[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 215 (Monday, November 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 68740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28775]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-T-2011-0063]


Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure, Eighth Edition

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: To provide information on trademark examination policy and 
procedure, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'') 
issued the eighth edition of the Trademark Manual of Examining 
Procedure (``TMEP''), and made available an archived copy of the 
seventh edition, on October 15, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that any suggestions for improving the 
form and content of the TMEP be submitted via electronic mail message 
to [email protected]. Written comments may also be submitted by mail 
addressed to: Commissioner for Trademarks, P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, 
VA 22313-1451, marked to the attention of Editor, Trademark Manual of 
Examining Procedure, or by hand delivery to the Trademark Assistance 
Center, Concourse Level, James Madison Building-East Wing, 600 Dulany 
Street Alexandria, Virginia, marked to the attention of Editor, 
Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine P. Cain, Office of the 
Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, by electronic 
mail at: [email protected]; or by mail addressed to: 
Commissioner for Trademarks, P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, VA 22313-1451, 
marked to the attention of Catherine P. Cain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 15, 2011, the USPTO issued the 
eighth edition of the TMEP, which provides USPTO trademark examining 
attorneys, trademark applicants, and attorneys and representatives for 
trademark applicants with a reference on the practices and procedures 
for prosecution of applications to register marks in the USPTO. The 
TMEP contains guidelines for examining attorneys and materials in the 
nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the procedures 
which examining attorneys are required or authorized to follow in the 
examination of trademark applications.
    The eighth edition incorporates USPTO trademark practice and 
relevant case law reported prior to September 1, 2011. The policies 
stated in this revision supersede any previous policies stated in prior 
editions, examination guides, or any other statement of USPTO policy, 
to the extent that there is any conflict. The eighth edition also 
includes a collaboration tool, offered through a program called 
IdeaScale[supreg], which permits the user community to provide public 
comments that are accessible to both the user community and the Office. 
The collaboration tool is currently open to Chapters 500, 900, and 
1900. The eighth edition of the TMEP may be viewed or downloaded free 
of charge from the USPTO Web site at http://tess2.uspto.gov/tmdb/tmep/.
    An archived copy of the seventh edition of the TMEP also remains 
available for reference. Links to the seventh edition, as well as to 
the fourth, fifth, and sixth editions, are on the USPTO Web site at 
http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/resources/TMEParchives.jsp.

    Dated: November 1, 2011.
David J. Kappos,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-28775 Filed 11-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P