Case: Trademarks/Registration (T.T.A.B.)

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board affirmed refusals to register Information Builders Inc.'s mark and refused to withdraw its trademark application. The company sought to register “Information Builders” with a specially designed “O” for database software and design services, but the board found that it was confusingly similar to an existing design mark. Information Builders appealed, but then dropped the case and said it was expressly abandoning its application “without prejudice.” But the board affirmed the refusals to register and said that the company can’t circumvent an adverse board decision by filing an express abandonment of the application.