From Logo to Lawsuit: The Essential Guide to Trademarks Webinar Summary

Summary

This webinar details the critical importance of trademarks in maintaining product integrity, avoiding legal issues, and ensuring distinct brand recognition. In today’s market, ensuring you get genuine, high-quality coaxial cables and assemblies is crucial. Knowing how to spot potential trademark infringement helps customers avoid counterfeit cables. View the session for an in-depth look at trademark guidelines, infringement consequences, and the best practices for trademark usage.

Watch the video or read the session notes below.

Session Notes

Trademarks help ensure customers are getting a genuine, quality product and avoid costly problems and replacements. They aren’t simply a legal formality; they represent a brand’s quality and reputation. Understanding and adhering to trademark guidelines helps us maintain the value of Times Microwave Systems’ assets, prevent market share loss to counterfeit products, and ensure that customers receive genuine quality products.

The differences between patents, trademarks, and copyright can cause confusion. Patents protect inventions, copyrights protect original works of authorship, and trademarks protect a brand’s identity. Understanding these differences helps safeguard intellectual assets and ensures products stand out for their quality.

Using Trademarks

The symbols ^TM and ^® are often used next to brand names and logos, signify trademarks, but they carry different meanings and legal weight. ^TM can be used by anyone for any word, phrase, symbol, or design they claim as their own unregistered trademark. It serves as a warning to potential infringers and gives notice about the owner’s intent to claim the mark. The ^® symbol can only be used for registered trademarks after a successful application process with the appropriate trademark office. The owner can take legal action against anyone who uses the registered mark without permission, potentially seeking damages and an injunction to stop the infringement.

The proper trademark symbol must be used on the first instance of the term on a page (ex. in the heading). When using a registered trademark from Times Microwave Systems, either below the use or at the bottom of the page, a statement of trademark ownership must be included. For example: LMR^® is a registered trademark of Times Microwave Systems.

Trademarks should always be used as adjectives, not nouns, to maintain their strength and distinctiveness. For more information on the specifics of how to use trademarks, click here.

Part numbers are also protected by trademarks if they incorporate a trademarked term. For raw cables and connectors, a distributor, reseller, or partner can use a part number containing trademarks only when they can provide proof the products are purchased directly from us. For cable assemblies, trademarked terms and part numbers can only be used when all components are purchased from us and proper assembly procedures are followed.

Competitors and unauthorized resellers cannot use our trademarks. In these instances, a letter of cease-and-desist will be sent, followed by legal action.

Identifying Fakes and Clones

Fake or clone cables damage more easily or contain faulty components, and between the cost for replacement materials and the labor for reinstallation, the initial savings are gone.

To verify you’re getting a genuine LMR cable, look for:

• Registered trademark symbol
• Times Microwave Systems name

For more detailed information on fakes and clones, read our blog here.

Reporting Infringement

We classify infringers into two categories:

1. Trademark misuse: When a distributor, reseller, or partner is selling authentic products but using our trademarks incorrectly. In these instances, we will provide additional training and guidance to correct the misuse.
2. Trademark infringement: When a distributor, reseller, or partner is selling alternatives, fakes, or clones, they CANNOT reference our trademark names. We track all of these violations in addition to a cease-and-desist letter and reporting infringement to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Keep an eye out for unauthorized uses of our trademarks, especially on social media, e-commerce websites, and search engines. Look out for similar brand names, logos, or products that could cause confusion among consumers.

To report potential trademark infringement or ask a question about proper use of trademarks, contact us at [email protected]