PROVISIONAL REFUSAL OF PROTECTION
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`The table below presents the data as entered.
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`Input Field
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`IDENTIFICATION SECTION
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`INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
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`1399973
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`OFFICE REFERENCE
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`ORIGINAL LANGUAGE CODE
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`FILE SECTION
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`79231286
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`ENGLISH
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`Entered
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`FILE SPECIFICATION OF THE DOCUMENT
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`\\TICRS\EXPORT17\IMAGEOUT17\792\312\79231286\xml5\MOC0002.xml
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`GOODS AND SERVICES SECTION
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`ALL GOODS AND SERVICES INDICATOR
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`Protection has been refused for all the goods and services.
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`INSTRUCTIONS SECTION
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`FREE TEXT PROCESSING INSTRUCTIONS
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`U. S. designated on 20180213; Non-final examiner action
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`MAIL DATE
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`08/23/2018
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)
`OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT APPLICANT’S TRADEMARK APPLICATION
`
`U.S. APPLICATION
`SERIAL NO.   79231286
`
`           
`
`MARK:
`
`CORRESPONDENT
`ADDRESS:
`  
`       Rigo Trading S.A.
`  
`       Route de Trèves 6
`EBBC, Building E
`         L-2633 Senningerberg
`
`              
`    
`
`    LUXEMBOURG
`APPLICANT: Rigo
`Trading S.A.
`
`*79231286*
`
`CLICK HERE TO RESPOND TO THIS
`LETTER:
`http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/response_forms.jsp
`
`   
`
`CORRESPONDENT’S
`REFERENCE/DOCKET
`
`        
`
`NO:       
`
`  N/A
`CORRESPONDENT E-
`
`MAIL ADDRESS:   
`
`INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION NO. 1399973
`
`OFFICE ACTION
`
`STRICT DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTIFICATION:  TO AVOID ABANDONMENT OF THE REQUEST FOR
`EXTENSION OF PROTECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION, THE USPTO MUST RECEIVE A COMPLETE RESPONSE
`TO THIS PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL NOTIFICATION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE “DATE ON WHICH THE NOTIFICATION
`WAS SENT TO WIPO (MAILING DATE)” LOCATED ON THE WIPO COVER LETTER ACCOMPANYING THIS NOTIFICATION.
`
`In addition to the Mailing Date appearing on the WIPO cover letter, a holder (hereafter “applicant”) may confirm this Mailing Date using the
`USPTO’s Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.uspto.gov/.  To do so, enter the U.S. application serial number
`for this application and then select “Documents.”   The Mailing Date used to calculate the response deadline for this provisional full refusal is the
`“Create/Mail Date” of the “IB-1rst Refusal Note.”
`
`This is a PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL of the request for extension of protection of the mark in the above-referenced U.S. application. 
`See 15 U.S.C. §1141h(c).  See below in this notification (hereafter “Office action”) for details regardin g the provisional full refusal.
`
`The referenced application has been reviewed by the assigned trademark examining attorney.  Applicant must respond timely and completely to
`the issues below.  15 U.S.C. §1062(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.62(a), 2.65(a); TMEP §§711, 718.03.
`
`NO LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION FOUND
`
`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).
`
`AUDIO REPRODUCTION FILE REQUIRED
`
`Because applicant’s mark is comprised of sound, the applicant must submit an audio reproduction of any sound mark. TMEP §807.09; 37 C.F.R.
`§2.61(b). The purpose of this reproduction is to supplement and clarify the description of the mark. The reproduction should contain only the
`mark itself; it is not meant to be a specimen. The reproduction must be in an electronic file in .wav, .wma, or .mp3 format and should not exceed
`5 MB in size because TEAS cannot accommodate larger files.
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`For paper responses, reproductions of sound marks must be submitted on compact discs ("CDs").   See id. The applicant should clearly and
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`explicitly indicate that the reproduction of the mark contained on the disc or tape is meant to supplement the mark description and that it should
`be placed in the paper file jacket and not be discarded.
`
`SHEET MUSIC AND MARK DESCRIPTION DO NOT MATCH
`
`Applicant describes the mark as the notes “G Flat, G Flat, E Flat, A Flat, G Flat, G Flat, E Flat,” but the sheet music does not denote flats, and
`displays the notes as “G, G, E, A, G, G, E,” which repeats.   Thus, it is unclear whether the mark is in the flat or natural keys.  Therefore,
`applicant must either amend the mark description to match the sheet music, or submit new sheet music that matches the mark description..  See
`37 C.F.R. §2.52(3); TMEP §807.09.
`
`And in any case, applicant’s current mark description is too vague because it does not describe the octave and duration of the notes, as well as
`the instrument playing those notes.  Id.
`
`The following mark description is suggested, if accurate:
`
`The mark is a sound.  The mark consists of a {please indicate the instrument playing the sound, e.g. a piano, trumpet, guitar,
`synthesizer, etc.} playing a progression comprised of a G4 eighth note, G4 eighth note, E4 eighth note, A4 eighth note, G4 eighth note,
`G4 eighth note, and E4 quarter note, played at a temp of 120 beats per minute.  The progression repeats once.
`
`PLEASE NOTE – If the sound mark contains flats, applicant must submit a mark description that states the notes are flats.  In addition,
`applicant must submit the musical score sheet music to reflect the flatted notes.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §807.09.  The sheet music should
`be written on standard treble and/or bass clef staves, suitable for playback by a pianist.
`
`CITIZENSHIP/ENTITY TYPE OF APPLICANT
`
`The application does not indicate applicant’s legal entity and citizenship, or state or country of organization or incorporation.  Accordingly,
`applicant must specify its legal entity and its national citizenship or foreign country of organization or incorporation.  See 37 C.F.R.
`§§2.32(a)(3)(i)-(ii), 2.61(b); TMEP §§803.03, 803.04.  This information is required for all U.S. trademark applications, including those filed
`
`under Trademark Act Section 66(a).  See 37 C.F.R. §7.25(a)-(b); TMEP §1904.02(a).  
`
`Acceptable legal entities include an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a joint venture, or the foreign equivalent.  See TMEP §§803.03 et
`seq.  If applicant’s legal entity is an individual, applicant must so specify and provide his or her national citizenship.  TMEP §803.03(a).  If
`applicant is a corporation, association, partnership, joint venture, or the foreign equivalent, applicant must so specify and provide the foreign
`country under whose laws applicant is organized or incorporated.  TMEP §803.03(b)-(c).  For an association, applicant must also specify whether
`the association is incorporated or unincorporated, unless the foreign country and the designation or description “association/associazione” appear
`in Appendix D of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP).  TMEP §803.03(c).
`
`If applicant is organized under the laws of a foreign province or geographical region, applicant should specify both the foreign province or
`geographical region and the foreign country in which the province or region is located.  See TMEP §803.04.  To provide this information online
`via the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Office Action form, applicant must open the response form, answer
`“Yes” to wizard question number 5, find the “Owner Information” page, and do the following:  (1) locate the “Entity Type” heading on that
`page and select “Other;” (2) locate the “Specify Entity Type” heading and select “Other” under the Foreign Entity option, and enter in the free-
`text field below both applicant’s entity type and the foreign province or geographical region of its organization (e.g., partnership of Victoria);
`and (3) locate the “State or Country Where Legally Organized” heading and select the appropriate foreign country (e.g., Australia) under the
`Non-U.S. Entity option.
`
`IDENTIFICATION OF GOODS
`
`The identification of goods is indefinite and must be clarified because the type of confectionery is unclear.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.32(a)(6); TMEP
`§1402.01.  Applicant must amend the identification to specify the common commercial or generic name of the goods.  See TMEP §1402.01.  If
`the goods have no common commercial or generic name, applicant must describe the product, its main purpose, and its intended uses.  See id.
`
`Applicant may adopt the following wording, if accurate:
`
`International Class 30 – “Confectionery, namely, {please indicate the type of confectionery, e.g. confectionery made of sugar, frozen
`confectionery, candy and chocolate, etc.}”
`
`Applicant may amend the identification to clarify or limit the goods, but not to broaden or expand the goods beyond those in the original
`application or as acceptably amended.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.71(a); TMEP §1402.06.  Generally, any deleted goods may not later be reinserted.  See
`TMEP §1402.07(e).  Additionally, for applications filed under Trademark Act Section 66(a), the scope of the identification for purposes of
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`permissible amendments is limited by the international class assigned by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization
`(International Bureau); and the classification of goods may not be changed from that assigned by the International Bureau.  37 C.F.R. §2.85(d);
`TMEP §§1401.03(d), 1904.02(b).  Further, in a multiple-class Section 66(a) application, classes may not be added or goods transferred from one
`existing class to another.  37 C.F.R. §2.85(d); TMEP §1401.03(d).
`
`For assistance with identifying and classifying goods in trademark applications, please see the USPTO’s online searchable U.S. Acceptable
`Identification of Goods and Services Manual.   See TMEP §1402.04.
`
`INQUIRY - EVIDENCE OF TYPE OF USE REQUIRED
`
`Applicant is advised that applicant must have a bona fide intent to use the applied for sound as a trademark within the definition of the
`Trademark Act Sections 1, 2, and 45. See 15 U.S.C. §§1051-1053, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §2.63(b). Based on the nature of the applied for mark as a
`non-traditional sound not commonly used as a source identifier for the applied for goods, applicant must provide additional information about
`applicant’s use of the sound to indicate how this sound will act as an inherently distinctive source identifier for the applied for goods.   See Gen.
`Electric Broad, 199 USPQ 560, 563 (TTAB 1978); see In re Vertex Grp. LLC, 89 USPQ2d 1694, 1700 (TTAB 2009); see In re Powermat Inc.,
`105 USPQ2d 1789, 1793 (TTAB 2013); TMEP §1202.15 Specifically, applicant must provide evidence and an explanation of how the applicant
`uses the sound in the country of origin, or elsewhere, on the applied for good such that consumers would perceive the sound as functioning as
`source identifier for these goods.
`
`Further, applicant must respond to the following questions:
`
`1)     
`
`2)     
`
`Is an example of the sound emanating from the goods, their packaging, or a point-of-sale display available? If an example of the sound
`used on goods, their packaging, or a point-of-sale display is unavailable, please describe in detail when and how the sound is produced on
`the goods, their packaging, or a point-of sale-display?
`
`Is the sound made in the operation of the goods? If yes, please provide a sample of the sound emanating from the goods in the course of
`operation of the goods. If a sample is unavailable, please provided a detailed explanation how the sound is produced during the ordinary
`operation of the goods.
`
`3)     
`
`Is an example of the sound used in advertising the services available? If yes, please provide the example. If an example is unavailable,
`please describe in detail how the sound is produced in advertising the services?
`
`Factual information about the goods must make clear how the sound is used on the goods or services.  Conclusory statements will not satisfy this
`requirement.  See 37 C.F.R. §2.61(b); TMEP §814.
`
`Failure to comply with a request for information is grounds for refusing registration.  In re Harley, 119 USPQ2d 1755, 1757-58 (TTAB 2016);
`TMEP §814.
`
`WHO IS PERMITTED TO RESPOND TO THIS PROVISIONAL FULL REFUSAL:  Any response to this provisional refusal must be
`personally signed by an individual applicant, all joint applicants, or someone with legal authority to bind a juristic applicant (e.g., a corporate
`officer or general partner).  37 C.F.R. §§2.62(b), 2.193(e)(2)(ii); TMEP §712.01.  If applicant hires a qualified U.S. attorney to respond on his or
`her behalf, then the attorney must sign the response.  37 C.F.R. §§2.193(e)(2)(i), 11.18(a); TMEP §§611.03(b), 712.01.  Qualified U.S. attorneys
`include those in good standing with a bar of the highest court of any U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S.
`commonwealths or U.S. territories.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.17(a), 2.62(b), 11.1, 11.14(a); TMEP §§602, 712.01.  Additionally, for all responses, the
`proper signatory must personally sign the document or personally enter his or her electronic signature on the electronic filing.  See 37 C.F.R.
`§2.193(a); TMEP §§611.01(b), 611.02.  The name of the signatory must also be printed or typed immediately below or adjacent to the signature,
`or identified elsewhere in the filing.  37 C.F.R. §2.193(d); TMEP §611.01(b).
`
`In general, foreign attorneys are not permitted to represent applicants before the USPTO (e.g., file written communications, authorize an
`amendment to an application, or submit legal arguments in response to a requirement or refusal).  See 37 C.F.R. §11.14(c), (e); TMEP §§602.03-
`
`.03(b), 608.01.  
`
`DESIGNATION OF DOMESTIC REPRESENTATIVE:  The USPTO encourages applicants who do not reside in the United States to
`designate a domestic representative upon whom any notice or process may be served.  TMEP §610; see 15 U.S.C. §§1051(e), 1141h(d); 37
`C.F.R. §2.24(a)(1)-(2).  Such designations may be filed online at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.
`
`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 requirements in this Office action, the
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`trademark examining attorney may not provide legal advice or statements about applicant’s rights.   See TMEP §§705.02, 709.06.
`
`/Jason Paul Blair/
`Trademark Examining Attorney
`Law Office 104
`US Patent & Trademark Office
`Phone: (571)272-8856
`email: jason.blair@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/.
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`TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.
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