Estta1120917 03/16/2021 in the United States Patent And
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Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Electronic Filing System. http://estta.uspto.gov ESTTA Tracking number: ESTTA1120917 Filing date: 03/16/2021 IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD Proceeding 91239006 Party Defendant Apple Inc. Correspondence DALE M CENDALI Address KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP 601 LEXINGTON AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10022 UNITED STATES Primary Email: [email protected] Secondary Email(s): [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 212-446-4800 Submission Brief on Merits for Defendant Filer's Name Dale M. Cendali Filer's email [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Signature /Dale M. Cendali/ Date 03/16/2021 Attachments 2021-03-16 Apple Inc Trial Brief - PUBLIC.pdf(3977847 bytes ) PUBLIC VERSION IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE THE TRADEMARK TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD GANG CAO, Opposer, v. Opposition No. 91239006 APPLE INC., Applicant. APPLE INC.’S TRIAL BRIEF PUBLIC VERSION TABLE OF CONTENTS PRELIMINARY STATEMENT .................................................................................................... 7 COUNTERSTATEMENT OF THE ISSUES ................................................................................. 9 DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORD ............................................................................................ 10 STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED FACTS ................................................................................. 10 I. APPLE’S LIVE PHOTOS MARK ................................................................................... 10 A. Apple Launched the Innovative LIVE PHOTOS Feature More Than Five Years Ago ............................................................................................................. 10 B. Extensive Use, Advertising and Sales By Apple and Considerable Media Attention for LIVE PHOTOS Since 2015 ............................................................ 11 II. CAO’S FAILURE TO USE THE LIVE PHOTOS MARK ............................................. 13 A. Cao’s Lack of Use of “LIVE PHOTOS” Prior to Apple’s Announcement .......... 13 B. Cao’s Efforts To Manufacture an Interest In The Phrase “Live Photos” After Apple’s Announcement ............................................................................... 14 III. Apple Applies for the LIVE PHOTOS Trademark ........................................................... 15 ARGUMENT ................................................................................................................................ 16 IV. THE LIVE PHOTOS MARK IS SUGGESTIVE ............................................................. 16 A. Legal Standard for Suggestiveness ....................................................................... 16 B. LIVE PHOTOS Is an Incongruous Pairing Which Does Not Immediately Convey the Nature of the Product ......................................................................... 17 V. CAO’S ARGUMENT THAT THE LIVE PHOTOS MARK IS DESCRIPTIVE FAILS ............................................................................................................................... 21 VI. LIVE PHOTOS HAS ATTAINED SECONDARY MEANING ..................................... 23 A. Apple has Continuously Used the LIVE PHOTOS Mark for Five and a Half Years ............................................................................................................. 23 B. Advertising, Sales Success and Media Coverage of LIVE PHOTOS .................. 23 1. High Profile Launch of LIVE PHOTOS ................................................... 24 2. Substantial Advertising and Promotion of the LIVE PHOTOS Feature by Apple ....................................................................................... 24 3. Substantial Sales of iPhone and iPad Devices Containing the LIVE PHOTOS Software.................................................................................... 26 4. The LIVE PHOTOS Feature Has Received Considerable Unsolicited Media Coverage ..................................................................... 27 C. Google Data Indicate Consumers Associate the LIVE PHOTOS Mark with Apple ............................................................................................................. 31 1 PUBLIC VERSION D. Multiple Entities Have Copied Apple’s LIVE PHOTOS Mark ............................ 31 E. Cao’s Evidence on Third Party Use Is Fatally Flawed ......................................... 32 VII. APPLE’S LIVE PHOTOS MARK IS NOT GENERIC ................................................... 33 A. The Correct Genus Is “Computer Software for Recording and Displaying Images, Video, and Sound,” As Set Forth in Apple’s Application....................... 33 B. Cao’s Evidence of Genericness Is Fatally Flawed ................................................ 34 1. Cao’s Belated Evidence Should be Excluded ........................................... 34 2. Cao’s Hearsay Evidence Should be Excluded .......................................... 35 3. The Evidence Cao Submits Without Circulation Data Should Be Excluded ................................................................................................... 36 4. Documents from Non-U.S. Sources Should Be Excluded ........................ 36 5. Cao’s Remaining Evidence Is Irrelevant or Lacks Probative Value ......... 37 C. Cao Fails To Meet His Burden Of Establishing That The LIVE PHOTOS Mark Is Understood By The Relevant Public Primarily As The Generic Name For A Category Of Goods .......................................................................... 38 1. Dictionary Evidence Establishes That “LIVE PHOTOS” Is Not Generic ...................................................................................................... 38 2. Cao Has Not Shown That the Phrase “LIVE PHOTOS” Was Generic When Apple Adopted It .............................................................. 39 3. There Is No Rule That A Mark Is Generic If Used As A Noun ............... 42 4. Evidence Showing Public Usage of LIVE PHOTOS Does Not Establish that the Mark Is Generic ............................................................ 45 D. LIVE PHOTO Is the Coined Brand Name for the Hybrid Photo/Videos That Apple’s Software Creates ............................................................................. 49 VIII. CAO LACKS STANDING TO OPPOSE APPLE’S REGISTRATION OF LIVE PHOTOS ........................................................................................................................... 50 2 PUBLIC VERSION TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Page(s) Cases In re Allman II, Serial No. 75/762,517, 2001 WL 1182755 (T.T.A.B. Oct. 5, 2001) .................................................... 37 Am. Meat Inst. et al. v. Horace W. Longacre, Inc., 211 U.S.P.Q. 712 (T.T.A.B. 1981) ................................................................................................. 22, 35 Anheuser-Busch, Inc. v. Holt, 92 U.S.P.Q.2d 1101 (T.T.A.B. 2009) ....................................................................................... 16, 18, 19 Automattic, Inc. v. Pearson, Cancellation No. 92061714, 2017 WL 2297914 (T.T.A.B. Apr. 20, 2017) ......................................... 52 Baroness Small Ests., Inc. v. Am. Wine Trade, Inc., 104 U.S.P.Q.2d 1224 (T.T.A.B. 2012) ............................................................................... 20, 36, 39, 48 Blue Collar Brewery, Inc. v. Blue Collar Brewery, LLC, Opposition No. 91219820, 2017 WL 3446799 (T.T.A.B. July 18, 2017) ............................................ 52 Brooks Shoe Manufacturing Co., Inc. v. Suave Shoe Corp., 716 F.2d 854, 221 U.S.P.Q. 536 (11th Cir. 1983) ................................................................................ 27 Colt Def. LLC v. Bushmaster Firearms, Inc., 486 F.3d 701, 82 U.S.P.Q.2d 1759 (1st Cir. 2007) .............................................................................. 43 In re Cordua Restaurants, Inc., 823 F.3d 594, 118 U.S.P.Q.2d 1632 (Fed. Cir. 2016) .................................................................... 49, 50 In re Country Music Ass’n Inc., 100 U.S.P.Q.2d 1824 (T.T.A.B. 2011) ..................................................................................... 36, 41, 46 CPC Int’l, Inc. v. Balzola Foods Corp., 224 U.S.P.Q. 85 (S.D. Fla. 1984) ......................................................................................................... 43 Cross Com. Media, Inc. v. Collective, Inc., 841 F.3d 155, 120 U.S.P.Q.2d 1517 (2d Cir. 2016) ............................................................................. 17 Dans Un Jardin v. Le Jardin Des Plantes, 226 U.S.P.Q. 956 (T.T.A.B. 1985) ....................................................................................................... 35 In re DC Comics, Inc., 689 F.2d 1042, 215 U.S.P.Q. 394 (C.C.P.A. 1982) (concurring) ......................................................... 43 In re Dial-A-Mattress Operating Corp., 240 F.3d 1341, 57 U.S.P.Q.2.d 1807 (Fed. Cir. 2001) ......................................................................... 33 3 PUBLIC VERSION In re Duvernoy & Sons, Inc., 41 C.C.P.A. 856 (C.C.P.A. 1954) ......................................................................................................... 25 Elliott v. Google, Inc., 860 F.3d 1151, 123 U.S.P.Q.2D 1037 (9th Cir. 2017) ..................................................................