TM Search Example

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TM Search Example

Mark: APPLE
Goods and/or Services: Computer Software

1.            Conduct Internet Search Via Internet Search Engine such as Google: (See attached Internet search using terms “Apple” and Software;  Additional searches should also be made for:

  • Apple and Computer Software;
  • Apple and Software; and
  • Apple and Software related products such as Hardware and/or Peripheral devices.

2.            Conduct Search of USPTO Database TESS System located at: 

                http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4802:73w287.1.1

A.            Select “Word and/or Design Mark Search (Free Form)”

B.            In “Search Term” box, use listed US Trademark Field Codes to search for marks incorporating the term “apple” and “computer” and live registrations and applications. (For the purposes of this example, the search was further narrowed to only those registrations and applications owned by a registrant or applicant that also incorporated the name apple in their company name.

The specific search terms to obtain these results were entered as follows:

“apple”[bi] and “computer”[gs] and live[ld] and “apple”[ow]

The use of quotation marks in the fields [bi], [gs], and [ow] specified only exact results contained within those fields.  As the only choices for the [ld] field are either “live” or “dead” the use of quotation marks is unnecessary.

Additional searches should also be made for:

  • Apple and Computer Software;
  • Apple and Software

Are there any other potential searches that could be performed for confusingly similar marks?