Register a trademark in the US

This question, frankly, does not concern everyone. But if you are planning to seriously enter the US market, then this question will definitely arise. There are no downsides or problems with trademark registration, but it costs some money. But after registration, it will be possible to write on the site and in promotional products - MyMarka ®. This will add some solidity to your product / service.
Earlier on Habré was a topic on patents. I will tell you about the registration of the trademark, as always on my own experience.

And so, proceed to registration. In the USA, unlike in Russia, even a private person can register a trademark, I did so 5 years ago. And already then, I did all the necessary actions via the Internet. Yes, everything is very simple. Just go here and fill out the trademark registration form .

If the clerk checking your application has any questions, you can answer them right away - Response forms . Lawyers, for registering a trademark, will charge you for 2 or more hours of work (approximately $ 500). Although in reality, registration is more like filling out a questionnaire, there is nothing difficult in it, if no problems are foreseen with the brand itself.

Now I will tell you in more detail. The easiest way to register synthetic words. Well, by itself, to register the word lntel will still not work, because it looks like you yourself know what kind of registered brand. So the brand must be unique.
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First, see if the word you want to register as a trademark is not being used. If used (I was), but in a different class, then do not worry. After all, trademarks are divided into use classes. Here is a list of classes accepted in the world. Habram people should pay attention to class 009 (almost everything related to computers). Here is a detailed faq right on the site www.uspto.gov .

If the word is used in your class, there is nothing good about it. There is a potential risk of getting problems by promoting your product / service in the US market. With the great importance of the market in the United States, it is worth thinking about this issue in advance.

A stamp can be registered as a typed drawing, that is, text or as a drawing, that is, an image (logos, etc.). The latter is often used when a simple word cannot be registered (for example, a known word).

Here is the price list for the registration of a trademark in the United States. Registration costs $ 325.00 and is not a refundable amount. If you submit an application for registration, for example, the words Microsoft in class 009, your application will be wrapped up and will not give up the money. Between 5 and 6 years after registration, you will have to pay another $ 100, thereby confirming that you are still using the brand. If this is not done, then there will be additional time (6 months), when the brand can be extended for additional money (+ $ 50). If you do not do this, the status of the brand will change to Dead. And the sense of registration will not be.

And so what you need for registration . The most important thing is knowledge of the English language, at least with a machine translator. Here is a list of links from faq .

NAME OF THE APPLICANT
The name of the applicant.

NAME AND ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
Name and address for correspondence, there you will be sent a certificate of registration.

DEPICTION OF THE MARK ("THE DRAWING")
The brand itself, word or picture.

GOODS AND / OR SERVICES
What is this brand / services used for?

APPLICATION FILING FEE
Payment registration.

BASIS FOR FILING
Reason for registration. Where you use (use in commerce) or plan to use this brand (intent to use).

SPECIMEN
A real example of the use of the brand. I then chose that I was already using the brand and attached a photo of the CD box with the disc. The brand should be visible in the photo.

SIGNATURE
Signature (/ First Name /)

Prepare in advance and recheck all the data you are going to enter. I do not know why, but all forms there have a timeout. That is, long filling the form (more than half an hour), you risk running into expired and filling it again.

And after successful registration (and verification by the clerk) they send such a cardboard daddy with your trademark:


That's all.