`(cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) SERIAL NO:(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) APPLICANT:(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`79/025486
`
`(cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`LTD ETC.
`
`MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC; INDUSTRIAL CO.,
`
`*79025486*
`
`RETURN ADDRESS:(cid:160)
`Commissioner for Trademarks
`P.O. Box 1451
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1451
`
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS:
`(cid:160) KAWAMIYA Osamu,
`(cid:160) 3-7, Shiromi 1-chome,
`(cid:160) Chuo-ku,
`(cid:160) Osaka-shi
`(cid:160) Osaka 540-0001 JAPAN
`
`HDAVI CONTROL
`
`(cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) MARK:(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160) (cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET NO :(cid:160)(cid:160) N/A
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) CORRESPONDENT EMAIL ADDRESS:(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`Please provide in all correspondence:
`
`(cid:160)1
`
`.(cid:160) Filing date, serial number, mark and
`applicant's name.
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`2.(cid:160) Date of this Office Action.
`3.(cid:160) Examining Attorney's name and
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160) Law Office number.
`4. Your
`telephone number and e-mail
`address.
`
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`OFFICE ACTION
`
`(cid:160)R
`
`ESPONSE TIME LIMIT:(cid:160) TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, THE OFFICE MUST RECEIVE A
`PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE MAILING OR E-
`
`MAILING DATE.(cid:160)(cid:160)
`MAILING/E-MAILING DATE INFORMATION:(cid:160) If the mailing or e-mailing date of this Office
`action does not appear above, this information can be obtained by visiting the USPTO website at
`http://tarr.uspto.gov/, inserting the application serial number, and viewing the prosecution history for the
`mailing date of the most recently issued Office communication.
`
`(cid:160)S
`
`erial Number(cid:160) 79/025486
`
`(cid:160)I
`
`NTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION NO. 0889282(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`This is a PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL of the trademark and/or service mark in the above-
`referenced U.S. application.(cid:160) 15 U.S.C. §1141h(c).
`
`(cid:160)W
`
`HO IS PERMITTED TO RESPOND TO THIS PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL:
`
`(cid:160)A
`
`pplicant may respond directly to this provisional refusal Office action, or applicant’s attorney may
`respond on applicant’s behalf. (cid:160) However, the only attorneys who can practice before the United States
`Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in trademark matters are:
`
`(cid:160)
`
`
`(1)(cid:160)(cid:160) Attorneys in good standing with the bar of any U.S. federal court or the highest court of any
`U.S. state, and
`
`(2)(cid:160)(cid:160) Canadian attorneys who have applied for and received reciprocal recognition by the USPTO
`under 37 C.F.R. §10.14(c).(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`37 C.F.R. §10.14; TMEP §602.
`
`(cid:160)F
`
`oreign attorneys are not permitted to practice before the USPTO, other than properly authorized
`Canadian attorneys.(cid:160) Preparing a paper, authorizing an amendment to an application, or submitting legal
`arguments in response to a requirement or refusal constitutes representation of a party in a trademark
`matter.(cid:160) A response signed by an unauthorized foreign attorney will be considered an incomplete
`response.(cid:160) TMEP §§602, 602.03, 603.05.
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`HE APPLICATION HAS BEEN PROVISIONALLY REFUSED AS FOLLOWS:
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he assigned trademark examining attorney has reviewed the referenced application and has determined
`the following.
`
`(cid:160)N
`
`o Similar Registered or Pending Marks
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he Office records have been searched and no similar registered or pending mark has been found that
`would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d), 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).(cid:160) TMEP §704.02.
`
`(cid:160)I
`
`ndefinite Identification of Goods
`
`The identification of goods is unacceptable as indefinite.(cid:160) Pursuant to TMEP §1402.01, the applicant may
`
`adopt the following identification, if accurate:(cid:160)(cid:160)
`
`Class 9: Slim television sets equipped with a flat display; video cassette recorders; video cassette players;
`digital video disc recorders; digital video disc players; digital audio disc recorders; digital audio disc
`players; audio speakers; remote controllers for television; liquid crystal display projectors; amplifiers;
`stereo tuners; video player tuners.
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he wording “video tuners” in the identification of goods needs clarification because it is too vague. (cid:160)
`TMEP §§1402.01 and 1402.03.
`
`(cid:160)P
`
`lease note that, while the identification of goods may be amended to clarify or limit the goods, adding to
`the goods or broadening the scope of the goods is not permitted.(cid:160) 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06.(cid:160)
`Therefore, the applicant may not amend the identification to include goods that are not within the scope of
`the goods set forth in the present identification.
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he international classification of goods and/or services in applications filed under Trademark Act
`Section 66(a) cannot be changed from the classification given to the goods and/or services by the
`International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization in the corresponding international
`registration.(cid:160) TMEP §§1401.03(d), 1401.04 and 1904.02(b).
`
`(cid:160)F
`
`or assistance with amending this identification of goods, the applicant may consult the searchable
`Manual of Acceptable Identifications of Goods and Services online at
`
`(cid:160)
`(cid:160)
`
`
`http://tess2.uspto.gov/netahtml/tidm.html.
`
`(cid:160)S
`
`ignificance of the Mark
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he applicant must specify whether the letters “HDAVI” or (cid:160) “HD” and “AVI” have any significance in
`the electronics trade or industry or as applied to the goods described in the application.(cid:160) 37 C.F.R.
`§2.61(b).
`
`(cid:160)D
`
`isclaimer
`
`(cid:160) T
`
`he applicant must disclaim the descriptive wording “control” apart from the mark as shown because it
`merely describes a feature of the applicant’s goods in that the applicant offer’s controllers, as indicated
`by the applicant’s identification of goods. (cid:160) Trademark Act Section 6, 15 U.S.C. §1056; TMEP §§1213
`and 1213.03.
`
`(cid:160) T
`
`he computerized printing format for the Office’s Trademark Official Gazette requires a standardized
`format for a disclaimer.(cid:160) TMEP §1213.08(a)(i).(cid:160) The following is the standard format used by the Office:
`
`No claim is made to the exclusive right to use “control” apart from the mark as shown.
`
`(cid:160)S
`
`ee In re Owatonna Tool Co., 231 USPQ 493 (Comm’r Pats. 1983).
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he Office can require an applicant to disclaim exclusive rights to an unregistrable part of a mark, rather
`than refuse registration of the entire mark.(cid:160) Trademark Act Section 6(a), 15 U.S.C. §1056(a).(cid:160) Under
`Trademark Act Section 2(e), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e), the Office can refuse registration of the entire mark
`where it is determined that the entire mark is merely descriptive, deceptively misdescriptive, or primarily
`geographically descriptive of the goods.(cid:160) Thus, the Office may require the disclaimer of a portion of a
`mark which, when used in connection with the goods or services, is merely descriptive, deceptively
`misdescriptive, primarily geographically descriptive, or otherwise unregistrable (e.g., generic).(cid:160) TMEP
`§1213.03(a).(cid:160) If an applicant does not comply with a disclaimer requirement, the Office may refuse
`registration of the entire mark.(cid:160) TMEP §1213.01(b).
`
`(cid:160)A
`
` “disclaimer” is thus a written statement that an applicant adds to the application record that states that
`applicant does not have exclusive rights, separate and apart from the entire mark, to particular wording
`and/or to a design aspect.(cid:160) A disclaimer does not physically remove the disclaimed matter from the mark,
`but rather is a written statement that applicant does not claim exclusive rights to the disclaimed wording
`and/or design separate and apart from the mark as shown in the drawing. Thus, the appearance of the
`applied-for mark does not change.
`
`(cid:160)R
`
`esponse Guidelines
`
`(cid:160)P
`
`lease note that there is no required format or form for responding to this Office action.(cid:160) However, the
`applicant should include the following information on all correspondence with the Office:(cid:160) (1) the name
`and law office number of the examining attorney; (2) the serial number of this application; (3) the mailing
`date of this Office action; and, (4) the applicant's telephone number.
`
`(cid:160)W
`
`hen responding to this Office action, applicant must make sure to respond in writing to each refusal and
`requirement raised.(cid:160) If there is a refusal to register the proposed mark, then the applicant may wish to
`
`(cid:160)
`
`
`argue against the refusal, i.e., explain why it should be withdrawn and why the mark should register.(cid:160)
`If there are other requirements, then the applicant should simply set forth in writing the required changes
`or statements and request that the Office enter them into the application record.(cid:160) The applicant must also
`sign and date its response.
`
`(cid:160)T
`
`he applicant may find general information about the trademark application and registration process at the
`Office’s website at http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm. The Trademark Manual of Examining
`Procedure may be found at(cid:160) http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/ .
`
`(cid:160)I
`
`f the applicant has questions about its application or needs assistance in responding to this Office action,
`please telephone the assigned trademark examining attorney directly at the number below.
`
`/Dayna J. Browne/
`Trademark Attorney
`Law Office 104
`Ph: (571) 272-8361
`Fax: (571) 273-9104
`
`HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS OFFICE ACTION:
`ONLINE RESPONSE:(cid:160) You may respond using the Office’s Trademark Electronic Application
`System (TEAS) Response to Office action form available on our website at
`http://www.uspto.gov/teas/index.html.(cid:160) If the Office action issued via e-mail, you must wait 72
`hours after receipt of the Office action to respond via TEAS.(cid:160) NOTE:(cid:160) Do not respond by e-mail.(cid:160)
`THE USPTO WILL NOT ACCEPT AN E-MAILED RESPONSE.
`REGULAR MAIL RESPONSE:(cid:160) To respond by regular mail, your response should be sent to the
`mailing return address above, and include the serial number, law office number, and examining
`attorney’s name. (cid:160) NOTE:(cid:160) The filing date of the response will be the date of receipt in the
`Office, not the postmarked date.(cid:160) To ensure your response is timely, use a certificate of mailing.(cid:160) 37
`C.F.R. §2.197.
`
`(cid:160)S
`
`TATUS OF APPLICATION: To check the status of your application, visit the Office’s Trademark
`Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) system at http://tarr.uspto.gov.
`
`(cid:160)V
`
`IEW APPLICATION DOCUMENTS ONLINE: Documents in the electronic file for pending
`applications can be viewed and downloaded online at http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal/tow.
`
`(cid:160)G
`
`ENERAL TRADEMARK INFORMATION: For general information about trademarks, please visit
`the Office’s website at http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm
`
`(cid:160)F
`
`OR INQUIRIES OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OFFICE ACTION, PLEASE CONTACT THE
`ASSIGNED EXAMINING ATTORNEY SPECIFIED ABOVE.
`
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160)(cid:160)(cid:160)
`(cid:160)