USPTO Rejects Google’s Attempt To Trademark “Glass”

When the term “glass” is used, we guess depending on the context and the place where it is said, it could mean many thing. In the tech context, there is a chance that you might have thought of Google’s wearable gadget, Google Glass. Unfortunately it seems that the USPTO (via The Wall Street Journal) does not think the same like the rest of us and have since denied Google’s request to trademark the term “glass”.

According to the USPTO, trademarking the term glass could lead to confusion amongst other brands or products, like Microsoft’s SmartGlass, for example. They also feel that the term “glass” is considered a descriptive term rather than an actual identifiable product name, and because of federal law, generic terms like that cannot be trademarked.

However Google is planning on challenging their objection and have since tasked their lawyers to do so, which they did by sending the USPTO a 1,928 paged letter with articles referencing its wearable device, to show that consumers will not be confused by the term glass or the nature of the product.

They have also objected to the USPTO calling the term glass “merely descriptive” because “the frame and display components of the Glass device do not consist of glass at all.” The patent office has yet to arrive at their final decision but we have to wonder if Google will be successful in their second attempt. What do you guys think? Do you think Google has the right to trademark the term “glass”?

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gadgets
Tags: Google, Google Glass, Wearable Tech