To:
`
`Subject:
`
`Sent:
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`Sent As:
`
`Westerfield, A. David (osborn@coollaw.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 87595921 - AFFORDABLE MRI - N/A
`
`12/11/2017 9:10:48 AM
`
`ECOM114@USPTO.GOV
`
`Attachments:
`
`Attachment - 1
`Attachment - 2
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`*87595921*
`
`CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS
`LETTER:
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
`
`VIEW YOUR APPLICATION FILE
`
`U.S. APPLICATION
`SERIAL NO.   87595921
`
`           
`
`MARK: AFFORDABLE
`MRI
`
`CORRESPONDENT
`ADDRESS:
`  
`       R. MICHAEL
`OSBORN
`  
`       COOLIDGE WALL
`         33 WEST FIRST
`STREET
`           SUITE 200
`    
`    DAYTON, OH 45402
`APPLICANT:
`Westerfield, A. David
`
`    
`
`CORRESPONDENT’S
`REFERENCE/DOCKET
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`   
`
`NO:       
`
`  N/A
`CORRESPONDENT
`
`E-MAIL ADDRESS:       
`
`osborn@coollaw.com
`
`OFFICE ACTION
`
`STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER
`TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE APPLICANT’S
`COMPLETE RESPONSE TO THIS LETTER WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE BELOW.   A RESPONSE
`TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE TRADEMARK ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SYSTEM (TEAS) MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE
`MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME OF THE LAST DAY OF THE RESPONSE PERIOD.
`
`ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 12/11/2017
`
`The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.  Applicant must respond timely and completely to
`the issue(s) below.  15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(a), 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.
`
`SEARCH OF OFFICE’S DATABASE OF MARKS
`
`The trademark examining attorney has searched the Office’s database of registered and pending marks and has found no conflicting marks that
`would bar registration under Trademark Act Section 2(d).  TMEP §704.02; see 15 U.S.C. §1052(d).
`
`SUMMARY OF ISSUES:
`
`1.      Section 2(e)(1) Refusal – Merely Description
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`2.      Advisory: Application Not Eligible for Supplemental Register At This Time
`3.      Advisory: If Amend to Supplemental Register Generic Matter Must Be Disclaimed
`
`SECTION 2(e)(1) REFUSAL – MERELY DESCRIPTIVE
`
`Registration is refused because the applied-for mark merely describes a feature or characteristic of applicant’s services.   Trademark Act Section
`2(e)(1), 15 U.S.C. §1052(e)(1); see TMEP §§1209.01(b), 1209.03 et seq.
`
` A
`
` mark is merely descriptive if it describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose, or use of an applicant’s services.  
`TMEP §1209.01(b); see, e.g., In re TriVita, Inc., 783 F.3d 872, 874, 114 USPQ2d 1574, 1575 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (quoting In re Oppedahl &
`Larson LLP, 373 F.3d 1171, 1173, 71 USPQ2d 1370, 1371 (Fed. Cir. 2004)); In re Steelbuilding.com, 415 F.3d 1293, 1297, 75 USPQ2d 1420,
`
`1421 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (citing Estate of P.D. Beckwith, Inc. v. Comm’r of Patents , 252 U.S. 538, 543 (1920)).  
`
`  According to
`In the present case, applicant’s mark is AFFORDABLE MRI for “[m]edical radiology services” in International Class 044.
`Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary , AFFORDABLE can be defined as “having a cost that is not too high”.   (See attached for definition).  Further,
`an MRI is a feature of medical radiology services.  See specifically, attached from Wikipedia (“Radiology is the science that uses medical
`imaging to diagnose and sometimes also treat diseases within the body.  A variety of imaging techniques such as X-ray radiography, ultrasound,
`computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine including positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used
`to diagnose and/or treat diseases.”).   When the above terms are combined, taken as a whole and considered in connection with the identified
`services, they form applicant’s applied-for mark, which is immediately descriptive.   This is because it conveys, without any ambiguity, a feature
`or characteristic of applicant’s services, namely an MRI that is able to be afforded, or, an affordable MRI.
`
`Therefore, for the reasons discussed above, applicant’s mark is refused registration on the Principal Register under Trademark Act Section
`2(e)(1).
`
`Although applicant’s mark has been refused registration, applicant may respond to the refusal by submitting evidence and arguments in support
`of registration.
`
`ADVISORY: APPLICATION NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SUPPLEMENTAL REGISTER AT THIS TIME
`
` A
`
` mark in an application under Trademark Act Section 1(b) is not eligible for registration on the Supplemental Register until an acceptable
`amendment to allege use under 37 C.F.R. §2.76 has been filed.  37 C.F.R. §§2.47(d), 2.75(b); TMEP §§815.02, 1102.03.  When a Section 1(b)
`application is successfully amended to the Supplemental Register, the application effective filing date will be the date applicant met the
`minimum filing requirements under 37 C.F.R. §2.76(c) for the amendment to allege use.  TMEP §§816.02, 1102.03; see 37 C.F.R. §2.75(b).
`
`ADVISORY: IF AMEND TO SUPPLEMENTAL REGISTER GENERIC MATTER MUST BE DISCLAIMED
`
`Applicant is advised that, if the application is ultimately amended to seek registration on the Supplemental Register, applicant will be required to
`disclaim “MRI” because such wording appears to be generic in the context of applicant’s services.
`  See 15 U.S.C. §1056(a); In re Wella Corp.,
`565 F.2d 143, 144, 196 USPQ 7, 8 (C.C.P.A. 1977); In re Creative Goldsmiths of Wash., Inc., 229 USPQ 766, 768 (TTAB 1986); TMEP
`§1213.03(b).
`
`The following is the standardized format for a disclaimer:
`
`No claim is made to the exclusive right to use “MRI” apart from the mark as shown.
`
`TMEP §1213.08(a)(i).
`
`RESPONSE GUIDELINES
`
`If applicant has questions regarding this Office action, please telephone or e-mail the assigned trademark examining attorney.  All relevant e-
`mail communications will be placed in the official application record; however, an e-mail communication will not be accepted as a response to
`this Office action and will not extend the deadline for filing a proper response.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(c), 2.191; TMEP §§304.01-.02, 709.04-.05. 
`Further, although the trademark examining attorney may provide additional explanation pertaining to the refusal(s) and/or requirement(s) in this
`Office action, the trademark examining attorney may not provide legal advice or statements about applicant’s rights.   See TMEP §§705.02,
`709.06.
`
`TEAS PLUS OR TEAS REDUCED FEE (TEAS RF) APPLICANTS – TO MAINTAIN LOWER FEE, ADDITIONAL
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`REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET, INCLUDING SUBMITTING DOCUMENTS ONLINE:  Applicants who filed their application
`online using the lower-fee TEAS Plus or TEAS RF application form must (1) file certain documents online using TEAS, including responses to
`Office actions (see TMEP §§819.02(b), 820.02(b) for a complete list of these documents); (2) maintain a valid e-mail correspondence address;
`and (3) agree to receive correspondence from the USPTO by e-mail throughout the prosecution of the application.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.22(b),
`2.23(b); TMEP §§819, 820.  TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants who do not meet these requirements must submit an additional processing fee of
`$125 per class of goods and/or services.  37 C.F.R. §§2.6(a)(1)(v), 2.22(c), 2.23(c); TMEP §§819.04, 820.04.  However, in certain situations,
`TEAS Plus or TEAS RF applicants may respond to an Office action by authorizing an examiner’s amendment by telephone or e-mail without
`
`incurring this additional fee.     
`
`/Adetayo J. Adeyiga/
`Trademark Examining Attorney
`Law Office 114
`(571) 272-7089
`adetayo.adeyiga@uspto.gov
`
`TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:   Go to http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.   Please wait 48-72 hours from the
`issue/mailing date before using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), to allow for necessary system updates of the application. 
`For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.  For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned
`trademark examining attorney.  E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to
`this Office action by e-mail.
`
`All informal e-mail communications relevant to this application will be placed in the official application record.
`
`WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual applicant or someone with legal authority to bind an
`applicant (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint applicants).  If an applicant is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the
`
`response.  
`PERIODICALLY CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION:   To ensure that applicant does not miss crucial deadlines or official
`notices, check the status of the application every three to four months using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at
`http://tsdr.uspto.gov/.   Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen.   If the status shows no change for more than six months, contact the
`Trademark Assistance Center by e-mail at TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or call 1-800-786-9199.   For more information on checking
`status, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/.
`
`TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.
`
`  
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`

`

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`

`To:
`
`Subject:
`
`Sent:
`
`Sent As:
`
`Attachments:
`
`Westerfield, A. David (osborn@coollaw.com)
`
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION NO. 87595921 - AFFORDABLE MRI - N/A
`
`12/11/2017 9:10:48 AM
`
`ECOM114@USPTO.GOV
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`
`IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING YOUR
`U.S. TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`USPTO OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) HAS ISSUED
`ON 12/11/2017 FOR U.S. APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 87595921
`
`Please follow the instructions below:
`
`(1)  TO READ THE LETTER:  Click on this link or go to http://tsdr.uspto.gov, enter the U.S. application serial number, and click on
`“Documents.”
`
`The Office action may not be immediately viewable, to allow for necessary system updates of the application, but will be available within 24
`hours of this e-mail notification.
`
`(2)  TIMELY RESPONSE IS REQUIRED:  Please carefully review the Office action to determine (1) how to respond, and (2) the applicable
`response time period.  Your response deadline will be calculated from 12/11/2017 (or sooner if specified in the Office action).  A response
`transmitted through the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) must be received before midnight Eastern Time of the last day of the
`response period.   For information regarding response time periods, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/status/responsetime.jsp.
`
`Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise e-mail your response because the USPTO does NOT accept e-mails as
`responses to Office actions. 
`Instead,
`the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the TEAS response form located at
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp.
`
`(3)  QUESTIONS:  For questions about the contents of the Office action itself, please contact the assigned trademark examining attorney.  For
`technical assistance in accessing or viewing the Office action in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system, please e-mail
`TSDR@uspto.gov.
`
`WARNING
`
`Failure to file the required response by the applicable response deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.  For
`more information regarding abandonment, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/abandon.jsp.
`
`PRIVATE COMPANY SOLICITATIONS REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION:  Private companies not associated with the USPTO are
`using information provided in trademark applications to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  These companies often use names that
`closely resemble the USPTO and their solicitations may look like an official government document.  Many solicitations require that you pay
`
`“fees.”   
`
`Please carefully review all correspondence you receive regarding this application to make sure that you are responding to an official document
`from the USPTO rather than a private company solicitation.  All official USPTO correspondence will be mailed only from the “United States
`Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA; or sent by e-mail from the domain “@uspto.gov.”   For more information on how to handle
`private company solicitations, see http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/solicitation_warnings.jsp.
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