The following relates to trademark exam guidelines: update 2020, highlighting the major amendments to the guidelines this year.
Scope of search
During examination the examiners search in the Maoz database for identical or similar words and if there is a logo, marks. The search includes comparison to names of origin.
Searching for combinations
Searches for word combinations (that are not generic): not to separately search for each word.
Time limitations
The search is limited in time to trademarks that are in effect. i.e., those that were registered and in effect no more than a year before the examination date.
Search parameters
The examiner has the prerogative to decide which parameters to check regarding similarity to other marks:
* Fonts
- * Deconstruction of a word into prefix or suffix and search of a word fraction
- * Words sharing their root with the mark (in Hebrew only). As a Semitic language, Hebrew is based upon many words having a common root and thus a common meaning.
- * Translation/transliteration Hebrew into English and vise versa.
- * Anagrams
- * The search machine allows to exclude recurring irrelevant results
Howard Teff, Ph.D.
