RE: Is "Unicode" a registered trademark?

From: Julia Oesterle (Unicode) (v-juliao@microsoft.com)
Date: Tue Mar 17 1998 - 20:23:48 EST


Adrian,
Yes, Unicode is a registered trademark when used in reference to the Unicode
Consortium and in conjunction with the Unicode logo. Unicode.com is the web
site of The UniCode Group, Inc. whom we are aware of and are working with
regarding the use of the word, unicode.

Below you will find a summary of how the trademarks of the Unicode
Consortium may be used; which is permitted only after acceptance of a logo
license application . For further information and an application to use the
logo, please contact me at the Unicode office.

Sincerely,
Julia Oesterle
Administratvie Director
Unicode Consortium
408-777-3720

SHORTHAND GUIDE ON HOW TO USE THE
TRADEMARKS OF THE UNICODE® CONSORTIUM

1. MARKS ARE IMPORTANT
All companies benefit from proper use of trademarks. This guide will assist
you in ensuring the proper use of the Unicode® Consortium's trademarks:

        Unicode(tm) - when referring to the Unicode Standard
        Unicode® - when referring to the Unicode Consortium and the
Unicode Logo.

2. PRODUCT NAMES
The Unicode mark MAY NEVER be incorporated as part of a product or service
of another company. You may not include "Unicode", or any potentially
confusing variation in the name of your product.

3. PACKAGING AND ADVERTISING
You may note the compliance with, or support of, your application program
for the Unicode(tm) Standard on packaging, collateral material, or
advertising (but do not include "Unicode" in the product name). You should
use phrases such as "compliant with", "supporting", or "for" the Unicode
Standard. Here are examples:

        Do Say: XYZ for the Unicode(tm) Standard
                        XYZ for Unicode(tm)

        Do NOT Say: XYZ Unicode
                        Unicode XYZ
                        XYZ/Unicode

Correct reference to the Unicode mark includes:

(i) using the symbol "(tm)" (or "®" when referring to the Unicode
Consortium) with the mark Unicode. The symbols should be placed next to the
last letter of the mark, at the upper right, or at the baseline;
(ii) placing the generic product name, "the descriptor", immediately after
the mark. The descriptor for Unicode is "Standard"; (or "Consortium") and
(iii) including one of the attributions described in Section 5, Attributing
the Trademark of the Unicode Consortium on such material:

The Unicode Logo MAY NEVER BE USED WITHOUT A LICENSE FROM UNICODE, INC.(see
information below)

4. ALWAYS USE MARKS AS PROPER ADJECTIVES
Trademarks identify a company's goods or services. A trademark is a proper
adjective that modifies the generic name of a product or service. The
Unicode mark identifies The Unicode Standard and the Unicode Consortium.
        Examples:

                Proper Adjective Generic Name or Descriptor

                Unicode(tm) Standard
                Unicode® Consortium

5. ATTRIBUTING THE TRADEMARKS OF THE UNICODE CONSORTIUM
The following footnotes should appear on material which bears the trademarks
of the Unicode Consortium:

        When Using: The Footnote Should Be:
        "Unicode(tm)" "Unicode is a trademark of Unicode, Inc."
        "Unicode®" "Unicode is a registered trademark of
Unicode, Inc."
        The Unicode Logo "Unicode and the Unicode Logo are trademarks
of
                                Unicode, Inc."

6. DO NOT COMBINE THE TRADEMARK WITH AN IMPROPER GENERIC NAME
"Unicode" is the mark used to identify the Standard (or the Consortium).
Application programs designed to support the Unicode Standard are not
"Unicode applications", but rather application programs for the Unicode
Standard.

        Examples:
        Do Say: Application(s) for the Unicode(TM) Standard
        Do Not Say: Unicode(TM) application(s)

        Do Say: user of the Unicode(tm) Standard
        Do Not Say: Unicode(tm) user

7. DO NOT USE TRADEMARKS AS POSSESSIVE OR IN PLURAL FORMS

        Examples:
        Do Say: Characters in Unicode(tm)
        Do Not Say: Unicode(tm) characters

        Do Say: The company ordered two copies of Unicode(tm)
        Do Not Say: The company ordered two Unicode(tm)

8. DO NOT ABBREVIATE OR CREATE ACRONYMS
Marks should not be abbreviated. [While this is true for trademarks, the
abbreviation, "Uni-" is sufficiently generic as to not be protectable.]

        Examples:
        Do Not Say: N/A

9. COMPANY NAMES
Marks SHOULD NEVER be incorporated in another company's names (whether a
corporate name or d/b/a) to avoid confusion in the marketplace.

        Do Say: Unicode, Inc. when referring to the company name of the
Unicode Consortium
        Do Not Say: XYZ Unicode Company

10. THE UNICODE LOGO
The Unicode Logo is the symbol for the Unicode Standard and related
products.

Third parties implementing products compliant with or supporting the
Unicode(tm) Standard are invited to contact Unicode, Inc. at the address
given below for details regarding licensing criteria for the Unicode Logo
for use with products which are compliant with, or support, Unicode(tm).

The Unicode Logo MAY NEVER BE USED WITHOUT A LICENSE FROM
UNICODE, INC.

Please address any inquiries to:
Attn.:
Unicode, Inc.
P.O. Box 700519
San Jose, CA 95170-0519
USA
Phone: (408) 777-3721
Fax: (408) 777-3784
E-mail: info@unicode.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adrian Havill [SMTP:havill@threeweb.ad.jp]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 1998 4:29 PM
> To: Unicode List
> Subject: Is "Unicode" a registered trademark?
>
> Just curious as to how protected the word is...
>
> I mistyped <URL:http://www.unicode.com/> and was quite surprised. I also
> noticed
> that they have the little circle "R" by their name as well. After typing
> in the
> correct address, I noticed that the real Unicode has the mark as well.
>
> (Reminds me of the popular Japanese computer magazine that decided to name
>
> itself, ironically, "ASCII.")
>
> What are the legal requirements for usage of the word "Unicode?" Can a
> software
> package brag on the outside of it's wrapping about supporting UTF-8, etc.,
>
> without permission from TUC?



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