TTABlog Quarterly Index: July - September 2010

E-mail subscriptions to the TTABlog are available. Just enter your e-mail address in the box on the right to receive a daily update via Feedblitz. You may also follow the blog on Twitter (here). And don't forget to leave your comments! Finally, please report any broken or inoperative links, as well as any errors and omissions, to the TTABlogger at jwelch at lalaw.com.


Section 2(d) - likelihood of confusion:

• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Are These Two "CEMENTO & Design" Marks Confusingly Similar for Clothing?
• TTAB Finds "ESCAPE" Confusingly Similar to "THE GREAT ESCAPE" for Golf Clubs
• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Are "CRUSSH" for Restaurant Services and "CRUSH" for Beverages Confusingly Similar?
• Precedential No. 38: "COACH" Loses Triple-Header: 2(d), 2(e)(1), and Dilution
• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Are These Two Design Marks for Software Confusingly Similar?
• Fame of "LE CORDON BLEU" Brings TTAB 2(d) Victory Over "CORD ON BLUE" for Cord Storage Units
• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Are the Marks "FIRESIDE GLOW" and "FIRESIDE WARMTH" Confusingly Similar for Air Fresheners?
• WYHP? TTAB Dismisses 2(d) Cancellation Petition Hinged on "AUGUSTINE'S SPIRITUAL GOODS" Ownership Issue
• TTAB Affirms 2(d) Refusal of "MARSHLAND" Over "MARSHLANDER," Finding Camouflage Fabric and Raingear Related
• Rejecting Broad Interpretation of Cited Registration, TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal of "RED BOX DIVERSITY SYSTEM"
• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal of "WISH YOU WERE HERE" for Underwear
• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal of "HEARTWORKS" Despite Substantial Identity of Cited Mark
• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal, Sophistication of Purchasers a Key Factor
• WYHA? TTAB Affirms 2(d) Refusal in Two-Page Opinion
• Precedential No. 31: Opposer Fails to Prove Priority, Non-Use, and Fraud in "BLACK BELT TV" Brouhaha
• TTAB Reverses 2(d) Refusal of "LEG BALANCE" for Athletic Apparel Over "FOOT BALANCE" for Leather Footwear
• WYHA? TTAB Affirms 2(d) Refusal of "RIPPLE KIDS & Design" Over "RIPPLE & Design," Both for Stationery
• TTAB Finds "GOLF SPORT" and "GOLFINO," both with Golfer Designs and both for Clothing, Confusingly Similar
• TTAB Sides With "VALENTINO" in Section 2(d) Fashion Designer Dispute
• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Are These Two Fruit Designs Confusingly Similar?
• TTAB Sustains 2(d) "TELMEX" Opposition, Finding Applicant Acted in Really Bad Faith
• Precedential No. 27: Finding Computer Software and Services Related, TTAB Affirms 2(d) "ACTIVECARE" Refusal

Section 2(e)(1) mere descriptiveness:

• TTAB Affirms 2(e)(1) Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "ROUGE TOMATE" for Fruit and Vegetable Juices
• TTAB Reverses Refusal of "CORPORATE FUEL" For Business Advisory Services, Finding Disclaimer of "CORPORATE" Unnecessary
• WYHA? TTAB Affirms Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "POLYMERLATEX" for Chemicals
• WYHA? TTAB Affirms Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "ZEOLITE" for Dishwashers
• WYHO? TTAB Tosses Out Feeble Fraud and Mere Descriptiveness Claims
• WYHA? TTAB Affirms Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "COLLEGIATE COMMUNITY FINANCIAL" for Credit Union Services
• TTAB Reverses Mere Descriptiveness Refusal of "LUA" for Computer Programs
• WYHA? TTAB Affirms 2(e)(1) Refusal of "TEQUINI" As Merely Descriptive of Tequila Martini
• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Is "MARGARITA COMPANY" Merely Descriptive of Bar and Restaurant Services?

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

• Ruling that TTAB Misapplied Section 2(e)(3) Test, District Court Reverses TTAB's "GUANTANAMERA" Decision

Section 2(e)(5) - functional:

• Precedential No. 32: TTAB Finds Bands on Mag Rechargeable Flashlight Functional, Lacking in Acquired Distinctiveness
• TTAB Affirms Refusal of "Closure Cap Configuration Mark" on Functionality and Nondistinctiveness Grounds

Section 2(f) - Acquired distinctiveness:

• Prededential No. 34: TTAB Affirms Refusal to Register "Beer Glass and Stand" Packaging for Lack of Distinctiveness
• Precedential No. 32: TTAB Finds Bands on Mag Rechargeable Flashlight Functional, Lacking in Acquired Distinctiveness
• TTAB Affirms Refusal of "Closure Cap Configuration Mark" on Functionality and Nondistinctiveness Grounds
• TTAB Reverses Refusal to Register Cartier Watch Design, Finding 2(f) Evidence Sufficient

Section 10 - Improper Assignment:

• Precedential No. 35: Amazon Spanked Again in TTAB Discovery Ruling

Abandonment:

• Precedential No. 29: TTAB Dismisses "ECSTASY" Cancellation - Petitioner Proves Standing, But Not Abandonment or Fraud

Dilution:

• Precedential No. 38: "COACH" Loses Triple-Header: 2(d), 2(e)(1), and Dilution

Failure to Function:

• Prededential No. 34: TTAB Affirms Refusal to Register "Beer Glass and Stand" Packaging for Lack of Distinctiveness
• TTAB Affirms Failure-to-Function Refusal of DAP Background Design

Fraud:

• Precedential No. 36: TTAB Refuses to Find Fraudulent Intent Where Applicant Relied on Advice of Counsel
• WYHO? TTAB Tosses Out Feeble Fraud and Mere Descriptiveness Claims
• TTAB Tosses Out Three Fraud Claims, Dismisses "ZYTNIA" Vodka Cancellation Petition
• Precedential No. 29: TTAB Dismisses "ECSTASY" Cancellation - Petitioner Proves Standing, But Not Abandonment or Fraud

Genericness:

• TTAB Finds "THE FITNESS SNEAKER" Generic for ... Guess What?
• TTAB Finds "THE FLYER" Not Generic for Advertising Shopper Services
• Sidestepping American Fertility, TTAB Finds "PAO DOCE WRAPS" Generic for Bakery Products

Lack of Bona Fide Intent:

• Precedential No. 28: Finding Lack of Bona Fide Intent, TTAB Sustains "MITHRIL" Opposition

Mutilation/Material Alteration:

• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Is An Amendment From "MT RAINIER" To "RAINIER" Permissible?

Ownership:

• TTAB Decides Dispute Between Two Lubavitch Chassidic Factions over Kehot Logo

Priority of Use:

• Prededential No. 33: Opposer Proves Priority Based on Sale of Ventilators for Test Purposes

Standing:

• Precedential No. 38: "COACH" Loses Triple-Header: 2(d), 2(e)(1), and Dilution

Use in Commerce/Drawing/Specimen of Use:

• Test Your TTAB Judge-Ability: Is "ONCE A MARINE, ALWAYS A MARINE" on Clothing a Trademark, Or Merely Informational?
• Precedential No. 26: "OSMODEX" Specimens Fail to Show Use as Service Mark, TTAB Rules
• Precedential No. 25: "CLOTHING FACTS" Not Functioning as a Trademark, Says TTAB

TTAB Discovery/Evidence/Procedure:

• Precedential No. 37: TTAB Says Filing of Summary Judgment Motion Does Not Automatically Suspend Proceeding
• Precedential No. 35: Amazon Spanked Again in TTAB Discovery Ruling
• Finding No Claim or Issue Preclusion, TTAB Denies "MAJOR TAYLOR" Summary Judgment Motion
• Precedential No. 30: TTAB Strikes Counterclaim Allegations Based on Ex Parte Prosecution Errors, but Okays Section 10 Abandonment Claim

CAFC Decisions:

• CAFC Affirms's TTAB's "OUTDOOR KIDS" Cancellation Dismissal
• CAFC Affirms TTAB's Mere Descriptiveness Ruling in "E-LEX" Case

CAFC Oral Arguments:

• CAFC Hears Oral Argument in Chippendales' "Cuff & Collar" Appeal

Recommended Reading:

• ABA Webinar Sept 29th: "The Nuts and Bolts of Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Practice"
• Free Case Book: "Fundamentals of Intellectual Property Law" by Prof. Thomas G. Field, Jr.
• Recommended Reading: Following the Direction of TrafFix: Trade Dress Law and Functionality Revisited

Other:

• ABA Webinar Sept 29th: "The Nuts and Bolts of Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Practice"
• ABA Publishes "A Legal Strategist's Guide to TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD PRACTICE"
• Two New Judges Join TTAB, Bringing Total to Nineteen
• Erik Pelton Reports on September 2nd TPAC Meeting
• TTAB Posts September 2010 Hearing Schedule
• Pamela Chestek Comments on "ZYTNIA" Ownership Issue
• TTAB Posts August 2010 Hearing Schedule
• Now Available: TPAC Transcript from May 7, 2010 Meeting
• Stoller's New "STEALTH" Application Getting Close USPTO Attention
• Precedential No. 30: TTAB Strikes Counterclaim Allegations Based on Ex Parte Prosecution Errors, but Okays Section 10 Abandonment Claim
• TTAB Posts July 2010 Hearing Schedule

Text and photos © John L. Welch 2010.