How to Register a Trademark

How to Register a Trademark How to Register a Trademark You can select an individual or combination of word, phrase, symbol or design as a trademark, and use the same for identifying and distinguishing your specific goods or services, from the other sources offering similar type of goods and services. But your selected trademark needs to be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office before being used on the product, container or package along with various publicity and advertising purposes. There are a wide range of legal restrictions involved in selecting and registering a trademark, and you need to consult with an expert legal practitioner for understanding the complex legalities and detailed procedure.
Instructions
1. Before registering your trademark, you need to gather various detailed information available on the official website of Patent and Trademark office. All these data is of great significance to have a basic understanding of the overall requirements for getting your selected trademark registered. Further, you can use the collected information as a base for moving further makes progress in the process. You will be required to submit proof regarding the first use of the selected mark in market. If you face any difficulty in understanding the legal requirements, you need to consult with a lawyer for getting the trademark registered.
2. The website also provides a search option called Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). You can use TESS to search for the registration form appropriate for the specific type of trademark you are applying to get registered. It will provide you with a list of registered trademarks which are already in use. By observing closely, you can establish the exact status of each particular trademark.
3. If you want specialized and detailed information about a particular icon, you can double-click on the icon and view the details in a separate information page. You can see the details like the specific purposes for which the trademark is being used by its owner. While viewing the information, you need to keep it in mind that the trademarks vary based on the nature of the industry. So the trademark you are viewing is specific to a particular type of industry.
4. You should also remember the fact that the same trademark cannot be used by two identities operating in industries of similar type. For instance, if a trademark is being used by a TV station, you cannot use the same for a radio station as both are falling under the same category of industry. But is a trademark is already being used by a company dealing in the service industry, you can obtain the same trademark for your radio station as it belongs to an altogether different type of industry.
5. After understanding the basic requirements, you can use the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) to register a trademark online. The app uses various validation functions to help you in avoiding the possible omission of vital and must-required information. It even provides you with various on-line help and tips through links displayed in each separate section. You can follow the various guidelines mentioned on the page and apply accordingly. Once you submit the online application, the website will send you an initial filing receipt containing the assigned application serial number and a summary of the submission through the mentioned email address.