A Detailed Overview Of Trademark Search Process

When establishing a business, a company or introducing a new product or service, make sure that you register your trademark name. Before trademark registration, you have to ensure that no one uses your trademark name. This can be done by following a proper trademark search process. This process will help to identify if some other business is making use of your mark. If you choose a trademark name identical to that of the other business, then you may end up in trouble and lose your reputation.

Here you would find the detailed steps involved in the trademark search process.

Steps In Trademark Search

Firstly business owners can start the trademark search process by visiting the official website of U. S Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Make use of the Trademark electronic search system of the USPTO to perform the trademark search. The USPTO is a federal agency where the trademark registration details are maintained.

Next, you have to perform a free Internet search where you can check if other businesses are using your mark. You can also make use of the fee-based trademark search engine like Compumark for the trademark search process.

You must also perform search in the domain names in the ICANN.org where you find the list of domain names.

You must also perform your search with unregistered trademarks as it is still possible for the trademark to exist even if it is unregistered.

It is not enough to stop with the trademark search in the USPTO's website; you must also continue your trademark search in the state trademark database. Here you find the state registered businesses that are not federally registered.

Analyzing the Results

This is the critical part of the trademark search. You must sort the results obtained from the trademark search and able to identify the marks that you should not use for your business. A professional in a trademark search or an agency can help you in analyzing the trademark search results.

Read More : A Note On The Recent Changes In ESIC Amendments