USPTO Issues Revisions to Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure | Practical Law

USPTO Issues Revisions to Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure | Practical Law

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released a revised version of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure for October 2015.

USPTO Issues Revisions to Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure

Practical Law Legal Update w-000-7326 (Approx. 2 pages)

USPTO Issues Revisions to Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure

by Practical Law Intellectual Property & Technology
Published on 03 Nov 2015 • USA (National/Federal)
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released a revised version of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure for October 2015.
On October 30, 2015, the USPTO released the October 2015 version of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP).
The TMEP sets out the current law, practices, and procedures concerning applications to register trademarks with the USPTO. The TMEP is intended to assist trademark examiners, applicants, and applicants’ attorneys and representatives.
The October 2015 version incorporates changes that have occurred since the January 2015 TMEP revision, including:
  • New precedential case law.
  • Clarification of the process for updating ownership information in the USPTO trademark database following recordation of an assignment, merger, or name change.
  • New or revised procedures, including for:
    • examination of repeating-pattern marks, composed of a repeated element or repeated combination of designs that form a pattern displayed on the surface, packaging, or advertising materials of goods; and
    • identification of goods protected by a foreign geographical indication system.
A full list of changes in the October 2015 version can be found in the Index to Changes in TMEP October 2015 section of the TMEP.