To: | Broadley-James Corporation (efiling@knobbe.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88600456 - MODSYNC - BROAD.197T |
Sent: | December 05, 2019 10:01:56 AM |
Sent As: | ecom116@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 88600456
Mark: MODSYNC
|
|
Correspondence Address: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR LLP
|
|
Applicant: Broadley-James Corporation
|
|
Reference/Docket No. BROAD.197T
Correspondence Email Address: |
|
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: December 05, 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.
SUMMARY OF ISSUES TO WHICH APPLICANT MUST RESPOND:
REFUSAL UNDER SECTION 2(d) – LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION
Trademark Act Section 2(d) bars registration of an applied-for mark that is so similar to a registered mark that it is likely consumers would be confused, mistaken, or deceived as to the commercial source of the goods and/or services of the parties. See 15 U.S.C. §1052(d). Likelihood of confusion is determined on a case-by-case basis by applying the factors set forth in In re E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., 476 F.2d 1357, 1361, 177 USPQ 563, 567 (C.C.P.A. 1973) (called the “du Pont factors”). In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 866 F.3d 1315, 1322, 123 USPQ2d 1744, 1747 (Fed. Cir. 2017). Only those factors that are “relevant and of record” need be considered. M2 Software, Inc. v. M2 Commc’ns, Inc., 450 F.3d 1378, 1382, 78 USPQ2d 1944, 1947 (Fed. Cir. 2006) (citing Shen Mfg. Co. v. Ritz Hotel Ltd., 393 F.3d 1238, 1241, 73 USPQ2d 1350, 1353 (Fed. Cir. 2004)); see In re Inn at St. John’s, LLC, 126 USPQ2d 1742, 1744 (TTAB 2018).
Although not all du Pont factors may be relevant, there are generally two key considerations in any likelihood of confusion analysis: (1) the similarities between the compared marks and (2) the relatedness of the compared goods and/or services. See In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 866 F.3d at 1322, 123 USPQ2d at 1747 (quoting Herbko Int’l, Inc. v. Kappa Books, Inc., 308 F.3d 1156, 1164-65, 64 USPQ2d 1375, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2002)); Federated Foods, Inc. v. Fort Howard Paper Co.,544 F.2d 1098, 1103, 192 USPQ 24, 29 (C.C.P.A. 1976) (“The fundamental inquiry mandated by [Section] 2(d) goes to the cumulative effect of differences in the essential characteristics of the goods [or services] and differences in the marks.”); TMEP §1207.01.
Applicant seeks registration of the mark MODSYNC (standard character mark) for “converts for use with pH sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, dissolved carbon dioxide sensors or glucose sensors; none of the foregoing for use with boilers and not for medical use.” The already-registered mark is MODSYNC (standard character mark) for “controller, including hardware and software, packaged in an enclosure or housing structure, used to monitor, operate and maximize efficiencies of a multiple boiler hydronic loop, a multiple thermal loop and/or a multiple steam loop; a boiler, namely, a pulse combustion boiler for industrial, commercial and/or residential use.”
COMPARISON OF MARKS
In the present case, the marks are identical, i.e., both are MODSYNC, and therefore, identical in appearance, sound, and meaning, “and have the potential to be used . . . in exactly the same manner.” In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 116 USPQ2d 1406, 1411 (TTAB 2015), aff’d, 866 F.3d 1315, 123 USPQ2d 1744 (Fed. Cir. 2017). Additionally, because they are identical, these marks are likely to have the same connotation and overall commercial impression when considered in connection with applicant’s and registrant’s respective goods. Id.
Moreover, the fact that both marks are in standard character format, means that each may be used in any manner – including in a stylization identical to that of the other. A mark in typed or standard characters may be displayed in any lettering style; the rights reside in the wording or other literal element and not in any particular display or rendition. See In re Viterra Inc., 671 F.3d 1358, 1363, 101 USPQ2d 1905, 1909 (Fed. Cir. 2012); In re Mighty Leaf Tea, 601 F.3d 1342, 1348, 94 USPQ2d 1257, 1260 (Fed. Cir. 2010); 37 C.F.R. §2.52(a); TMEP §1207.01(c)(iii).
Accordingly, applicant’s mark is confusingly similar in appearance, sound, connotation and overall commercial impression to registrant’s mark.
COMPARISON OF GOODS
Here, despite the fact that applicant has indicated that its goods are not for use with boilers or for medical use, it is unclear what applicant’s goods are actually used with or for. That is, the current wording is sufficiently broad to include any number of areas of use – including those similar or related to the area in which registrant’s goods are used – and, without additional information, must be presumed to do so. See, e.g., In re Solid State Design Inc., 125 USPQ2d 1409, 1412-15 (TTAB 2018); Sw. Mgmt., Inc. v. Ocinomled, Ltd., 115 USPQ2d 1007, 1025 (TTAB 2015). Simply indicating what the goods are not used for in or connection with is not sufficient to differentiate one set of goods from the other. Therefore, without further information, applicant’s and registrant’s goods are considered legally related for purposes of likelihood of confusion. See, e.g., In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 127 USPQ2d 1627, 1629 (TTAB 2018) (citing Tuxedo Monopoly, Inc. v.Gen. Mills Fun Grp., Inc., 648 F.2d 1335, 1336, 209 USPQ 986, 988 (C.C.P.A. 1981); Inter IKEA Sys. B.V. v. Akea, LLC, 110 USPQ2d 1734, 1745 (TTAB 2014); Baseball Am. Inc. v. Powerplay Sports Ltd., 71 USPQ2d 1844, 1847 n.9 (TTAB 2004)).
And, because neither the goods of applicant nor registrant have any restrictions as to nature, type, channels of trade, or classes of purchasers, they are “presumed to travel in the same channels of trade to the same class of purchasers.” In re Viterra Inc., 671 F.3d 1358, 1362, 101 USPQ2d 1905, 1908 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (quoting Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Packard Press, Inc., 281 F.3d 1261, 1268, 62 USPQ2d 1001, 1005 (Fed. Cir. 2002)).
Thus, the goods of applicant are sufficiently related to the goods of registrant so that confusion is likely.
Therefore, applicant’s mark is refused registration under Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act.
REQUIREMENT FOR AN ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS
The following wording is unacceptable:
Converts for use with pH sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, dissolved carbon dioxide sensors or glucose sensors; none of the foregoing for use with boilers and not for medical use – This wording must be amended to identify the goods with more specificity. That is, it is unclear what is meant by “converts” – such wording does not appear to identify a specific or recognizable item. Therefore, applicant must amend the wording to clearly and specifically identify the goods, using the common commercial name if possible.
Applicant may adopt the following identification of goods (noting that the wording which should be deleted is in strikethrough, while newly-added
wording is in bold, and appropriate wording should be provided by applicant where a “blank space” (underline) is indicated). Applicant is advised that while making amendments in its response, applicant should enter the amended wording in standard
font, not in bold, italics or underlined.
Converts in the nature of ____________ {identify the goods with more specificity, e.g., “electric converters,” “pH meters,” “concentration meters,” etc.} for use with pH sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, dissolved carbon dioxide sensors or glucose sensors; none of the foregoing for use with boilers and not for medical use
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); see 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6). If applicant uses indefinite words such as “apparatus,” “components,” “devices,” “materials,” or “parts,” such wording must be followed by “namely,” and a list of each specific product identified by its common commercial or generic name. See TMEP §§1401.05(d), 1402.03(a).
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.
For this application to proceed, applicant must explicitly address each refusal and/or requirement in this Office action. For a refusal, applicant may provide written arguments and evidence against the refusal, and may have other response options if specified above. For a requirement, applicant should set forth the changes or statements. Please see “Responding to Office Actions” and the informational video “Response to Office Action” for more information and tips on responding.
If applicant does not respond to this Office action within six months of the issue/mailing date, or responds by expressly abandoning the application, the application process will end and the trademark will fail to register. See 15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.65(a), 2.68(a); TMEP §§718.01, 718.02. Additionally, the USPTO will not refund the application filing fee, which is a required processing fee. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(i)-(iv), 2.209(a); TMEP §405.04.
When an application has abandoned for failure to respond to an Office action, an applicant may timely file a petition to revive the application, which, if granted, would allow the application to return to active status. See 37 C.F.R. §2.66; TMEP §1714. The petition must be filed within two months of the date of issuance of the notice of abandonment and may be filed online via the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) with a $100 fee. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(15)(ii), 2.66(a)(1), (b)(1).
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.
/Susan K. Lawrence/
Trademark Examining Attorney
Law Office 116, USPTO
(571) 272-9186
sue.lawrence@uspto.gov
(informal communication only)
RESPONSE GUIDANCE