To:
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`Subject:
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`Sent:
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`Sent As:
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`Attachments:
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`Panasonic Corporation (docketingtm@hdp.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 85588963 - AVC PROXY - 9432-200508
`
`1/11/2013 6:25:50 PM
`
`ECOM115@USPTO.GOV
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`      U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO.          
`           
`     MARK: AVC PROXY
`
`85588963
`
`    CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS:
`     
`      GEOFFREY D. AURINI
`     
`      HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
`   
`        5445 CORPORATE DR STE 200
`   
`        TROY, MI 48098-2683
`            
`
`*85588963*
`
`CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
`
`       APPLICANT: Panasonic Corporation
`        CORRESPONDENT’S REFERENCE/DOCKET
`   
`NO:         
`    CORRESPONDENT E-MAIL ADDRESS:        
`
`    9432-200508
`
`    docketingtm@hdp.com
`
`OFFICE ACTION
`
`STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER
`TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S
`COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.
`
`ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 1/11/2013
`
`This Office action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on December 6, 2012.   The examining attorney has carefully considered
`applicant’s arguments and/or amendments in favor of registration.   The amendment to the identification of goods is acceptable and has been
`entered into the application record. The inquiry as to the significance of wording has been satisfied.  As to the remaining issues, the examining
`attorney has determined the following.
`
`DESCRIPTIVENESS REFUSAL  
`
`Registration is refused because the applied-for mark merely describes features of applicant’s goods.  Trademark Act Section 2(e)(1), 15 U.S.C.
`§1052(e)(1); see TMEP §§1209.01(b), 1209.03 et seq.
`
`A mark is merely descriptive if it describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose or use of the specified goods and/or
`services.  TMEP §1209.01(b); see In re Steelbuilding.com, 415 F.3d 1293, 1297, 75 USPQ2d 1420, 1421 (Fed. Cir. 2005); In re Gyulay, 820
`F.2d 1216, 1217-18, 3 USPQ2d 1009, 1010 (Fed. Cir. 1987).  Moreover, a mark that identifies a group of users to whom an applicant directs its
`goods and/or services is also merely descriptive.  TMEP §1209.03(i); see In re Planalytics, Inc., 70 USPQ2d 1453, 1454 (TTAB 2004).
`
`The determination of whether a mark is merely descriptive is considered in relation to the identified goods and/or services, not in the abstract.  In
`re Abcor Dev. Corp., 588 F.2d 811, 814, 200 USPQ 215, 218 (C.C.P.A. 1978); TMEP §1209.01(b); see, e.g., In re Polo Int’l Inc., 51 USPQ2d
`1061 (TTAB 1999) (finding DOC in DOC-CONTROL would be understood to refer to the “documents” managed by applicant’s software, not
`“doctor” as shown in dictionary definition); In re Digital Research Inc., 4 USPQ2d 1242 (TTAB 1987) (finding CONCURRENT PC-DOS
`merely descriptive of “computer programs recorded on disk” where relevant trade used the denomination “concurrent” as a descriptor of a
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`particular type of operating system).  “Whether consumers could guess what the product is from consideration of the mark alone is not the test.”  
`In re Am. Greetings Corp., 226 USPQ 365, 366 (TTAB 1985).
`
`Applicant has applied to register the mark AVC PROXY and design for use on “camcorders and video recorders for professional use; application
`software for camcorders and video recorders for professional use for video editing and video content management.”
`
`Applicant concedes the descriptiveness of the wording AVC by inserting a disclaimer of the letters apart from the mark as shown.  Applicant
`indicates by way of statement that the term PROXY is a term of art in the broadcasting production industry, indicating low-resolution audio
`and/or visual files in comparison with high-resolution files.
`
` A
`
` mark that combines descriptive words may be registrable if the composite creates a unitary mark with a separate, nondescriptive meaning.  In
`re Colonial Stores, Inc., 394 F.2d 549, 551, 157 USPQ 382, 384 (C.C.P.A. 1968) (holding SUGAR & SPICE not merely descriptive of bakery
`products because of the mark’s immediate association with the nursery rhyme “sugar and spice and everything nice”).
`  However, the mere
`combination of descriptive words does not automatically create a new nondescriptive word or phrase.  See, e.g., In re Associated Theatre Clubs
`Co., 9 USPQ2d 1660, 1662 (TTAB 1988) (holding GROUP SALES BOX OFFICE merely descriptive for theater ticket sales services).
`
`In this case, the literal portion of the proposed mark does not create a unitary mark with a separate, nondescriptive meaning.   Rather, the literal
`portion of the proposed mark identifies features of applicant’s goods.  Contrary to applicant’s contentions, the quadrilateral and letter
`stylization in applicant’s mark do not create a separate source identifier beyond the descriptive wording.  Consumers tend to forget simple
`designs.  Further, the degree of stylization in this case is not sufficiently striking, unique or distinctive so as to create a commercial impression
`separate and apart from the unregistrable components of the mark.  See In re Sambado & Son Inc., 45 USPQ2d 1312 (TTAB 1997); In re Bonni
`Keller Collections Ltd., 6 USPQ2d 1224 (TTAB 1987).
`
`Based upon this evidence and the legal standards as set forth above, the examining attorney concludes that the proposed mark AVC PROXY is
`merely descriptive of the applicant’s goods and describes features of applicant’s goods.
`  Accordingly, the mark is refused registration on the
`Principal Register under Section 2(e)(1) of the Trademark Act.
`
`Although the examining attorney has refused registration, the applicant may respond to the refusal to register by submitting evidence and
`
`arguments in support of registration.  
`TELEPHONE FOR ASSISTANCE
`
`If the applicant has any questions or needs assistance in responding to this Office action, please telephone the assigned examining attorney.
`
`     
`
`/Alicia Collins Edwards/
`Alicia Collins Edwards
`Examining Attorney
`Law Office 115
`571-272-9147
`alicia.edwards@uspto.gov
`
`TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:   Go to http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.   Please wait 48-72 hours from the
`issue/mailing date before using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), to allow for necessary system updates of the application. 
`For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.  For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned
`trademark examining attorney.  E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to
`this Office action by e-mail.
`
`All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.
`
`WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an
`applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants).  If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the
`
`response.  
`PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:   To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official
`notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at
`http://tsdr.uspto.gov/.   Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen.   If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the
`Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or call 1-800-786-9199.   For more information on checking
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`status, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/.
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`TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.
`
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`To:
`
`Subject:
`
`Sent:
`
`Sent As:
`
`Attachments:
`
`Panasonic Corporation (docketingtm@hdp.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 85588963 - AVC PROXY - 9432-200508
`
`1/11/2013 6:25:51 PM
`
`ECOM115@USPTO.GOV
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`
`IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED
`ON 1/11/2013 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 85588963
`
`Please follow the instructions below:
`
`(1)  TO READ THE LETTER:  Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.uspto.gov, enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on
`“Documents.”
`
`The Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24
`hours of this e-mail notification.
`
`(2)  TIMELY RESPONSE IS REQUIRED:  Please carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond, and (2) the applicable
`response time period.  Your response deadline will be calculated from 1/11/2013 (or sooner if specified in the Office action).  For information
`regarding response time periods, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/responsetime.jsp.
`
`Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise e-mail your response because the USPTO does NOT accept e-mails as
`responses to Office actions. 
`Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the Trademark Electronic Application System
`(TEAS) response form located at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.
`
`(3)  QUESTIONS:  For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  For
`technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail
`TSDR@uspto.gov.
`
`WARNING
`
`Failure to file the required response by the applicable response deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.  For
`more information regarding abandonment, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/abandon.jsp.
`
`PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:  Private companies not associated with the USPTO are
`using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  These companies often use names that
`closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.  Many solicitations require that you pay
`
`“fees.”   
`
`Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document
`from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.  All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States
`Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.”   For more information on how to handle
`private company solicitations, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.
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