trademark

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), "A trademark is a word, name, symbol or device which is used in trade with goods to indicate the source of the goods and to distinguish them from the goods of others. Trademark rights may be used to prevent others from using a confusingly similar mark, but not to prevent others from making the same goods or from selling the same goods or services under a clearly different mark." Although trademark registration with the PTO is not required to establish trademark rights, registration is advantageous in the case of conflict. Unlike patent and copyright protection, trademark rights can potentially be of unlimited duration, lasting as long as the mark is in use by its owner.

A word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination thereof, used by a manufacturer or by a vendor in connection with a product.

A symbol, design, word, letter or other device protected by law and used to distinguish a product or products from those of competitors.

See service mark.

A word, name, symbol, or devise used by a manufacturer to distinguish its goods from those sold by others.

protect words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods. Trademarks, unlike patents, can be renewed forever as long as they are being used in commerce.

-- see TMEP 1202 for more

A trademark is a word, phrase, logo or symbol that identifies and distinguishes a product or service from others in the marketplace. Multiple trademark owners may claim the right to the same term, as long as each owner operates in a different industry. Trademark ownership is location-based, and therefore must be obtained on a country-by-country basis. In search advertising, it is an unethical practice to use trademark terms that do not belong to the advertiser within a campaign.