Trademark Code

Trademark law protects the owner of their goods and services in the marketplace. The United States Trademark office invokes trademark Rights and/or information on related laws. These laws protect the owners or companies that registered their service mark. Trademark Rights affects the interest of applicant, owner or businesses with respect to intellectual property rights.

If you want to claim the rights of a name or logo, use the TM (trademark) or SM (service mark) designation to give notice to the public about your claim. This use of the TM or SM Trademark Symbol does not indicate a legally enforceable trademark.

Whenever a product is trademarked, a trademark code symbol is placed after the products name, to inform others that the item is trademarked and can not be reproduced.

Such examples of trademark codes are Bear In the Big Blue House� and Dora the Explorer�.

The registration symbol, ®, however, does carry legal weight. It may only be used when the mark is registered in the PTO. The ® symbol may be used only after the registration has been approved by the U.S. trademark office. Use of the "TM", "SM" and "®" Trademark Symbols