURNAME REFUSAL

SECTION 2(F) SUGGESTED

 

Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is primarily merely a surname.  Trademark Act Section 2(e)(4), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(4); see TMEP §1211. 

 

An applicant’s mark is primarily merely a surname if the surname, when viewed in connection with the applicant’s recited goods and/or services, “‘is the primary significance of the mark as a whole to the purchasing public.’”  Earnhardt v. Kerry Earnhardt, Inc., 864 F.3d 1374, 1377, 123 USPQ2d 1411, 1413 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (quoting In re Hutchinson Tech. Inc., 852 F.2d 552, 554, 7 USPQ2d 1490, 1492 (Fed. Cir. 1988)); TMEP §1211.01.

 

The following five inquiries are often used to determine the public’s perception of a term’s primary significance:

 

(1)       Whether the surname is rare;

 

(2)       Whether anyone connected with applicant uses the term as a surname;

 

(3)       Whether the term has any recognized meaning other than as a surname;

 

(4)       Whether the term has the structure and pronunciation of a surname; and

 

(5)       Whether the term is sufficiently stylized to remove its primary significance from that of a surname.

 

In re Eximius Coffee, LLC, 120 USPQ2d 1276, 1278 & n.2, 1282-83 (TTAB 2016) (citing In re Benthin Mgmt. GmbH, 37 USPQ2d 1332, 1333-34 (TTAB 1995) for the Benthin inquiries/factors); TMEP §1211.01; see also In re Etablissements Darty et Fils, 759 F.2d 15, 16-18, 225 USPQ 652, 653 (Fed. Cir. 1985). 

 

These inquiries are not exclusive, and any of these circumstances – singly or in combination – and any other relevant circumstances may be considered when making this determination.  In re Eximius Coffee, LLC, 120 USPQ2d at 1277-78; TMEP §1211.01.  For example, when the applied-for mark is not stylized, it is unnecessary to consider the fifth inquiry.  In re Yeley, 85 USPQ2d 1150, 1151 (TTAB 2007); TMEP §1211.01.

 

Please see the attached evidence from LEXISNEXIS®, establishing the surname significance of MCDONALD.  This evidence shows the applied-for mark appearing 8820 times as a surname in the LEXISNEXIS® surname database, which is a weekly updated directory of cell phone and other phone numbers (such as voice over IP) from various data providers. 

 

The term is relatively common surname with no recognized meaning other than a surname.  The term has the structure and pronunciation of a surname, particular evidenced by the MC prefix typical of many surnames.  The mark has no stylization or design features.  

 

Presentation of a surname in its plural or possessive form does not diminish its surname significance.  TMEP §1211.01(b)(v); see, e.g., In re Bed & Bars Ltd., 122 USPQ2d 1546, 1551 (TTAB 2017); In re Binion, 93 USPQ2d 1531, 1537 (TTAB 2009).

 

Accordingly, registration is refused on the Principal Register under Section 2(e)(4) of the Trademark Act as being primarily merely a surname.

 

RESPONSE OPTIONS- SECTION 2(F) ACQUIRED DISTINCTIVENESS SUGGESTED

 

A mark deemed primarily merely a surname may be registered on the Principal Register under Trademark Act Section 2(f) based on a claim of acquired distinctiveness.  See 15 U.S.C. §1052(f); 37 C.F.R. §2.41(a); TMEP §§1211, 1212.  Applicant may respond by asserting a claim of acquired distinctiveness based on one or more of the following:

 

(1)       Prior Registrations:  Applicant may claim ownership of one or more active prior registrations on the Principal Register of the same mark for goods and/or services that are sufficiently similar to those named in the pending application.  37 C.F.R. §2.41(a)(1); TMEP §§1212, 1212.04.  Applicant may do so by submitting the following statement, if accurate:  “The mark has become distinctive of the goods and/or services as evidenced by the ownership of active U.S. Registration No(s). 1113227 and 1645375 on the Principal Register for the same mark for sufficiently similar goods and/or services.”  TMEP §1212.04(e).  Copies of the referenced registrations are attached (however applicant should note that Reg. No. 1113227 may be subject to cancellation).

 

(2)       Five Years’ Use:  Applicant may submit the following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20:  “The mark has become distinctive of the goods and/or services through the applicant’s substantially exclusive and continuous use of the mark in commerce that the U.S. Congress may lawfully regulate for at least the five years immediately before the date of this statement.”  37 C.F.R. §2.41(a)(2); TMEP §1212.05(d); see 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(1).

 

(3)       Other Evidence:  Applicant may submit other evidence of acquired distinctiveness, with the following statement, if accurate:  “The evidence shows that the mark has become distinctive of the goods and/or services.”  37 C.F.R. §2.41(a)(3); TMEP §1212.06.  Such additional evidence may include “advertising expenditures, sales success, length and exclusivity of use, unsolicited media coverage, and consumer studies (linking the name to a source).”  In re Change Wind Corp., 123 USPQ2d 1453, 1467 (TTAB 2017) (quoting In re Steelbuilding.com, 415 F.3d 1293, 1300, 75 USPQ2d 1420, 1424 (Fed. Cir. 2005)). 

 

If applicant cannot satisfy one of the above, applicant may respond by amending the application to seek registration on the Supplemental Register.  See 15 U.S.C. §1091; 37 C.F.R. §§2.47, 2.75(a).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing substantive refusal, the applicant must further respond to the following requirement.

 

IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS

 

The identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified because it does not identify the goods with the requisite clarity and specificity.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP §1402.01.  Applicant must amend this wording to specify the common commercial or generic name of the goods, specifically the name or nature of any and all toys.  Applicant may adopt the following identification, by way of example, if accurate: action figure toys, plush toys, toy vehicles, electronic action toys, mechanical action toys, musical toys, plastic character toys, wind-up toys.

 

To the extent the suggested identification is incomplete or inaccurate, the applicant is further advised that the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual is available for assistance with identifying and classifying goods and services.  See TMEP §1402.04.

 

Applicant may amend the identification to clarify or limit the goods and/or services, but not to broaden or expand the goods and/or services beyond those in the original application or as acceptably amended.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06.  Generally, any deleted goods and/or services may not later be reinserted.  See TMEP §1402.07(e).

 

ADVISORY – POTENTIAL DUPLICATE REGISTRATION

 

Registration may be refused because this application appears to be an exact duplicate of U.S. Registration No. 1113227.  37 C.F.R. §2.48; TMEP §703.  See the attached registration.  The USPTO will not issue duplicate registrations.  37 C.F.R. §2.48; TMEP §703.

 

Applicant should note, however, that this registration is unlikely to duplicate Reg. No. 1113227 because the present identification is unacceptable and must be amended, the present registration cannot be registered on the Principal Register absent a section 2(f) claim and Reg. No. 1113227 may be subject to cancellation for non-renewal.  Nevertheless, the application is presently a potenatial duplicate registration.   

 

Applicant may respond to this refusal by abandoning the application or surrendering the registration.  To expressly abandon the application, an applicant should use the TEAS Request for Express Abandonment (Withdrawal) of Application form; to surrender the registration, the TEAS Surrender of registration for cancellation form should be used.

 

 

How to respond.  Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action  

 

Please feel free to contact the undersigned attorney if you wish to discuss this application.

 

 

/John S. Yard/

John S. Yard

Examining Attorney

Law Office 115

(571)272-9486

john.yard@uspto.gov

 

 

RESPONSE GUIDANCE

• Missing the response deadline to this letter will cause the application to abandon.  A response or notice of appeal must be received by the USPTO before midnight Eastern Time of the last day of the response period.  TEAS and ESTTA maintenance or unforeseen circumstances could affect an applicant’s ability to timely respond.  

 

• Responses signed by an unauthorized party are not accepted and can cause the application to abandon.  If applicant does not have an attorney, the response must be signed by the individual applicant, all joint applicants, or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant.  If applicant has an attorney, the response must be signed by the attorney.

 

• If needed, find contact information for the supervisor of the office or unit listed in the signature block.

 

 

 

LEXIS-NEXIS®

 

Search:                  Public Records : Surname

Terms:                    last-name(mcdonald) maxresults(500)

Total number found: 8820 

No.      Name                                                  Address                                                Phone

1.                MCDONALD, A     4515 4TH APT 14      619-861-9676 

LA MESA, CA 91941-5538 

2.                MCDONALD, A     88 BULLENS 973-956-0962 

WAYNE, NJ 07470-2531 

3.                MCDONALD, A     3800 PUGHSVILLE TRLR 58          757-748-4777 

SUFFOLK, VA 23435-2469 

4.                MCDONALD, A WAYNE             20215 SIMMONS GAP          540-298-9070 

ELKTON, VA 22827-3709 

5.                MCDONALD, A     305-755-2989 

6.                MCDONALD, A T              404-884-9839 

7.                MCDONALD, A     405-332-3137 

8.                MCDONALD, A     508-783-4861 

9.                MCDONALD, A     615-879-7982 

10.             MCDONALD, A     617-438-4707 

11.             MCDONALD, A     813-426-1767 

12.             MCDONALD, A     817-682-4217 

13.             MCDONALD, A     818-287-4998 

14.             MCDONALD, A     919-756-4990 

15.             MCDONALD, A     AXIS, AL 36505     251-513-4064 

16.             MCDONALD, A     BALTIMORE, MD 21201  443-255-0871 

17.             MCDONALD, A     BIRMINGHAM, AL 35226            205-978-1726 

18.             MCDONALD, A     CHARLOTTE, NC 28273  704-605-9187 

19.             MCDONALD, A     COLUMBUS, IN 47201      812-350-9262 

20.             MCDONALD, A     EASTWICK, PA 19153      267-290-9097 

21.             MCDONALD, A     HEBER CITY, UT 84032  435-654-1603 

22.             MCDONALD, A     IRVINE, CA 92602             949-439-2666 

23.             MCDONALD, A     LA GRANGE, IL 60525     708-813-4070 

24.             MCDONALD, A     LOUISVILLE, KY 40213  502-714-2111 

25.             MCDONALD, A     TACOMA, WA 98407        253-752-1188 

26.             MCDONALD, AARON      2770 41ST SE 903-983-0100 

PARIS, TX 75462-8204 

27.             MCDONALD, AARON      1614 BLUEFIELD      318-741-5973 

LONGMONT, CO 80504-2688 

28.             MCDONALD, AARON      11700 FUQUA            713-854-3447 

HOUSTON, TX 77034-4446 

29.             MCDONALD, AARON      2327 MURPHY APT 12        785-764-0766 

LAWRENCE, KS 66046-3959 

30.             MCDONALD, AARON      205-821-1278 

31.             MCDONALD, AARON      267-979-3413 

32.             MCDONALD, AARON      443-653-9086 

33.             MCDONALD, AARON      479-886-6577 

34.             MCDONALD, AARON      505-577-3420 

35.             MCDONALD, AARON      612-356-1306 

36.             MCDONALD, AARON      615-964-4004 

37.             MCDONALD, AARON      704-297-9568 

38.             MCDONALD, AARON A  850-591-1373 

39.             MCDONALD, AARON      MANVEL, TX 77578          281-607-6672 

40.             MCDONALD, AARON-JOHN      931-436-0682 

41.             MCDONALD, ABBE M     5909 FONDREN APT            281-597-9385 

HOUSTON, TX 77036-2922 

42.             MCDONALD, ABBEY       617-817-8058 

43.             MCDONALD, ABBIGAYLE         678-463-5430 

44.             MCDONALD, ABBY         304-812-7383 

45.             MCDONALD, ABE            21 N THORPE            913-203-5042 

KANSAS CITY, KS 66102-5150 

46.             MCDONALD, ABRAHAM            321-439-1583 

47.             MCDONALD, ABRAHAM            815-257-3013 

48.             MCDONALD, ADA L        773-263-1002 

49.             MCDONALD, ADAM MATTHEW          1330 2ND S APT D    407-304-6233 

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL 32250-6453 

50.             MCDONALD, ADAM        100 DEWITT  205-887-3450 

DAPHNE, AL 36526-7740 

51.             MCDONALD, ADAM        27 KAY PAT  315-921-2753 

PHOENIX, NY 13135-2428 

52.             MCDONALD, ADAM        360-430-4339 

53.             MCDONALD, ADAM        604-551-6036 

54.             MCDONALD, ADAM        989-385-7405 

55.             MCDONALD, ADEA         973-985-3197 

56.             MCDONALD, ADREANNA          435-828-0720 

57.             MCDONALD, ADRIAN     1711 MIGNONETTE 337-477-4179 

LAKE CHARLES, LA 70605-7200 

58.             MCDONALD, ADRIAN     404-787-1004 

59.             MCDONALD, ADRIAN     505-850-7391 

60.             MCDONALD, ADRIANA U          207 EDINBURGH      830-629-2305 

VICTORIA, TX 77904-2863 

61.             MCDONALD, ADRIANN C          PO BOX 43    808-985-7531 

VOLCANO, HI 96785-0043 

62.             MCDONALD, ADRIANNE           704-904-0695 

63.             MCDONALD, ADRIEANA           7809 COLONIAL SPRINGS  703-731-7641 

ALEXANDRIA, VA 22306-2849 

64.             MCDONALD, ADRIEN     CERES, CA 95307              209-918-5076 

65.             MCDONALD, ADRIENNE            4530 JOHN BOY        850-727-0586 

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32303-7989 

66.             MCDONALD, ADRIENNE            4530 JOHN BOY        850-727-0586 

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32303-7989 

67.             MCDONALD, ADRIENNE            203-455-6792 

68.             MCDONALD, AGNES       360-472-5139 

69.             MCDONALD, AIMEE       21 WATERVIEW       248-891-9561 

LAKE ORION, MI 48362-1544 

70.             MCDONALD, AIRRION  32 TRINITY    858-571-5500 

SPRING VALLEY, NY 10977-3026 

71.             MCDONALD, AISHA        2122 BOGART           646-577-1574 

BRONX, NY 10462-2148 

72.             MCDONALD, ALAIN        857-891-8077 

73.             MCDONALD, ALAN         303-815-6380 

74.             MCDONALD, ALAN A     484-266-9175 

75.             MCDONALD, ALAN         510-283-8854 

76.             MCDONALD, ALAN         615-438-0266 

77.             MCDONALD, ALAN         864-375-8818 

78.             MCDONALD, ALAN         916-257-3883 

79.             MCDONALD, ALAN         LEXINGTON, KY 40509  859-229-0206 

80.             MCDONALD, ALBER       PO BOX 674  503-801-0690 

ROCKAWAY, OR 97136-0674 

81.             MCDONALD, ALBERT     78 E ELM       860-379-8998 

TORRINGTON, CT 06790-5016 

82.             MCDONALD, ALBERT W            615-260-0543 

83.             MCDONALD, ALBERT     912-386-9973 

84.             MCDONALD, ALBERT     912-386-9973 

85.             MCDONALD, ALBERT     ALBANY, NY 12207          518-466-2799 

86.             MCDONALD, ALBERT     INDEPENDENCE, MO 64055       816-651-5946 

87.             MCDONALD, ALBERTA ROBERT         707 E MAIN   618-317-8057 

STEELEVILLE, IL 62288-1711 

88.             MCDONALD, ALBERTA              615-796-1179 

89.             MCDONALD, ALEC          845-489-6572 

90.             MCDONALD, ALECIA     760-443-4270 

91.             MCDONALD, ALEDIA S  2486 NEW COLUMBIA        615-948-1741 

LEWISBURG, TN 37091-6737 

92.             MCDONALD, ALEE          GALES FERRY, CT 06335            860-381-9696 

93.             MCDONALD, ALESIA      910-627-6359 

94.             MCDONALD, ALETHA J              362 LINDEN APT 2A            718-940-4226 

BROOKLYN, NY 11203-2757 

95.             MCDONALD, ALETHEA              HALETHORPE, MD 21227           443-635-8051 

96.             MCDONALD, ALEX         13 JENKINS STE 110            603-487-1349 

DURHAM, NH 03824-2324 

97.             MCDONALD, ALEX J       39 POE            609-924-6167 

PRINCETON, NJ 08540-4119 

98.             MCDONALD, ALEX         208-410-2083 

99.             MCDONALD, ALEX         269-605-5112 

100.          MCDONALD, ALEX         502-415-2570 

Search:             Public Records: Surname

Terms:            last-name(mcdonald) maxresults(500)

Date/Time:     Friday, October 25, 2019 4:05 PM

Permissible Use: Your DPPA Permissible Use: I have no permissible use

Your GLBA Permissible Use: I have no permissible use

Copyright © 2019 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

 

USPTO OFFICIAL NOTICE

 

Office Action (Official Letter) has issued

on October 25, 2019 for

U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88536199

 

Your trademark application has been reviewed by a trademark examining attorney.  As part of that review, the assigned attorney has issued an official letter that you must respond to by the specified deadline or your application will be abandoned.  Please follow the steps below.

 

(1)  Read the official letter.

 

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

 

 

/John S. Yard/

John S. Yard

Examining Attorney

Law Office 115

(571)272-9486

john.yard@uspto.gov

 

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).

 

(3)  Respond within 6 months (or earlier, if required in the Office action) from October 25, 2019, using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).  The response must be received by the USPTO before midnight Eastern Time of the last day of the response period.  See the Office action for more information about how to respond.

 

 

 

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.”