The term "trademark" is often used to
refer to any of the four types of marks that can be registered with
the USPTO. The two
primary types of marks that can be registered with the USPTO
are:
Trademarks -
used by their owners to identify goods, that is, physical commodities, which may be
natural, manufactured, or produced, and which are sold or
otherwise transported or distributed via interstate
commerce.
Service marks - used by their owners to identify services, that is, intangible activities, which are
performed by one person for the benefit of a person or
persons other than himself, either for pay or otherwise.
There are other types of marks that can
be registered in the USPTO, but they occur infrequently and
have some different requirements for registration than the
more commonly applied for trademarks and service marks. They
are:
- Certification marks
- Collective marks
PLEASE NOTE:
Since the benefits conferred by registration are essentially
the same for all types of marks, the term "trademark" is
often used in general information that applies to service
marks, certification marks, and collective marks as well as
to true trademarks (marks used on goods) as defined
above.
For more
information regarding Trademarks, please refer to Basic Facts About
Trademarks.