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Research Guides

Federal Trademarks & Service Marks

USPTO definition:

"word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods (services) of one party from those of others"

  • Renewable every 10 years if still in use

  • Fees

  • What am I protecting?  What do I own?

    • The words in the context of the mark for the particular subject area.

    •  Not the generic/descriptive words outside the context of the mark.

  • Pending Registrations

  • Federal Register

  • What makes a good trademark?  Distinctiveness!  Avoid confusion and confusing similarity!

USPTO Trademarks Portal

Trademark Basics (USPTO)

Trademarks Basics Booklet: Registration Toolkit (USPTO - pdf)

Fees and Payment

Trademark FAQs

Apply Online - USPTO TEAS:  Trademark Electronic Application System

Trademark Official Gazette (TMOG)

Trademark Searching

  • What is confusingly similar?

    Likelihood of confusion includes:  spellings, sound-a-likes, similar goods/services,  consumers mistakenly believe the mark originates from the same source

  • Keywords, phrases, alternate spellings

  • Searching the Trademark Database

    • International Classifications: Trademark ID Manual

      Is the mark in the same or a related subject area? Find trademarks used on goods and services related to yours.

    • Logos and Designs: Trademark Design Search Manual (also known as the Trademark Design Search Code Manual or TM-DSCM). Find trademarks that appear similar to yours using design search codes.

  • UW Engineering Library Trademark Searching Guide

     

Databases @ US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO):

USPTO Trademark Search **Replaced TESS (U.S. Trademark Electronic Search System) on November 30, 2023**
The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Trademark Search system contains pending, registered, and dead federal trademarks.  Online Help is available for search assistance. The "Announcements" section provides update-to-date information about database status and system development. More information from the USPTO: Search Our Trademark Database.

Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR):  USPTO system to retrieve status information and to view and download documents for pending and registered trademarks. Check status and view documents.

Trademark Assignment Search:  Finding trademark ownership information / Transferring ownership or changing name

 

Trademarks are Everywhere!

®University of Washington

®Starbucks

Source:  Trademark illustrations from publications or databases issued by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.