TTABlog Quarterly Index: July - September 2005

Now that the White Sox have clinched their division, I can relax and concentrate on the TTABlog quarterly index. Prior quarterly indices may be found by clicking on December 2004, March 2005, and June 2005 in the Archives list to the right. The top entry will be the quarterly index.

Faneuil Hall and Custom House Tower, Boston(Click on photos for larger image)
Section 2(a) - immoral or scandalous:

• TTABlog Predicts TTAB Reversal of "DYKES ON BIKES" Refusal
• Court of Appeals Remands "REDSKINS" Case on Laches Issue
• Flag Football On The Fourth: Revisiting the TTAB's Old Glory Condom Decision
• Divided TTAB Panel Finds "WIFE BEATER" Immoral Or Scandalous For T-Shirts

Section 2(d) - likelihood of confusion:

• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal: "BEYOND THE EXPECTED" and "BANKING BEYOND YOUR EXPECTATIONS" Too Dissimilar
• "LOVE" No Passport to TTAB 2(d) Happiness
• TTAB Query: "QUINTUS" and "QUANTUM" Confusingly Similar for Wine?
• TTAB Finds "BEYOND VODKA" Confusingly Similar to "BEYOND MERLOT"
• TTAB Sustains St. Nick Music's 2(d) Opposition to "LOLLY-JOLLY" for Candy
• Superman Rules! TTAB Sustains DC Comics' 2(d) Opposition to "KRIPTONITA" for Fruit Cocktail
• TTAB Reconsiders "RIVERCATS" Decision, But Opposer Still Strikes Out
• Simi Winery's Glass One-Fifth Full Following TTAB Fracas
• TTAB Finds "LOT29" Confusingly Similar to "LOT 53" for Clothing
• Citable TTAB Decision Has Blue Man Group Seeing Red
• Finding Bibs and Footwear Related, TTAB Gives "BABY'S FIRST" Applicant a Section 2(d) Spanking
• Yankees Win! Bronx Bombers Best "BABY BOMBERS" in TTAB Battle
• TTAB Says Get Lost to "GET IN. GET OUT. GET GOING."
• TTAB Sustains 2(d) Opposition to "STAR FLY" for Non-Intimate Footwear
• TTAB Condemns "THIS MOLD HOUSE" Despite Poorly Constructed 2(d) Opposition
• TTAB Sustains 2(d) Opposition to "A thru Z Advantage" for Nutritional Supplements
• "DOCSS" And "DOCSSITE" For Document Management Software Not Confusingly Similar, Says TTAB
• Confusion Not Likely Between "ZANELLA" Clothing And Wood Flooring, Says TTAB
• Citable TTAB Decision: "NORTON MCNAUGHTON ESSENTIALS" Not Confusingly Similar To "ESSENTIALS" For Women's Clothing

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

• "PLAY THINGS" Merely Descriptive of Pet Treats, Says TTAB
• "STRIPE WRITER" Not Merely Descriptive of Pens with Striped Ink, Says TTAB
• TTAB No Fan of "COUNTRY MUSIC CAFE" -- Finds it Merely Descriptive
• "TWIN CHAMBER" Merely Descriptive of Vacuum Cleaners, TTAB Rules
• "MICROCELL" Merely Descriptive of Small Fuel Cells, Says TTAB
• TTAB Finds Three "REAL TIME" Marks Merely Descriptive Of Computer Training Services

Section 2(e)(2) - primarily geographically descriptive:

• "HALF MOON BAY" Primarily Geographically Descriptive For Wine, TTAB Rules
• TTAB Sustains 2(e)(2) Opposition, Finding "BIG D" Primarily Geographically Descriptive
• TTAB Finds "PRINCETON PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS" Geographically Descriptive

Samuel Adams
Section 2(e)(3) - primarily geographically deceptively misdescriptive:

• TTAB Cancels Registration of Deceptively Misdescriptive "ZHIGULY" for Beer

Section 2(e)(4) - primarily merely a surname:

• TTAB Affirms Surname Refusal of "PICCHIOTTI" for Jewelry
• In a Citable Decision, TTAB Reverses Surname Refusal of "FIORE"
• TTAB Reverses Surname Refusal Of "LATAS" For Avocado Rootstocks

Section 2(e)(5) - functionality:

• TTAB Affirms Functionality Refusal of the Color Red for Fake Weapons
• TTAB Affirms Refusal to Register Bose Speaker Shape (Again)

Section 2(f) - acquired distinctiveness:

• TTAB Finds "TRAFFIC LAW CENTER" Registrable under Section 2(f), but with Disclaimer
• TTAB Overturns Disclaimer Requirement, Finds "VIRTUAL MODEL" For Simulation Software Has Secondary Meaning

Abandonment:

• Hasbro "COTTON CANDY" Pony Finishes Out of the Running in TTAB Cancellation Clash

Dilution:

• Superman Rules! TTAB Sustains DC Comics' 2(d) Opposition to "KRIPTONITA" for Fruit Cocktail
• Citable TTAB Decision Has Blue Man Group Seeing Red

Fraud:

• Hasbro "COTTON CANDY" Pony Finishes Out of the Running in TTAB Cancellation Clash

Genericness:

• In a Citable Decision, TTAB Confirms that Varietal Names are Unregistrable, and Affirms Genericness Refusal of "REBEL" for Grass Seed
• TTAB Reverses Genericness Refusal of "MICRO COTTON"
• "SYNTHETEK" Not Generic for Synthetic Paper, Says TTAB
• TTAB Finds "SING-A-LONG" Generic for Karaoke Players
• TTAB Finds "LAWASH" Generic For Flat Bread, Cancels Registration
• CAFC Vacates Genericness Refusal Of "STEELBUILDING.COM"
• TTAB Finds "STORAGE OUTLET" Generic for Self-Service Storage Facilities

City Hall, Boston
Not a Trademark/Mutilation

• TTAB Citable Decision Says Author's Name May be a Trademark, but Refusal of "FERN MICHAELS" is Affirmed
• TTAB Affirms Refusal to Register Title of Single Book
• TTAB Says Peabody Hotels' 182-Word Duck "Legend" Does Not Function As A Mark

TTAB Discovery/Evidence/Procedure:

• TTABlog Reminder: Madrid Oppositions Require Electronic Filing"

Res Judicata:

• CAFC Vacates TTAB's Summary Judgment in "BERKSHIRE" Res Judicata Case
• TTAB Affirms Refusal to Register Bose Speaker Shape (Again)

CAFC Decisions:

• CAFC Vacates Genericness Refusal Of "STEELBUILDING.COM"
• CAFC Vacates TTAB's Summary Judgment in "BERKSHIRE" Res Judicata Case

Leo Stoller:

• Leo Stoller and the "MERCHANT OF VENICE"?
• Leo Stoller Article In NY Times Provides Boost For TTABlog

Other:

• Chief Judge Sams Outlines Current TTAB Initiatives
• Boston Patent Law Association Hosts "Trademark Year in Review: 2005"
• D.C. District Court Tosses Out TTAB "Appeal" That Raised Only New Issues
• TTABlog Flotsam and Jetsam -- Issue No. 7
• TTABlog: More August Reading
• The TTABlog Mid-August Reading List
• TTABlog Flotsam and Jetsam -- Issue No. 6
• Bizarre Appeal Charges TTAB With Destroying Al Qaeda-Related Evidence
• TTABlog Flotsam And Jetsam -- Issue No. 5

Text and photographs ©John L. Welch 2005.