Identifying and Accessing Relevant Public and Private

Databases: Trademarks

Amanda Fila MyersEconomistUS Patent and Trademark Office

amanda.fila@uspto.gov

Presentation Outline

• USPTO Office of the Chief Economist (OCE)

• USPTO Public Databases

• Private Databases

• Conclusion: Research Topics

04/20/23 2

USPTO OCE

• Established in March, 2010

• Tasked with bringing policy-relevant economic research to the USPTO

• Research agenda:

– Relate IP to economic growth, performance and employment

– IP in de facto standards, standard setting, and standards policy

– Researching the economics of trademarks and trademark examination

• The USPTO Trademark Case Files Dataset: Descriptions, Lessons, and Insights (2013)

– Understanding the economics of USPTO initiatives and policies

– Analyzing the role that IP plays in the markets for technology and knowledge

04/20/23 3

USPTO Public Databases

04/20/23 4

• Databases and tools for searching for information on pending applications and Federally registered marks:

– Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

– Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR)

– Assignments on the Web (ATOW)

• Dataset for comprehensive analysis, systematic filtering/querying, and matching/linking to other data sources

– Trademark Case Files Dataset (Case Files)

Public Databases: Example Search 1

04/20/23 5

• Words and catchphrases that emerge from social media, viral news, or key events:

– TESS basic word search, e.g. Johnny Football, Boston Strong

– TSDR serial or registration number search

– Case Files match to external data

Public Databases: Example Search 1

04/20/23 6

• Case Files: Match to Google Correlate data

0

30000

60000

90000

tota

l fili

ngs

(co

unt

)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

HA

ITI f

iling

s (c

oun

t)

2000q1 2002q1 2004q1 2006q1 2008q1 2010q1 2012q1filing quarter

HAITI total

Filings for HAITI marks

Public Databases: Example Search 2

04/20/23 7

• Letters of protest and dismissals in inter partes proceedings:

– TSDR serial or registration number search

– Case Files query and descriptive analysis

Public Databases: Example Search 2

04/20/23 8

• Case Files: Letters of protest by filing quarter cohort

0

50

100

150

200

250

filin

gs (

cou

nt)0

.1

.2

.3

.4

shar

e o

f to

tal f

iling

s (p

erce

nt)

2000q1 2002q1 2004q1 2006q1 2008q1 2010q1 2012q1

percent count

Trademark Applications with Letter of Protest

Public Databases: Example Search 2

04/20/23 9

• Case Files: Letters of protest

W15

TH TIM

TEBOW

FO

UNDATION...

TEBOW T

IME

IT'S

TEBOW

TIM

E

TEBOWIN

G

TEBOWIN

G

THERE IS N

O I IN

TEBOW

TEBOW T

OWEL

WIN

NING IS

INEVIT

EBOWTEBOWIN

G

0

1

2

3

filin

gs (

cou

nt)

01aug2011 01sep2011 01oct2011 01nov2011 01dec2011 01jan2012opposed application filing date

Tebow Letter of Protest

Public Databases: Example Search 2

04/20/23 10

• Case Files: Letters of protest

0

1

2

3

4

5

pro

test

ed fi

lings

(co

unt

)

200

2m1

2

200

3m1

2

200

4m1

2

200

5m1

2

200

6m1

2

200

7m1

2

200

8m1

2

200

9m1

2

201

0m1

2

201

1m1

2

201

2m1

2filing month of protested filing

Realtor Letter of Protest

• 7 protested filings were issued a registration

Public Databases: Example Search 2

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• Case Files: Letters of protest by Nice Class

13579

111315171921232527293133353739414345

0 .001 .002 .003 .004

(marginal effects and confidence intervals)Probability of Receiving a Letter of Protest (2000-2012)

Public Databases: Example Search 2

04/20/23 12

• Case Files: Oppositions by filing quarter cohort

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

filin

gs (

cou

nt)

0

1

2

3

4

shar

e o

f fili

ngs

(per

cent

)

2000q1 2002q1 2004q1 2006q1 2008q1 2010q1 2012q1

percent of total percent of published count

Trademark Applications with Opposition Proceeding

Public Databases: Example Search 2

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• Case Files: Oppositions by Nice Class

13579

111315171921232527293133353739414345

0 .001 .002 .003 .004

(marginal effects and confidence intervals)Probability of Opposition by Nice Class (2000-2012)

Public Databases: Example Search 2

04/20/23 14

• Case Files: Dismissals

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

term

ina

tion

s (c

oun

t)

0

20

40

60

80

100

shar

e d

ism

isse

d (

per

cent

)

2000q1 2003q1 2006q1 2009q1 2012q1

percent count

Opposition Terminations

Private Databases

04/20/23 15

• Proprietary databases and search tools

– www.corsearch.com (Edital)

• Free private search tools

– www.trademarkia.com

– www.trademarkdirect.com

Concluding Remarks

04/20/23 16

• Any Questions?

• Suggestive trademark research topics:

– Applicant/registrant behavior across jurisdictions

– Pre- versus post-issuance opposition proceedings

– Registry squatting and deadwood/cluttering

– Bullying

– Pharmaceutical and other marks subject to multiple approval/regulatory processes

• Thank you!