To: | Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. (troymailroom@hdp.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 90044004 - PROLINK - 18645-200001 |
Sent: | October 26, 2020 06:57:27 PM |
Sent As: | ecom121@uspto.gov |
Attachments: | Attachment - 1 Attachment - 2 Attachment - 3 Attachment - 4 Attachment - 5 Attachment - 6 Attachment - 7 Attachment - 8 Attachment - 9 Attachment - 10 Attachment - 11 Attachment - 12 Attachment - 13 Attachment - 14 Attachment - 15 Attachment - 16 |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 90044004
Mark: PROLINK
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Correspondence Address: BRYANT E. WADE / JESSICA S. SACHS |
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Applicant: Alpine Electronics of America, Inc.
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Reference/Docket No. 18645-200001
Correspondence Email Address: |
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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 26, 2020
Search of USPTO Database of Marks
Summary of Issues:
Section 2(d) Refusal – Likelihood of Confusion
Applicant’s applied-for mark is for the standard character mark “PROLINK”. Applicant’s identified goods are “brackets; mechanical brackets; brackets for joining enclosures for subwoofers; brackets for subwoofers; brackets for car radios; brackets for car subwoofers”.
Registration No. 4079394 is also for the standard character mark “PROLINK”. This registration is for “Devices for wireless radio transmission”.
Registration No. 5104879 is also for the standard character mark “PROLINK”. This registration is for “ metal shackle mounts for winch cables and synthetic ropes for use with off-road vehicles, towing vehicles, hoisting and lifting vehicles, or all terrain vehicles”.
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.
In this case, the following factors are the most relevant: similarity of the marks, similarity and nature of the goods and/or services, and similarity of the trade channels of the goods and/or services.
Comparison of the Marks,
Under the first step in analysis under Section 2(d) of the Trademark Act, a comparison must be made between the marks.
In the present case, applicant’s mark is PROLINK and registrants’ marks are PROLINK. These marks are 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 engender the same connotation and overall commercial impression when considered in connection with applicant’s and registrants’ respective goods and/or services. Id.
Therefore, the marks are confusingly similar.
Comparison of the Goods
The goods and/or services of the parties need not be identical or even competitive to find a likelihood of confusion. See On-line Careline Inc. v. Am. Online Inc., 229 F.3d 1080, 1086, 56 USPQ2d 1471, 1475 (Fed. Cir. 2000); Recot, Inc. v. Becton, 214 F.3d 1322, 1329, 54 USPQ2d 1894, 1898 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (“[E]ven if the goods in question are different from, and thus not related to, one another in kind, the same goods can be related in the mind of the consuming public as to the origin of the goods.”); TMEP §1207.01(a)(i).
The respective goods and/or services need only be “related in some manner and/or if the circumstances surrounding their marketing [be] such that they could give rise to the mistaken belief that [the goods and/or services] emanate from the same source.” Coach Servs., Inc. v. Triumph Learning LLC, 668 F.3d 1356, 1369, 101 USPQ2d 1713, 1722 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (quoting 7-Eleven Inc. v. Wechsler, 83 USPQ2d 1715, 1724 (TTAB 2007)); TMEP §1207.01(a)(i).
Applicant’s identified goods are “brackets; mechanical brackets; brackets for joining enclosures for subwoofers; brackets for subwoofers; brackets for car radios; brackets for car subwoofers”.
Registration No. 4079394 is for “Devices for wireless radio transmission”.
Registration No. 5104879 is for “metal shackle mounts for winch cables and synthetic ropes for use with off-road vehicles, towing vehicles, hoisting and lifting vehicles, or all terrain vehicles”.
In this case, the application use(s) broad wording to describe “brackets; mechanical brackets”, which presumably encompasses all goods and/or services of the type described, including Registration No. 5104879’s more narrowly identified goods, “metal shackle mounts for winch cables and synthetic ropes for use with off-road vehicles, towing vehicles, hoisting and lifting vehicles, or all terrain vehicles”. 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). Thus, applicant’s and Registration No. 5104879’s goods are legally identical. 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)).
Additionally, the goods and/or services of the parties have no restrictions as to nature, type, channels of trade, or classes of purchasers and 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, applicant’s and registrant’s goods are related.
Third parties routinely offer “devices for wireless radio transmission”, including car radios, as well as subwoofers, and accessories such as brackets for radios and subwoofers. Several representative examples are noted below, and supported by attached evidence.
JVC
http://store.jvc.com/catalog.php?id=3925.
KENWOOD
http://store.kenwoodusa.com/catalog.php?id=77.
SONY
RETROSOUND
Additionally, where the marks of the respective parties are identical or virtually identical, as in this case, the degree of similarity or relatedness between the goods needed to support a finding of likelihood of confusion declines. See In re i.am.symbolic, llc, 116 USPQ2d 1406, 1411 (TTAB 2015) (citing In re Shell Oil Co., 992 F.2d 1204, 1207, 26 USPQ2d 1687, 1689 (Fed. Cir. 1993)), aff’d, 866 F.3d 1315, 123 USPQ2d 1744 (Fed. Cir. 2017); TMEP §1207.01(a).
Accordingly, with the contemporaneous use of identical marks with highly related or encompassing goods, that are sold or provided through the same trade channels and used by the same classes of consumers, consumers are likely to conclude that such goods are related and originate from a common source. As such, registration must be refused under Trademark Act Section 2(d).
Amendment to Identification of Goods Required
Further, the wording “brackets for joining enclosures for subwoofers; brackets for subwoofers; brackets for car radios; brackets for car subwoofers” should be clarified to state that such goods are specially adapted for use with such goods to ensure appropriate classification in class 009, if accurate.
Applicant may substitute the following wording, if accurate:
Class 009:
Mounting brackets specially adapted for use with audio speakers and car radios; mechanical mounting brackets specially adapted for use with audio speakers and car radios; brackets specially adapted for joining enclosures for subwoofers; brackets specially adapted for use with subwoofers; brackets specially adapted for use with car radios; brackets specially adapted for use with car subwoofers
(emphasis added). See TMEP §§1402.01, 1402.03.
Applicant may amend the identification to list only those items that are within the scope of the goods and services set forth in the application or within the scope of a previously accepted amendment to the identification. See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §§1402.06 et seq., 1402.07.
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.
Advisory: Multiple Classes – ITU Application
(1) List the goods and/or services by their international class number in consecutive numerical order, starting with the lowest numbered class.
(2) Submit a filing fee for each international class not covered by the fee(s) already paid (view the USPTO’s current fee schedule). The application identifies goods and/or services that are classified in at least 3 classes; however, applicant submitted a fee(s) sufficient for only 1 class(es). Applicant must either submit the filing fees for the classes not covered by the submitted fees or restrict the application to the number of classes covered by the fees already paid.
See 37 C.F.R. §2.86(a); TMEP §§1403.01, 1403.02(c).
For an overview of the requirements for a Section 1(b) multiple-class application and how to satisfy the requirements online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) form, see the Multiple-class Application webpage.
The USPTO changed the federal trademark rules to eliminate the TEAS RF application, which is now considered a “TEAS Standard” application. See 37 C.F.R. §2.6(a)(iii). The fee for adding classes to a TEAS Standard application is $275 per class. See id. For more information about these changes, see the Mandatory Electronic Filing webpage.
Response Guidelines
Please call or email the assigned trademark examining attorney with questions about this Office action. Although an examining attorney cannot provide legal advice, the examining attorney can provide additional explanation about the refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) in this Office action. See TMEP §§705.02, 709.06.
The USPTO does not accept emails as responses to Office actions; however, emails can be used for informal communications and are included in the application record. See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05.
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.
USPTO changed federal trademark rules to rename TEAS Reduced Fee (RF) application to “TEAS Standard” and to eliminate TEAS Regular application form. Current TEAS RF applicants will generally need to continue to meet similar application requirements. See Changes to the Trademark Rules of Practice to Mandate Electronic Filing Final Rule and Correction, 84 Fed. Reg. 37,081, 68,045, 69,330 (published July 31, 2019, effective Feb. 15, 2020) (codified at 37 C.F.R. pts. 2 & 7). And current TEAS Regular applicants must now provide an email address when submitting documents through TEAS, will generally be sent correspondence electronically from the USPTO, and will pay a filing fee of $275 per class (instead of $400) when adding a class. For more information about these changes, see the Mandatory Electronic Filing webpage.
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.
/Dustin T. Bednarz/
Examining Attorney
USPTO Law Office 121
dustin.bednarz@uspto.gov
571-270-1151
RESPONSE GUIDANCE