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This glossary covers trademark concepts you will encounter when working with the Signa API. Each term includes a definition and a note on where it appears in API responses.

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Territory and scope

Two different axes that are easy to conflate. A jurisdiction is a territory where a right has legal effect (France, the European Union). An office is the register a mark was filed with and is examined by (the USPTO, the EUIPO, WIPO). One office can register rights that take effect in many jurisdictions, and one jurisdiction can be protected through several offices. A EU trade mark is filed at one office (the EUIPO) but protects 27 jurisdictions.In the API: these are separate filters and are never interchangeable. jurisdictions selects rights that protect, or seek protection, in a territory (protection-scope by default, so jurisdictions=FR also returns EU trade marks). offices selects the register a mark was filed with. Jurisdiction codes are uppercase ISO/region codes (US, EU); office codes are WIPO ST.3 codes (US, EM for the EUIPO), with legacy lowercase aliases (uspto, eu). See Search Trademarks for territory_match, which controls how far jurisdictions expands.
Every record in Signa is one of three territorial shapes, and this determines which jurisdictions it protects.
  1. National right: filed directly with a national office and protecting that one country (a USPTO registration protects the US, jurisdiction_code: "US", filing_route: "direct_national").
  2. Regional unitary right: a single right filed with a regional office that protects every member of that region as one indivisible unit. The three modeled regions are the EU trade mark (EUIPO, jurisdiction_code: "EU"), the Benelux mark (BX, covering Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), and the OAPI mark (OA, covering its African member states). filing_route: "direct_regional".
  3. Madrid designation: a per-country request for protection extended from a WIPO international registration to one designated territory, examined independently by that territory’s office (filing_route: "madrid_designation", the designated country as jurisdiction_code). One IR fans out into many designations.
In the API: distinguish them with filing_route. Under protection-scope jurisdictions matching, a request for a country matches national rights, Madrid designations of that country, and any regional unitary right whose membership covers it.
A EU trade mark protects all 27 EU member states as a single unitary right, and nothing beyond them. This is a common source of over-reach: “EU” is not “Europe”. A EUTM does not extend to the wider EEA, and it does not cover Switzerland or Norway (not EU members). Since Brexit it does not cover the United Kingdom, holders instead received independent UK comparable marks, which are UKIPO rights in their own right.In the API: because of this, protection-scope jurisdictions expansion maps a EUTM onto its 27 member states but never onto GB, CH, or NO. A request for one of those territories will never pull in a EUTM on membership grounds. Seniority claims on a EUTM are metadata only and never widen its geographic scope (see the Seniority entry under International below).

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Filing

The unique identifier assigned by an office when a trademark application is filed. Each office uses its own numbering scheme (e.g., USPTO serial numbers like 97123456, EUIPO numbers like 018765432).In the API: application_number on trademark objects. Requires office_code for uniqueness since different offices may reuse number formats. Use with GET /v1/trademarks?application_number=97123456&office=US.
The date the trademark application was officially received by the office. This date establishes priority and is used to compute deadlines. In most jurisdictions, the filing date determines the start of the protection timeline.In the API: filing_date on all trademark tiers. Sortable via ?sort=-filing_date. Filterable via ?filing_date_gte=2025-01-01.
The legal basis on which the applicant claims the right to register. In the US, common bases include “use in commerce” (Section 1(a)) and “intent to use” (Section 1(b)). Other bases involve foreign applications or registrations.In the API: filing_bases[] array in the detail tier. Each entry has a basis_type (one of use_in_commerce, intent_to_use, foreign_application, foreign_registration, madrid_extension, no_basis), optionally scoped to a specific Nice class.
How the trademark application reached the office. A mark can be filed directly with a national office, through the Madrid Protocol for international protection, or through a regional system like the EUIPO.In the API: filing_route on summary and detail tiers. Values: direct_national, direct_regional, madrid_designation, transformation, divisional, unknown. Filterable via ?filing_route=madrid_designation. Use ?is_madrid=true as shorthand for all Madrid Protocol marks.
A US-specific filing basis where the applicant declares a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce but has not yet done so. ITU applications must eventually file a Statement of Use (or request extensions) before registration can issue.In the API: Appears as basis_type: "intent_to_use" in the filing_bases[] array on the detail tier.
A claim of earlier filing priority based on an application in another country. Under the Paris Convention, an applicant who files in one member country has 6 months to file in other member countries and claim the original filing date as their priority date.In the API: priority_claims[] array in the detail tier. Each entry includes priority_type (e.g., paris), country_code, application_number, and priority_date. The convenience field priority_date on the detail tier shows the earliest priority date.

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Status

Signa’s normalized lifecycle stage for a trademark. Every office uses different status codes and labels. Signa maps them all to a consistent set of 18 stages that represent where a mark sits in its lifecycle.In the API: status.stage on all tiers. Stages: filed, examining, pending_publication, published, opposition_period, pending_opposition, pending_cancellation, pending_issuance, registered, allowed, abandoned, withdrawn, surrendered, refused, cancelled, invalidated, expired, unknown. Filterable via ?status_stage=registered,published.
A higher-level classification of the mark’s status. While stage gives the specific lifecycle position, primary groups stages into broader categories.In the API: status.primary on summary and detail tiers. Values: pending, active, inactive, unknown. For example, registered stage maps to active primary.
A window after publication during which third parties can file an opposition to prevent registration. The length varies by jurisdiction (e.g., 30 days in the US, 3 months in the EU).In the API: status.stage: "opposition_period" indicates the mark is currently in this window. The publications[] array on the detail tier includes opposition_period_start and opposition_period_end dates.
When a trademark application or registration is no longer being pursued. This can happen because the applicant failed to respond to an office action, did not file required declarations, or voluntarily abandoned the application.In the API: status.stage: "abandoned". The status.reason field may provide additional context when available from the office.

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Ownership

The entity that holds rights to the trademark. This may be the original applicant, a subsequent assignee, or a successor entity. Signa resolves owners across offices so the same company filing in multiple jurisdictions appears as a single entity.In the API: owners[] array on every trademark, detail and summary tiers alike. The detail tier’s owner has an id (e.g., own_abc123), name, country_code, entity_type, role, and address (postal address as reported by the office, or null); the summary tier’s owner is a lighter projection (id, name, country_code, resolved entity_id).
The legal form of the trademark owner. Common types include corporation, LLC, individual, partnership, government agency, and various foreign equivalents.In the API: entity_type on owner objects within the owners[] array. Signa maps 75+ office-specific entity codes to normalized values.
Signa’s process of recognizing that the same real-world entity appears under different names or in different offices. For example, “Apple Inc.” in the US, “Apple Inc” in the EU, and “APPLE INC.” in Canada are resolved to a single owner profile with unified statistics.In the API: Each resolved entity has a single id. The GET /v1/owners/{id} endpoint returns the canonical profile including aliases[] (alternative name forms) and aggregate statistics across all jurisdictions.
A parent company linked to a trademark owner through corporate ownership data. Signa uses GLEIF Level 2 relationship data to connect subsidiaries to their parent companies.In the API: GET /v1/owners/{id}/related returns parent and subsidiary relationships. Each relationship includes relationship_type (e.g., IS_DIRECTLY_CONSOLIDATED_BY), ownership_pct, and period_start/period_end.

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International

An international treaty that allows trademark owners to seek protection in multiple countries through a single application filed with WIPO. The applicant files one international registration (IR) and then “designates” individual member countries where protection is sought.In the API: Madrid marks have filing_route: "madrid_designation". Use ?is_madrid=true to filter for all Madrid Protocol marks. Madrid-specific fields include ir_number, designation_date, dependency_period_end_date, and transformation_deadline_date on the detail tier. The madrid object on the detail tier contains the parent IR metadata.
A request for trademark protection in a specific country under the Madrid Protocol. Each designation is processed independently by the designated country’s office, which can grant or refuse protection.In the API: Each designation creates a separate trademark record with filing_route: "madrid_designation" and the designated country as jurisdiction_code. The ir_number links all designations from the same international registration. Use ?ir_number=1234567 to find all designations from one IR.
The unique number assigned by WIPO to a Madrid Protocol international registration. This number is globally unique and shared across all designations from the same filing.In the API: ir_number on summary and detail tiers. Filterable directly: GET /v1/trademarks?ir_number=1234567. Also accepted by the batch endpoint without requiring an office parameter (IR numbers are globally unique).
An EU-specific concept where the holder of an earlier national trademark registration can claim that registration’s seniority when filing an EUTM. If the EUTM is later cancelled, the holder retains the rights of the earlier national mark.In the API: Seniority claims appear in the office_extensions object on EUIPO detail-tier records when present.
The first 5 years after an international registration under the Madrid Protocol, during which the IR depends on the basic mark in the office of origin. If the basic mark is cancelled during this period, the IR (and all its designations) may also be cancelled.In the API: dependency_period_end_date on the detail tier for Madrid marks. After this date, the IR stands independently.

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Procedural

A formal challenge filed by a third party against a published trademark application. Oppositions are typically filed during the opposition period and argue that the applied-for mark should not be registered (e.g., due to likelihood of confusion with an earlier mark).In the API: status.stage: "pending_opposition" when an opposition has been filed. TTAB proceedings data is available via GET /v1/trademarks/{id}/proceedings for US marks.
A proceeding to remove an existing trademark registration. Cancellation can be initiated by a third party (e.g., for non-use) or by the office. A cancelled mark loses its registration.In the API: status.stage: "cancelled" or "pending_cancellation". Cancellation proceedings appear in the proceedings sub-resource.
A US-specific requirement to file a declaration that the registered mark is still in use in commerce. Due between the 5th and 6th year after registration, and at each 10-year renewal. Failure to file results in cancellation.In the API: Appears in the deadlines[] array on the detail tier with type: "declaration_of_use". Includes due_date, grace_expiry, window_opens, and consequence_if_missed: "cancellation".
A US-specific filing that makes a trademark registration conclusive evidence of the owner’s exclusive right to use the mark. Available after 5 consecutive years of use following registration. Optional but strategically valuable.In the API: Appears in the deadlines[] array with type: "declaration_of_incontestability". Note that consequence_if_missed is "none" since this is an optional filing.
The periodic maintenance filing required to keep a trademark registration alive. Renewal periods vary by jurisdiction (e.g., 10 years in most countries, but initial terms and intervals differ).In the API: renewal_due_date is a first-class field on summary and detail tiers. The deadlines[] array provides full renewal detail including grace_expiry and window_opens. Filterable via ?renewal_due_date_gte=2026-01-01&renewal_due_date_lt=2027-01-01.
An additional window after a deadline’s due date during which the required action can still be taken, usually with a late fee. Not all deadlines have grace periods, and the length varies by jurisdiction and deadline type.In the API: grace_expiry in the deadlines[] array. null when no grace period exists. The status field on each deadline can be in_grace when the mark is currently in a grace period.

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Classification

The international system for classifying goods and services for trademark registration purposes. 45 classes total: classes 1-34 cover goods, classes 35-45 cover services. Nearly every trademark office worldwide uses the Nice system.In the API: classifications[] array on both summary and detail tiers. Each entry includes nice_class and goods_services_text on the summary tier, and adds nice_edition, goods_services_language, status, and class_status_raw on the detail tier. Filterable via ?nice_classes=9,42.
An international system for classifying the figurative (design) elements of trademarks. Uses a hierarchical code structure (e.g., 26.04.01 for “globe”). Used primarily for searching design marks.In the API: design_codes[] array on the detail tier. Each entry has code_system: "vienna", code_value, and edition. Searchable via the search endpoint’s filter parameters.
The visual form of the trademark. Common types include word marks (text only), figurative marks (design/logo), combined marks (text + design), three-dimensional marks, sound marks, color marks, and more.In the API: mark_feature_type on summary and detail tiers. Values include word, figurative, combined, three_d, color, sound, motion, hologram, pattern, position, multimedia, scent, taste, texture, other, unknown. Filterable via ?mark_feature_type=word,combined.
The broader IP right category. While most records in Signa are trademarks, some offices also register service marks, trade names, and geographical indications.In the API: right_kind on summary and detail tiers. Values: trademark, trade_name, commercial_notice, geographical_indication, other.
The free-text description of the specific goods or services the mark covers within each Nice class. This is the most granular description of what a trademark protects and is critical for clearance analysis.In the API: goods_services_text within each entry of the classifications[] array on the detail tier. Language indicated by goods_services_language.