美国专利商标局又出新法规

Q：Does this new rule apply to me?

问：本次新法规是否适用于我？

A：Yes, with limited exceptions, it will apply to everyone conducting business with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) regarding a trademark matter.

答：是的，除极个别例外，它将适用于所有在美国专利商标局 (USPTO)申请商标的人。

Trademark applicants and registrants will be required to:

对商标申请人与注册人的要求：

a. File their trademark applications and documents concerning trademark applications and registrations online using the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).

使用USPTO的商标电子申请系统（TEAS）在线提交其商标申请和有关商标申请和注册的文件。

b. Provide and maintain an accurate email address for receiving correspondence from the USPTO about their particular application or registration.

提供精确的电子邮件地址用以接收来自USPTO的有关其特定申请或注册的信函，并对其加以维护。

c. Provide and maintain an accurate postal address to ensure that the USPTO can contact them if their email correspondence address doesn't work.

提供准确的邮寄地址以确保邮箱失联（失效）时可通过邮寄地址来联系。

Q：When does this new rule apply to me?

问：新法规何时起适用于我（何时起生效）？

A:The effective date of mandatory electronic filing is February 15, 2020.

答：新法规将于2020年2月15日起正式生效。

Q：What are the goals of this new rule?

问：新法规的执行目的？

A: Our goal is to have end-to-end electronic processing of applications and registrations, which will result in faster processing times and fewer errors. You will submit your application or maintenance documents through TEAS, any submission related to your application or registration will be filed through TEAS, and any USPTO correspondence regarding your application or registration will be sent to you by email.

答：我们（USPTO）的目标是对商标申请和注册进行端到端电子处理，从而缩短处理时间并减少错误。 您将通过TEAS提交申请等文件（所有与申请或注册有关文件都将通过TEAS提交），将来，任何来自USPTO的关于申请或注册的信函都将通过电子邮件发送给您。

With limited exceptions, paper and fax submissions will no longer be accepted. Email submissions will continue to not be accepted. (Only informal communication regarding your application or registration can be done by email.)

除少数例外，USPTO不再接受纸质和传真提交。USPTO仍然不接受电子邮件提交申请（只能通过电子邮件就申请或注册问题进行非正式交流。）

Q: Will requirements for acceptable specimens be affected by this new rule?

新法规的实施是否会影响商标使用证据的审查？

A：Yes, the specimen rule changes will involve:

答：是的。使用证据规则变化如下：

a. Updating Rule 2.56 to incorporate statutory and case law requirements for specimens and to reflect electronic filing realities

对2.56条法规进行更新，以便适应成文法和判例法对于商标使用样态和电子申请现状的要求。

b. Requiring the URL and the access or print date of all webpage specimens for goods or services

（对于网上销售的产品/服务）要求提供产品/服务的访问链接以及所有网页证据的具体日期

c. Requiring label and tag specimens to be shown attached to your goods or their packaging to be accepted as specimens for goods.

要求所有作为使用证据的产品及产品包装必须带有标签或商标。

Q：Why is this rule being put in place?

问：为什么要执行新法规？

A：Paper submissions hinder efficiency and accuracy and are more costly than electronic submissions because they require manual processing. Electronic submissions generally do not. By preparing and submitting an application or related document through TEAS, your document is more likely to be legally complete and take less time than preparing and mailing a paper version.

答：纸质提交会影响效率和准确性，且比电子提交更贵，因为它们需要人工处理。电子提交通常不会有这些问题。通过TEAS提交申请或相关文件与邮寄纸质文件相比，电子提交更加合法，所需时间更少。

By using TEAS, your submission is processed faster, data-entry errors decrease, and the risk of lost or missing papers is eliminated.

通过使用TEAS，可以更快地处理您的提交，减少数据输入错误，并消除文件丢丢失的风险。

It could be concluded that, the submission of applications and registrations will be more efficient through new electronic filing system. However, the examination of specimens would be more and more strict in the future.

概括来说，通过新的电子系统提交申请和注册将更加高效。但可以预见的是，USPTO对于使用证据的审查也将更加严格。