Search for Acronyms as a Trademark?

TOPIC: Trademarks that are acronyms can be confusing to search since they may or may not contain punctuation and different spacing. For instance, LMT, L M T, and L.M.T. for the same product by different owners would be likely to cause confusion. In this example, you will do a screening search for a U.S. trademark with the acronym IBM, limited to the International Class code (IC=) for computer hardware (9).

Search for acronyms by using the rotated trademark index (TR=term?), searching the letters with spaces between the letters using the proximity indicator (W) and as the full spelled-out term. If the letters are very common, search the keyword rather than the rotated trademark index (e.g., S ITE OR I(W)T(W)E OR INSTITUTE(W)TRANSPORATATION (W)ENGINEER?).

This search can be conducted in any trademark database. For this search you will use TRADEMARKSCAN--U.S. Federal (File 226), which covers all active, registered trademarks and service marks and applications for registrations filed for marks used or intended to be used on every type of product or service that is marketed commercially in the U.S.

COMMAND SUMMARY

BEGIN 226
S TR=(INTERN? AND BUSIN? AND MACHIN?)
S TR=IBM? OR I()B()M
OR together the appropriate sets
S S3 AND IC=9
TYPE S4/6/ALL
TYPE S4/19/ALL

HOW TO...

1. BEGIN in File 226, TRADEMARKSCAN—U.S. Federal.   2. Use the rotated index (TR=) and spelled out words and initials for a screening search for IBM. Note the question mark at the end of the word. OR together the intials for I B M separated by the (W) () proximity connector. 3. OR together the appropriate set number(s) (S1, S2).
4. Limit the search using the International Class code (IC=) for electrical and computers. 5. TYPE the resulting set (S4) using Format 6 to see the trademark, the international class and whether an image is available. Note: Some records are omitted from this display.
6. TYPE S4 using Format 19 to see the entire record and image.     Note: A portion of this record has been omitted from this display.

RELATED HOW DO I...? SOLUTIONS

• Find a trademark that is a slogan?
• Find a letter string that is a suffix in a trademark?
• Conduct a broad worldwide trademark search?
• Find trademarks using class codes?
• Track newly filed trademarks in the U.S. that are similar to my mark?
• Find all the owner(s) of a particular trademark?

NEED HELP?

Contact the Dialog Knowledge Center
Within North America 1 800 3 DIALOG (334 2564)
Outside North America 0 800 33 DIALOG (33 34 2564)
Web Form www.dialog.com/contacts/webform

Stock #: 53215; Last modified: 14 Sep 2011

top