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A trademark differs from a patent as it protects things such as brand names and logos as opposed to an invention or idea. Trademarks are rather important if you have created a logo in which you don’t want others to use without your permission. It is suggested by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to hire a North Carolina patent and trademark attorney in your city who can help you with this process as it can be rather difficult and complex to get through.
A service mark is nearly the same thing as a trademark except it “identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than goods.” The USPTO generally refers to a “service mark” as a “mark” so in the event you come across these two terms, they both mean the same thing. Some businesses are often required to obtain both because both protect and benefit the business in different ways. Bright Hub provided an example which is explained below.
A restaurant that provides food services to clients needs a service mark for this and if they sell food products, which most do, they need to trademark the labels or names of the food in their menu.
While you might meet the appropriate criteria to file an application for a patent, trademark, or even a service mark, not everyone is granted with these rights to have one. It takes the USPTO a lengthy period of time before they will review your application and there may be something contained in it that doesn’t permit for you to have either one of the three.
In terms of trademarks, it is important that you conduct a trademark search prior to submitting your application to avoid having the USPTO deny it. This can help you identify whether another party already has rights to your trademark, and if your trademark is weak or too difficult to protect.
You can conduct a trademark search by using the free search system identified as TESS. It can be accessed by clicking here and is available for you to use 24/7.
The USPTO has the right to refuse registration of a proposed mark for many reasons including the mark being:
There are many benefits that come along with hiring an attorney who specializes in trademark and patent law. Some ways a patent or trademark lawyer can help you include:
If you need assistance with any of the above or have another issue relating to patents and trademarks, give us a call as we can locate a North Carolina patent and trademark lawyer in your area who is available to address your matter.
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