USPTO to Retire the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)
The Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) has been a tool used by many of us trademark attorneys out there. TESS is a trademark database that has been used by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for decades. On May 23, 2023, the USPTO announced that they were working on a new search system that was coming sometime this year. That time has come! TESS is said to be retiring sometime this month, November 2023, and will be replaced by the new search system. We want to assure our clients that the legal professionals at Renner Otto are ready for this change.
The new search system offers a cloud-based system that is reportedly more user-friendly. There are two types of search modes that the search system is comprised of. There is a basic and expert search mode. The basic search mode allows new users to be able to search through a more simplified interface. The expert mode allows users to use different parameters for a more tailored search, such as searching more specific trademark information (mark, owner, serial number, mark description, design codes, etc.) and filtering the results by class.
One new feature that the search system provides is the ability for a user to select the search results by class which will also pull results from coordinated classes. This is a feature that TESS did not offer. Coordinated classes are classes that the USPTO has established as being related, for example, Classes 25 (clothing) and 35 (advertising and business services). This new feature will help users search for a potential trademark in the class the applicant will be filing in, as well as all USPTO-established coordinated classes.
As the new trademark search system rolls out, we want to reiterate that the legal professionals at Renner Otto are ready for this new trademark search tool. Our trademark team has attended multiple training events covering the new features. We are well informed that some new features provide inconsistent information and that the USPTO is constantly updating the new search system. With each update made by the USPTO, there is a possibility that the information in the new search system may not be the most up-to-date. We want to assure our clients that we do not rely solely on the USPTO search system, although we look forward to using it in its best form.
Our clients may wonder how this will affect your representation through Renner Otto – the answer is that it will not. We will maintain our core practices of meeting deadlines, producing top-notch work products, and ensuring the security of client data.
Renner Otto is more than a century old and has seen many changes in the way patents and trademarks are prosecuted before the USPTO. Our ability to stay on top of each new change and adapt our procedures to serve our clients’ needs best has helped us to remain one of the top Intellectual Property law firms.
