商標登録insideNews: Federal Circuit Reverses TTAB Ruling on Standing for Petition to Cancel Condom Trademark

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled yesterday that Australian Therapeutic Supplies Pty. Ltd. has “a real interest” in cancelling the registration for NAKED for condoms, owned by Naked TM, LLC.

情報源: Federal Circuit Reverses TTAB Ruling on Standing for Petition to Cancel Condom Trademark

15 U.S. Code § 1064.Cancellation of registration
A petition to cancel a registration of a mark, stating the grounds relied upon, may, upon payment of the prescribed fee, be filed as follows by any person who believes that he is or will be damaged, including as a result of a likelihood of dilution by blurring or dilution by tarnishment under section 1125(c) of this title, by the registration of a mark on the principal register established by this chapter, or under the Act of March 3, 1881, or the Act of February 20, 1905:
(1)Within five years from the date of the registration of the mark under this chapter.
(2)Within five years from the date of publication under section 1062(c) of this title of a mark registered under the Act of March 3, 1881, or the Act of February 20, 1905.
(3)At any time if the registered mark becomes the generic name for the goods or services, or a portion thereof, for which it is registered, or is functional, or has been abandoned, or its registration was obtained fraudulently or contrary to the provisions of section 1054 of this title or of subsection (a), (b), or (c) of section 1052 of this title for a registration under this chapter, or contrary to similar prohibitory provisions of such prior Acts for a registration under such Acts, or if the registered mark is being used by, or with the permission of, the registrant so as to misrepresent the source of the goods or services on or in connection with which the mark is used. If the registered mark becomes the generic name for less than all of the goods or services for which it is registered, a petition to cancel the registration for only those goods or services may be filed. A registered mark shall not be deemed to be the generic name of goods or services solely because such mark is also used as a name of or to identify a unique product or service. The primary significance of the registered mark to the relevant public rather than purchaser motivation shall be the test for determining whether the registered mark has become the generic name of goods or services on or in connection with which it has been used.
(4)At any time if the mark is registered under the Act of March 3, 1881, or the Act of February 20, 1905, and has not been published under the provisions of subsection (c) of section 1062 of this title.
(5)At any time in the case of a certification mark on the ground that the registrant (A) does not control, or is not able legitimately to exercise control over, the use of such mark, or (B) engages in the production or marketing of any goods or services to which the certification mark is applied, or (C) permits the use of the certification mark for purposes other than to certify, or (D) discriminately refuses to certify or to continue to certify the goods or services of any person who maintains the standards or conditions which such mark certifies:
Provided, That the Federal Trade Commission may apply to cancel on the grounds specified in paragraphs (3) and (5) of this section any mark registered on the principal register established by this chapter, and the prescribed fee shall not be required. Nothing in paragraph (5) shall be deemed to prohibit the registrant from using its certification mark in advertising or promoting recognition of the certification program or of the goods or services meeting the certification standards of the registrant. Such uses of the certification mark shall not be grounds for cancellation under paragraph (5), so long as the registrant does not itself produce, manufacture, or sell any of the certified goods or services to which its identical certification mark is applied.
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商標登録insideNews: “Graduated” and “Undefined” Colors Available for Trademark Protection | National Law Review

Color Marks

There are a number of famous colors that are trademark-protected – such as the color brown, which is registered by UPS, and the color “robin egg blue”, which is registered by Tiffany

情報源: “Graduated” and “Undefined” Colors Available for Trademark Protection

Forney® – Power to get things done, 0:57

Forney® - Power to get things done
0:41 / 0:57あたりに、製品パッケージ(黒と黄色から赤色のグラデーション)の動画があります。

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商標登録insideNews: USPTO rejects DNA sequencing trademark | LifeSciences IPReview

A San Diego biotechnology company has been refused a trademark registration for ‘Sequencing by Binding’ on the grounds that it is too descriptive. Omniome, which develops DNA sequencing tools, filed for the mark in 2017 but had its application refused by an examining attorney at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In a precedential decision, issued on Monday, January 6, the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) upheld the original decision, concluding that ‘Sequencing by Binding’ was descriptive of the claimed goods and services.

情報源: USPTO rejects DNA sequencing trademark

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米国商標実務 最終拒絶理由通知への対応

最終拒絶理由通知への対応 米国商標のプロセキューションでは、審査官(examining attorney)との意見が合わずに、「This is a final action」と記載された最終拒絶理由(Final Offi …

商標登録insideNews: TTAB Sends Strong Message on Trademark Genericness | National law review

TTAB Continues to Rule on Genericness Wednesday, April 24, 2019In In re Hikari Sales USA, Inc., the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) issued a second precedential decision involving genericness, this year, just two days after issuing its first one. In doing so, the TTAB sent a strong message to brand owners hoping to obtain exclusive rights in highly descriptive or otherwise common terms.

情報源: TTAB Sends Strong Message on Trademark Genericness

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商標登録insideNews: The Trademark Trial And Appeal Board Announces A New Test For Comparing Standard Character Marks With Word & Design Marks | Orrick – IP Landscape – JDSupra

The Federal Circuit left the following question open in its In re Viterra decision from 2012:  How do we compare standard character trademarks (e.g., non-stylized word marks) with design marks for purposes of determining likelihood of confusion?

情報源: The Trademark Trial And Appeal Board Announces A New Test For Comparing Standard Character Marks With Word & Design Marks | Orrick – IP Landscape – JDSupra

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米国商標登録の異議申立手続 Sec.13(a)

米国商標 異議申立手続の概要 米国で商標を取得する場合には、公告後登録前に第3者からの異議申立(opposition)の機会があり、その商標登録が何かの損害を及ぼすと考えた者は異議申立をすることができます。日本の場合、商 …

商標登録insideNews: Court affirms TTAB refusal to register ‘FIRST TUESDAY’ trademark for NC Lottery – IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Patent Law

Distinctiveness of a mark in context of explanatory text is case-specific, turning on evidence of the public’s understanding or perception of a mark.

情報源: Court affirms TTAB refusal to register ‘FIRST TUESDAY’ trademark for NC Lottery – IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Patent Law

[コメント]単に記述的な(merely descriptive)商標に過ぎないか否かが争われた事件で、TTAB(審判部)は月の初めの火曜日に新しいscratch-offs(ロトの1つの形式)が始まるに直ぎないと判断し、特に指定商品や指定役務についての格別性(distinctiveness)も主張していないことから、自他商品識別力がないと判断しています。

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米国商標実務: Sec.15(法15条)の宣誓書

米国商標 §15の宣誓書とは 米国商標法では、§15の不可争性(incontestability)の宣誓書(declaration)を提出することができます。この§15の宣誓書を提出することで、商標登録の有効性を争うこと …