TTAB Quarterly Index: January - March 2009

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Section 2(a) - scandalous:

• Finding "A-HOLE PATROL" Scandalous for Online Social Club Screening, TTAB Affirms 2(a) Refusal

Section 2(d) - likelihood of confusion:

• Precedential No. 9: TTAB Dismisses 2(d) Petition to Cancel "DESIGNED TO SELL" Registration
• Wal-Mart Bests Loufrani in TTAB Battle over "Smiling Face" Mark
• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal: PTO Failed to Show "HEART" and "KOKORO" Confusingly Similar for Restaurant Services
• Giving Naked Consents Some Weight, TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal of "BUHLER & Design"
• TTAB Finds "KID'S OUTDOORS" & Design Not Confusingly Similar to "OUTDOOR KIDS," Both for Clothing
• TTAB Questionably Shows a Second Red Card to "FUTBOLITO": Merely Descriptive for Game Tables, but Confusingly Similar to "MLS FUTBOLITO"?
• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal of "QUAANTUM" for Trailer Suspension Systems Over "QUANTUM" for Tires
• It Don't Come Easy: TTAB Affirms 2(d) Refusal of "RINGO" for Clothing
• Long, Strange Trip Ends in Split TTAB 2(d) Decision for "ORIENT-EXPRESS" Applicant
• Finding Two "MILLER'S" Marks for Restaurant Services Confusingly Similar, TTAB Affirms 2(d) Refusal
• TTAB Finds "FERROLABS" and "FERRO TEC" for Ferrofluidic Fluids Not Confusingly Similar
• "MERCURY" for Vodka and Distilled Spirits Likely to Confuse: TTAB Affirms 2(d) Refusal
• Stylized "FRANCO FERRARI" Confusingly Similar to "FERRARI" and "FRANCO FERRARO," Says TTAB, Frankly
• Outback Steakhouse Fails to Prove Relatedness of Bottled Water and Beer; TTAB Dismisses 2(d) Opposition
• Finding Dissimilarity of "BIOMARINE" and "BIOMARIS" Marks Dispositive, TTAB Dismisses 2(d) Opposition
• Cosmopolitan Magazine Overwhelms "COSMO.COM" Applicant in TTAB 2(d) Opposition
• TTAB Finds Confusion Likely Between "IRON MAN" for Bodybuilding Magazines and "IRONMAN" for Nutritional Supplements
• TTAB Brew-Ha-Ha: Panel Divides on Grounds for "MOCCA" Refusal

Section 2(e)(1) - mere descriptiveness:

• Hip TTAB Finds "STRIP HOP" Merely Descriptive of Adult Entertainment Services
• TTAB Questionably Shows a Second Red Card to "FUTBOLITO": Merely Descriptive for Game Tables, but Confusingly Similar to "MLS FUTBOLITO"?
• "DRUMLINE LIVE" Merely Descriptive of Musical Performances, Says TTAB
• Applicant Gets Benefit of the Doubt: "GREEN INDIGO" Not Merely Descriptive of Clothing, Says TTAB
• TTAB No-Brainer? "BRAIN STATE CONDITIONING" Merely Descriptive of Neurofeedback Training
• "CHED 'R' WEDGES" Merely Descriptive of Pet Treats, Says TTAB
• "CHARLESTON GATE" Merely Descriptive of Jewelry Copying Charleston Gate Designs, Says TTAB, Not Surprisingly
• Appeal of "BANANA CHAIR" 2(e)(1) Refusal Bears Fruit at TTAB
• "HYBRID HEAVE" Not Merely Descriptive of Deep-Water Energy Storage System, Says TTAB

Section 2(e)(4) - Primarily Merely a Surname:

• Giving Added Weight to the Rareness Factor, TTAB Reverses Surname Refusal of "BERGFELD" for Wine

Section 2(e)(5) - Functionality:

• Precedential No. 6: TTAB Affirms Section 2(e)(5) Functionality Refusal of Shape of Metal Spray Nozzle
• Precedential No. 4: TTAB Rules that a Sound Emitted by Goods in Normal Course of Operation Cannot Be Inherently Distinctive

Section 2(f) - Acquired Distinctiveness:

• Wal-Mart Bests Loufrani in TTAB Battle over "Smiling Face" Mark
• Carroll Shelby's Cobra Design Marks Survive Feeble TTAB Challenge
• Precedential No. 6: TTAB Affirms Section 2(e)(5) Functionality Refusal of Shape of Metal Spray Nozzle
• Divided Board Panel Affirms Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "STEELWORKERS," Finds 2(f) Evidence Insufficient

Failure to Function/Non-distinctiveness:

• Precedential No. 8: Divided TTAB Panel Affirms Refusal to Register Chippendales' "Cuffs & Collar Mark"

Fraud:

• TTABlog Special Report: Two TTAB Fraud Decisions Now Await CAFC Review
• Precedential No. 2: TTAB Rules That, For a Multi-Class Registration, Fraud Must Be Considered Class-by-Class
• Canada Federal Court Refuses to Import US Fraud Doctrine into Canadian Trademark Law

Genericness:

• Carroll Shelby's Cobra Design Marks Survive Feeble TTAB Challenge
• After Careful Meditation, TTAB Finds "OSHO" Generic for ... Guess What?

Ownership:

• Joyce Theater Seeks Federal Court Review of TTAB Ownership Decision

Priority:

• Precedential No. 11: Section 2(d) Opposer Fails to Submit Registration Properly, Loses on Priority Issue
• Opposer Lays Egg at TTAB: Fails to Prove Priority in Edible Bird's Nest 2(d) Tussle
• TTAB Dismisses Tootsie Roll's "MISTER FLUFFY" Opposition for Failure to Establish Priority
• Precedential No. 1: Section 66(a) Applicant Wins TTAB Priority Contest in "FRUITOLOGY" 2(d) Dispute

Procedural Issues:

• Precedential No. 10: Irked TTAB Sanctions Counsel for Filing Untenable Motion to Dismiss
• Precedential No. 7: TTAB Okays Amended Section 18 Petition for Partial Cancellation, if Amended a Bit More
• Precedential No. 5: Board Shows Mercy, Forgives Cancellation Petitioner Who Served Petition One Week after its Electronic Filing

Santiago Convention:

• Precedential No. 3: TTAB Dismisses Claim Invoking Unsatisfiable Santiago Trademark Convention

Single Creative Work:

• TTAB Okays Single DVD as Specimen for Ongoing TV Series, "EVERYBODY I EVER SLEPT WITH"

Specimen of Use:

• TTABlog Twin-Bill: Two More "Bad Specimen" Cases To Ponder
• Finding "ACURA" and "RL" Too Far Apart on Specimens, TTAB Affirms Refusal of "ACURA RL" for Autos
• TTAB Affirms PTO Refusal to Amend "FIT TEST" Application from Services to Goods
• TTAB Okays Single DVD as Specimen for Ongoing TV Series, "EVERYBODY I EVER SLEPT WITH"

Other:

• Finding Circular Shape for Beach Towel to be Functional, Chicago Federal Court Rules Registered Trademark Invalid
• TTABlog New Job Posting: Milwaukee Office of Godfrey & Kahn Seeks IP Generalist
• New TTABlog Trademark Jobs Posting
• TTAB Posts March 2009 Hearing Schedule
• Montana Senator Again Blocks "LAST BEST PLACE" Registrations
• Someone Should Tell the New York Times that "Trademark" is not a Verb
• Frank Herrera Launches Cigar Law blog
• Nordstom's Aggressive TTAB Conduct Irks Many in the Blogosphere
• TPAC Webcast Set for February 20th; Agenda Includes Fraud Discussion
• The Top Ten TTAB Decisions of 2008 ® [Part 2 of 2]
• The Top Ten TTAB Decisions of 2008 ® [Part 1 of 2]
• TTAB Posts February 2009 Hearing Schedule
• Ron Coleman Ponders the TTAB's "HEEB" Decision
• USPTO Issues Annual Report for Fiscal 2008
• TTAB Issued 55 Precedential Decisions in 2008
• TTAB Posts January 2009 Hearing Schedule

Text and photos ©John L. Welch 2009.