Apple’s fingerprint sensor for the iPhone 5S is called Touch ID, it launched in the iPhone last September, and Apple has been trying to trademark Touch ID in the US.
Now according to a recent report by Patently Apple, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has denied Apple the Touch trademark.
According to the report, the reason that Apple has be denied the trademark is because another company owns a similar one called the ‘Kronos Touch ID’.
An interesting point made by USPTO was in regard to “Infinite Wording.” According to USPTO “In the identification of goods, applicant must use the common commercial or generic names for the goods, be as complete and specific as possible, and avoid the use of indefinite words and phrases. If applicant uses indefinite words such as “accessories,” “components,” “devices,” “equipment,” “materials,” “parts,” “systems” or “products,” such words must be followed by “namely,” followed by a list of the specific goods identified by their common commercial or generic names.”
Apple now has six months to appeal the decision, although the existing trademark for the ‘Kronos Touch ID’ is also related to fingerprint recognition, so Apple could have issues convincing the USPTO to grant them the Touch ID trademark.
Source Patently Apple
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