trademark-search

USPTO Trademark Search

Search the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database to check trademark availability and get registration details. Uses web search as the primary method — most USPTO and trademark database sites block automated requests.

When to Use

• User wants to check if a name/brand is trademarked
• User is researching trademark availability before naming a product
• User wants details on an existing trademark registration
• User asks "is [name] trademarked?" or "can I use [name]?"

Important Disclaimer

This skill provides informational data only — not legal advice. Always recommend the user consult a trademark attorney for definitive guidance. Trademark availability depends on many factors beyond exact-match searches (similarity, likelihood of confusion, goods/services classes, etc.).

Known Limitations

Direct web_fetch calls to trademark databases will not work — they block automated requests:

Web search is the primary (and reliable) approach. Search engines index these databases, so you can find trademark records through web_search queries with site: filters.

Step 1: Web Search for Trademark Records (Primary Method)

Use web_search to find trademark registrations. This is the most reliable approach.

Search USPTO Records

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" trademark site:tsdr.uspto.gov

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" trademark site:uspto.gov

Search Trademarkia (Indexed by Search Engines)

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" site:trademarkia.com

Trademarkia results typically include: mark name, serial/registration number, status (LIVE/DEAD), owner, filing date, and Nice Classification class.

Search Broadly

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" trademark registered

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" site:tmdn.org

What to Look For in Results

• TSDR links (tsdr.uspto.gov/statusview/sn... or rn...) → existing trademark record with serial/registration number
• Trademarkia listings → status, owner, class, filing/registration dates
• Company websites claiming "®" or "™" → claimed/registered marks
• Nice Classification class for goods/services — critical for determining if a mark conflicts with your intended use

Step 2: Extract Details from Search Results

Search results from Trademarkia and USPTO typically contain enough detail in the snippet:

• Mark name and any design description
• Serial number (application) or Registration number
• Status: LIVE (active) or DEAD (abandoned/cancelled/expired)
• Owner name
• Class(es) of goods/services
• Filing and registration dates

If you need more detail, try fetching the specific Trademarkia result URL — some individual pages may load, though the search pages are blocked.

Key Status Values

Step 3: Check International Marks (Optional)

For products with international reach, also search:

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" trademark site:branddb.wipo.int

web_search: "BRAND_NAME" trademark international WIPO

Trademark Classes (Nice Classification)

When reporting results, include the goods/services class:

A trademark only protects within its registered class(es). A name can be registered by different entities in different classes.

Output Format

Availability Check

Quick Check

Error Handling

• No results from web search: This doesn't mean the name is available — it may not be indexed yet, or it may be too new. Note this uncertainty.
• Conflicting info across sources: Trademarkia may lag behind USPTO. When in doubt, note the discrepancy and recommend checking the official USPTO site directly.
• Too many results: Narrow with class filters or add the specific goods/services category to the search query.

Important Caveats to Always Mention

1. Common law trademarks exist without registration — a name can be "taken" even if not in the USPTO database
2. State registrations are separate from federal (USPTO) registrations
3. International marks may conflict — check WIPO if relevant
4. Likelihood of confusion matters — similar (not just identical) marks can conflict
5. Class matters — same name can coexist in different goods/services classes
6. This is not legal advice — always recommend consulting a trademark attorney

Examples

Example 1: "Is 'Stellar' trademarked?"

1. web_search: "Stellar" trademark site:tsdr.uspto.gov
2. web_search: "Stellar" site:trademarkia.com
3. Review search result snippets for serial/registration numbers, status, class
4. Present findings with class info and assessment

Example 2: "Can I use 'NovaPay' for a fintech app?"

1. web_search: "NovaPay" trademark
2. web_search: "NovaPay" site:trademarkia.com
3. Check results for marks in Class 9 (software) and Class 36 (financial services)
4. Present findings and note relevant classes for fintech

Example 3: "Check trademark status for registration number 5678901"

1. web_search: USPTO trademark registration 5678901
2. Look for TSDR or Trademarkia links in results with status details
3. Present the current status, owner, and class information

Data Sources

All accessed via web_search (direct fetch is blocked by these sites):

• USPTO Trademark Search: tmsearch.uspto.gov — Official US trademark database
• USPTO TSDR: tsdr.uspto.gov — Status and document retrieval
• Trademarkia: trademarkia.com — User-friendly trademark search
• WIPO Global Brand Database: branddb.wipo.int — International trademarks