Trademark Registration » Trademark 101 http://ootmoo.com Information about trademarks Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:12:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Trademark Spectrum http://ootmoo.com/2008/10/21/trademark-spectrum/ http://ootmoo.com/2008/10/21/trademark-spectrum/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 04:00:42 +0000 ootmoo http://ootmoo.com/2008/10/21/trademark-spectrum/ SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Trademark Spectrum", url: "http://ootmoo.com/2008/10/21/trademark-spectrum/" });]]> SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Trademark Spectrum", url: "http://ootmoo.com/2008/10/21/trademark-spectrum/" });]]> http://ootmoo.com/2008/10/21/trademark-spectrum/feed/ 0 What is the difference between tm, sm and the ® symbol. http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-the-difference-between-tm-sm-and-the-%c2%ae-symbol/ http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-the-difference-between-tm-sm-and-the-%c2%ae-symbol/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:17:04 +0000 ootmoo http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-the-difference-between-tm-sm-and-the-%c2%ae-symbol/ SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "What is the difference between tm, sm and the ® symbol.", url: "http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-the-difference-between-tm-sm-and-the-%c2%ae-symbol/" });]]> TM stands for trademark. SM stands for service mark. And the “®” symbol means that the trademark is federally registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

There is no registration requirement to use the TM or SM designations. They are used by trademark owners to give notice to others that the owner lays claim to the trademark. Use of the ® symbol however requires that the trademark is registered with the PTO. If you have an application before the PTO, you cannot use the ® symbol. Also, if your trademark is registered with a state secretary of state, but not the PTO, you cannot use the ® symbol.

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]]> http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-the-difference-between-tm-sm-and-the-%c2%ae-symbol/feed/ 0 What is a trademark or service mark? http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-a-trademark-or-service-mark/ http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-a-trademark-or-service-mark/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2007 04:59:29 +0000 ootmoo http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-a-trademark-or-service-mark/ SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "What is a trademark or service mark?", url: "http://ootmoo.com/2007/12/28/what-is-a-trademark-or-service-mark/" });]]> A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.

A service mark is the same as a trademark, except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.

Often times you will see the word trademark, or just “mark”, used to refer to both trademarks and service marks. So while there is a technical difference between the two, don’t get too hung up on the differences.

The above definitions, when examined closely say more about trademarks then what appears on the surface. We’ll discuss the trademark nuances in other posts.

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