Tess srchg prt2-pp_tslides

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVELY SEARCHING
THE USPTO DATABASE USING TESS:
Part 2 - Design Mark Searching
December 10, 2013

Alexander Butterman
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
http://www.staasandhalsey.com
abutterman@s n h.com
1201 New York Ave., N.W., 7th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005 U.S.A.
Main Tel: 202.434.1500
Direct Tel: 202.434.1537
Fax: 202.434.1501
© 2013 Staas & Halsey LLP

Design Searching Concepts
RULES
• Doctrine of Legal Equivalents
• Literal > Design (unless literal = common)
• Comparing designs – highly similar
• Design Descriptiveness

Dec. 10, 2013

Design Mark Searching

2

Doctrine of Legal Equivalents
TMEP §1207.01(c)(i)
=

THE BEE BAR

Since a pictorial depiction and equivalent wording are likely to
impress the same mental image on purchasers, a design mark
may be found to be confusingly similar to a word mark
consisting of the design's literal equivalent.

Dec. 10, 2013


3

Literal > Design (unless literal common)
“…when a mark consists of a word portion and a design portion,
the word portion is more likely to be impressed upon a
purchaser’s memory and to be used in calling for the goods
and/or services. Therefore, the word portion is normally
accorded greater weight in determining likelihood of
confusion. In re Dakin’s Miniatures, Inc., 59 USPQ2d 1593,
1596 (TTAB 1999); In re Appetito Provisions Co., 3 USPQ2d
1553, 1554 (TTAB 1987); Amoco Oil Co. v. Amerco, Inc., 192
USPQ 729, 735 (TTAB 1976); TMEP §1207.01(c)(ii).”

Dec. 10, 2013


4


Comparing designs (TMEP §1207.01(c))
• Highly similar
• No side by side comparison

CONFUSINGLY SIMILAR
Dec. 10, 2013

NOT Confusingly similar

5

NOT Confusingly similar for eyewear:
v.
• Coach Services, Inc. v. E&D Trading, Inc.,
Opp. No. 91203818 (August 7, 2013)
• Distinguished based upon literal elements?
Dec. 10, 2013


6

NOT Confusingly similar:

v.
for retail grocery store services; and for sausage, barbecued pork
and related food products
• Odom's Tennessee Pride Sausage, Inc. v. FF Acquisition, L.L.C.,
93 USPQ2d 2030 (Fed. Cir. 2010)
Dec. 10, 2013


7

Design Descriptiveness
TMEP §1209.03(f) Picture or Illustration

“A visual representation that consists merely of an
illustration of the goods, or of an article that is an
important feature or characteristic of the goods or
services, is merely descriptive under §2(e)(1) of the
Act.”
• Merely descriptive for clothing
• Ex.
• “International Not” symbol is frequently
disclaimed

Dec. 10, 2013


8

USPTO Design Codes
• USPTO Design Search Code Manual
= http://tess2.uspto.gov/tmdb/dscm/index.htm#intro
• Each design search code is a six-digit numerical classification
index that codifies design figurative elements into categories,
divisions and sections.
CATEGORY
XX

DIVISION
YY

SECTION
ZZ

• Design code searching is only as good as the codes
inputted into the database.

Dec. 10, 2013


9

Notice of Design Search Code

Dec. 10, 2013


10

USPTO Design Codes
TABLE OF CATEGORIES
01 Celestial bodies, natural phenomena, geographical maps
02 Human beings
03 Animals
04 Supernatural beings, mythological or legendary beings, fantastical beings or unidentifiable beings
05 Plants
06 Scenery
07 Dwellings, buildings, monuments, stadiums, fountains, structural works and building materials
08 Foodstuff
09 Textiles, clothing, headwear, footwear and sewing accessories
10 Tobacco, smokers' materials; fans; toilet articles; medical devices and apparatus including tablets, capsules
or powders
11 Household utensils
12 Furniture and plumbing fixtures
13 Lighting, cooking, heating, cooling or refrigeration equipment
14 Hardware, tools and ladders; non-motorized agricultural implements; keys and locks
15 Machines and parts thereof, including industrial agricultural, home and office machines; electrical equipment

Dec. 10, 2013


11

USPTO Design Codes
TABLE OF CATEGORIES (continued)
16 Telecommunications, sound recording or reproduction equipment; photography, cinematography and optics
17 Horological instruments and parts; jewelry; weights and measures
18 Transport; equipment for animals; traffic signs
19 Baggage, containers and bottles
20 Writing, drawing or painting materials, office materials, stationery and books
21 Games, toys and sporting articles
22 Musical instruments and their accessories; bells; sculptures
23 Arms, ammunition and armor
24 Heraldry, flags, crowns, crosses, arrows and symbols
25 Ornamental framework, surfaces or backgrounds with ornaments
26 Geometric figures and solids
27 Forms of writing
28 Inscriptions in various characters
29 Miscellaneous

Dec. 10, 2013


12

USPTO Design Codes
TABLE OF DIVISIONS

TABLE OF CATEGORIES
Dec. 10, 2013


13

USPTO Design Codes
SECTIONS
02.01 Men

Dec. 10, 2013

02.01.01
02.01.02
02.01.03
02.01.04
02.01.05
02.01.06
02.01.07
•
•
•
02.01.14
•
•
•
02.01.17
02.01.25
02.01.26
02.01.27
02.01.28
02.01.29
02.01.30

Heads, portraits, busts of men not in profile.
Shadows or silhouettes of men
Men wearing crowns or other symbols of royalty, including kings, princes and jacks
Religious figures, men wearing robes, shepherds, monks and priests
Famous men
Men in colonial dress, Pilgrims, Quakers and colonial militiamen
Cowboys, and westerners

Pirates

Clowns, actors, mimes, carnival characters, harlequins, jesters, men wearing tights
Hunters, archers and other men with a significantly prominent weapon.
Mechanical men, robots
Policemen, firemen
Prospectors, miners
Doctors, dentists, nurses and laboratory personnel
Men wearing two or three piece business suits


14

USPTO Design Codes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CATEGORIES
INTRODUCTION
GENERAL GUIDELINES
DESIGN SEARCH CODE
KEYWORD SEARCH
APPENDIX - 2007 DESIGN CODE UPDATES
ALPHABETICAL INDEX

Dec. 10, 2013


15

TESS Interface
Free-Form Searching

Dec. 10, 2013


16

TESS Interface

Dec. 10, 2013


17

Field Code
• Design Search Code [DC]

Dec. 10, 2013


18

Design Search – Example 1
Search the following design:
CARRIER - Geometric shapes that merely serve to carry the
mark are coded as carriers or borders in Category 26. A
geometric shape forming a border or carrier does not create
a significant commercial impression, it holds or borders the
design or textual matter.

For Journals, pamphlets, newsletters, brochures, printed educational materials, and bulletins
in the field of real property law
• 060701 = Cities from a distant perspective, skylines
• 060702 = Villages from a distant perspective
• 070301 = Skyscrapers
• 070325 = Other buildings, including schools, hospitals and libraries
• 261102 = Plain single line rectangles
Dec. 10, 2013


19

Search Queries:
No.

Search Terms

Documents

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6

(070301 or 070325)[dc]
(060701 or 060702)[dc]
261102[dc] and (070301 or 070325)[dc]
261102[dc] and (060701 or 060702)[dc]
(261102[dc] and (070301 or 070325)[dc]) and 016[ic]
(261102[dc] and (060701 or 060702)[dc]) and 016[ic]

6057
4762
239
193
16
12

Bold = viewed

Dec. 10, 2013


20

TE SS was last updated on Thu Dec 5 03:20:30 EST 2013

TESS
Search Results was last updated on Thu Dec 5 03:20:30 EST 2013
Please logout when you are done to release system resources allocated for you.

Please logout when you are record:releaseRecords(s) allocated for you.
List At: OR to done to 16 system resources found (This
List At: Refine Search
OR to record:

page: 1 ~ 16)
16 Records(s) found (This page: 1 ~ 16)
( 261102 [d c] and ( 07030 1 or 0703 25)[dc ]) and

docs: 16 occ:
Current
(261102[dc] and (070301 or 070325)[dc])
Refine Search ( 261102 [d c] and ( 07030 1 or 0703 25)[dc]) and
Se arch:
and 016[ic]
48
docs: 16 occ:
Current
(261102[dc] and (070301 or 070325)[dc])
Search:
and 016[ic]
48
Serial
Reg.
Check
Word Mark
Number Number
Status
Check
Serial
Reg.
Word Mark BE ST COM PANIES DO Live/Dead
1 85747179
CEB W HAT THE
T SD R
Number Number
Status
2 79032049 3554252 UFFIZI GALLERY AMICI DEGLI U FFIZI
T SD
1 85747179
CEB WHAT THE BEST COMPANIES DO
TSDR
LIVE R
3 78780990
CONSTRUCTION & SCIE NCE
T SD R
2 79032049 3554252 UFFIZI GALLERY AMICI DEGLI UFFIZI
TSDR
LIVE
TH E RE SPIRAT ORY
T SD
3 78780990
4 78195053
CONSTRUCTION & SCIENCE IN ST ITUTETSDR
DEAD R
ESTABLISHE D BY GLAXOSMIT HK LINE
THE RESPIRATORY INSTITUTE
4 78195053
TSDR
DEAD R
5 78084062 2843817 NEW YO RK FOCUS
T SD
ESTABLISHED BY GLAXOSMITHKLINE
6 77608196 3971000 UTICA COL LEGE
T SD R
5 78084062 2843817 NEW YORK FOCUS
TSDR
DEAD
EX PO CLASSR OOM M AKE OVER
7 77024952
T SD
6 77608196 3971000 UTICA COLLEGE
TSDR
LIVE R
CONT EST
EXPO CLASSROOM MAKEOVER
8 76222193 2620325
T SD
7 77024952
TSDR
DEAD R
CONTEST
AME RICAN SOCIET Y OF CIVIL
8 76222193 2620325 2546666 EN GINEE RS 1852-2002 BUILDING A
TSDR
DEAD R
9 76160098
T SD
BET TER W OF CIVIL
AMERICAN SOCIETYORLD
9 76160098 2546666 2597601
ENGINEERS 1852-2002 BUILDING A
TSDR
LIVE R
10 76238456
T SD
BETTER WORLD

10 76238456

Dec. 10, 2013

2597601

TSDR


Live/Dead
LIVE
LIVE
D EAD
D EAD
D EAD
LIVE
D EAD
D EAD
LIVE
D EAD

DEAD

21

TESS
Search Resultswas last updated on Thu Dec 5 03:20:30 EST 2013
Please logout when you are done to release system resources allocated for you.
List At: OR to record:

Total documents in release system resources
Please logout when you are done tothe Image Library are: allocated for you.
Press
16. (This page: 1 ~ 16)
List At: OR to record: 16 Records(s) found (This page: 1 ~ 16)
“IMAGE LIST”
Refine Search
( 261102 [d c] and ( 07030 1 or 0703 25)[dc]) and

or toggle back Current
to
Search:

“HIT LIST”

Serial
Number
1 85747179
2 79032049
3 78780990

(261102[dc] and (070301 or 070325)[dc])
and 016[ic]
Reg.
Number

Word Mark
CEB WHAT THE BEST COMPANIES DO

79032049
3554252 85747179GALLERY AMICI DEGLI UFFIZI
UFFIZI
CONSTRUCTION & SCIENCE

Check
Live/Dead
Status
TSDR
LIVE
TSDR
TSDR

78780990

LIVE
DEAD

THE RESPIRATORY INSTITUTE
ESTABLISHED BY GLAXOSMITHKLINE

4 78195053
5 78084062
6 77608196

docs: 16 occ:
48

2843817
3971000

7 77024952

TSDR

DEAD

NEW YORK FOCUS
UTICA COLLEGE
EXPO CLASSROOM MAKEOVER
CONTEST

TSDR
TSDR

DEAD
LIVE

TSDR

DEAD

8 76222193

2620325

TSDR

DEAD

9 76160098

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL
2546666 78195053
ENGINEERS 1852-2002 BUILDING A
78084062
BETTER WORLD

TSDR

LIVE
77608196

10 76238456

2597601

TSDR

DEAD

Dec. 10, 2013


22

U.S. Registration No. 2,597,601
Goods and
Services

(CANCELLED) IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S:
JOURNALS, PAMPHLETS, NEWSLETTERS, BROCHURES, PRINTED
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND BULLETINS IN THE FIELD OF
REAL PROPERTY LAW. FIRST USE: 19820000. FIRST USE IN
COMMERCE: 19820000
(CANCELLED) IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: ARRANGING AND
CONDUCTING EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, PROGRAMS,
AND CONFERENCES IN THE FIELD OF REAL PROPERTY LAW, AND
DISTRIBUTING COURSE MATERIALS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH;
DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS IN THE FIELD OF REAL PROPERTY LAW; AND
PROVIDING INFORMATION IN THE FIELD OF REAL PROPERTY LAW
BY MEANS OF A GLOBAL COMPUTER NETWORK. FIRST USE:
19820000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19820000

Mark
(2) DESIGN ONLY
Drawing Code
Design Search 07.03.25 - Aquariums (buildings); Convention hall; Hospitals; Libraries, public
Code
libraries; Schools; Wash, car (commercial)
26.11.02 - Plain single line rectangles; Rectangles (single line)
Serial Number 76238456
April 10, 2001
Filing Date
Current Basis 1A
Original
1A
Filing Basis
Published for
April 30, 2002
Opposition
Registration 2597601
Number
Registration
July 23, 2002
Date
Owner
(REGISTRANT) State Bar of California, The CORPORATION CALIFORNIA
180 Howard Street San Francisco CALIFORNIA 941051639

Dec. 10, 2013


23

Field Code
• Description of Mark [DE]

• Mark Drawing Code [MD]

Dec. 10, 2013


24

MARK DRAWING CODE
• Search query at end of last session:

X[fm]
(= Full mark - will return only single X marks)
•

Want to limit to only stylized X marks

•

Instead of using “not standard[st],” use:

X[fm] and "5"[MD]

Dec. 10, 2013


25

X[fm] and "5"[MD] = 248 hits

Total documents in the Image Library are:
248. (This page: 1 ~ 100)

86101656

86065369

86063715

85980050

85226603

85255504

• This is an example of
DESIGN > LITERAL

85728467

Dec. 10, 2013


85947745

85662502

26

Search a common symbol like: “&”
• for legal services (Class 45):
S1
S2
S2

241714[dc] and 045[ic]
(241714[dc] and 045[ic]) and live[ld]
(241714[dc] and 045[ic]) and (law or legal)[gs]

86099038

Dec. 10, 2013

77955339

77647518


165
107
26

77140184

27

General Considerations
in Design Searching
The same general rules apply for
constructing design searches as for
word searches:
• Boolean searching:
AND; OR; NOT (not SAME, WITH, ADJ, NEAR)

• Truncation:
0315$[dc] = Any type of bird OR 2601??[dc] = Circles

• Class, Live/Dead, etc. limitations
Dec. 10, 2013


28

General Considerations
in Design Searching
Design searches from vendors
(Thomson, CSC, Corsearch)
• Usually charge per International Class
• Still covers only USPTO database using the same design
codes

Common law design searches
• Would have to search the internet
• Cost? CSC offers such a search for approximately $4,000
with 8 days turnaround.

Dec. 10, 2013


29

DESIGN CODE TRIVIA
Most common design code Categories used:
• CATEGORY 26 = Geometric figures and solids
• CATEGORY 01 = Celestial bodies, natural phenomena,
geographical maps (e.g. sun; stars; globe)
• CATEGORY 02 = Human beings
• CATEGORY 24 = Heraldry, flags, crowns, crosses,
arrows and symbols
• CATEGORY 05 = Plants

Dec. 10, 2013


30

DESIGN CODE TRIVIA
Registration with the most design codes:
• Application Serial No. 85-866033
Class 35 - Charitable services, namely, promoting
public awareness of Parkinson's disease;
Class 36 - Charitable fund raising for the benefit of
the study, cure and general awareness of
Parkinson's disease

Owner Name: National Parkinson
Foundation, Inc.
•

81 design codes

Dec. 10, 2013


31

SEARCHING ACCURACY
Word Searching . . . . . . . Design Searching . . . . . . Non-traditional Mark
Searching

Dec. 10, 2013


32

THANK YOU
Alex Butterman is an attorney specializing in trademark
and copyright law with the Washington, D.C. intellectual
property boutique firm of Staas & Halsey LLP. Alex has
been representing a diverse group of businesses in a
variety of industries and commercial sectors since 1995
while working in several IP boutique law firms and as an
Attorney Advisor (“Trademark Examining Attorney”) at the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Alex’s IP
practice covers foreign and domestic trademark clearance,
registration, disputes and Trademark Trial and Appeal
Board proceedings; internet domain name IP issues; anticounterfeiting matters; copyright prosecution; intellectual
property licensing and transactional matters; and
intellectual property research and due diligence
investigations. In addition, Alex is entering his fifth term as
a committee member for INTA and is a Trademark Law
Committee member for the AIPLA.

Dec. 10, 2013


33

Trademark Searching in
TESS:
Nontraditional Marks

Ed Timberlake
Board Certified Specialist in Trademark Law
ed@timberlakelaw.com

(these materials are on Pinterest,
on the Timberlake Law board titled:
Nontraditional Trademarks)

Timberlake Law
Trademarks & Copyrights

The Trade Dress Emperor’s New Clothes:
Why Trade Dress Does Not Belong on the
Principal Register
by
Glynn Lunney

August, 2000 51 Hastings Law Journal
1131
(hat tip to Sarah Burstein @design_law)

note:
mark description field depends on
description

attorneys write the
descriptions

“The mark consists of words and
shapes.”

an image,
or the thing itself?

6[md] - nothing to draw
(e.g. sounds, scents)

color[de] and "is/are claimed"[de] and
2[md]

color[de] and "as applied"[de] and 2[md]

(scent or fragrance)[de] and 6[md]

(sound or tone or music* or note)[de]
and 6[md]

(taste or flavor)[de] and 6[md]

(touch or texture)[de] and 6[md]

- one word
- all fields
- alphabetical results

(`rd <
“19500000”)
and
(`rd >
“19000000”)

(configur* or packag* or dimension* or trade* or *shape or shaped)[de]

20131206[fd] and (configuration or
packag* or dimension* or trade or
shape)[de]

201?????[fd] and “mark
consists”[de]

and 2[md] and live[ld] and `rn > "0"

XSearch
summaries let examiners do (some of)
the work for you

Stop hanging out at the
reference desk; spend
some time in the stacks

website: timberlakelaw.com
blog: Trademarks Are Magic
pinterest: timberlakelaw
twitter: @TimberlakeLaw
(#NTM)
flickr: Timberlake Law
instagram: timberlakelaw

ed@timberlakelaw.com
(919) 960 -1950

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