Using TESS, what is the search term I need to use?

I need to find all the trandemarks that have 2 (or more) words, while
the second word (or third, but not the first) 
starts with only one specific letter.
for example:

If I enter in TESS "HELLO W"
Which wildcards should I use?
I encounter some problems with the SPACE between the 'Hello' and the 'W. 

What I'm expecting to get, is: 
"Hello world"
"Hello wild"
"My Hello wired"
"MyHello weird so"
BUT NOT:
"my hello so weird"

Thanks a lot for your answer!

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These search terms are not related to the question:
Trademark, USPTO, TESS, ip,intellectual property.
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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 24 Sep 2004 09:50 PDT

TESS is an infuriatingly turgid search system...if only they would "Googlize" it!

I can construct searches that will get you pretty *close* to what you
need, but TESS isn't real good with wildcards, so I'm not sure you'll
wind up with every single combination you're after.

For instance, for the "hello w..." example you cited, I ran two
separate searches and turned up the following:


HELLO WORLD
HELLO WEST MICHIGAN
HELLO2WEB
HELLO WE'RE AMSOUTH
HELLO WISCONSIN
HELLO WRITER!
HELLO WORLDS
HELLO WEDDINGS
HELLO WORLD COMMUNICATIONS
HELLO WINDOW 
HELLO WORLD PUBLICATIONS
HELLO FRIEND ENNIS WILLIAM COSBY FOUNDATION
HELLO, MAY WE HELP YOU?
HELLO ACCESS THE WORLD


I take it you are NOT interested in results such as:

WHEN HE SAYS HELLO HE SAYS IT WITH KORBEL

or

WEDDING HELLOS




Let me know if I should post the search strategy for getting the above
results as an answer to your question.


pafalafa-ga

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Clarification of Question by iptess-ga on 24 Sep 2004 10:25 PDT

Dear pafalafa,

Yes, please do.

Hello iptess-ga, and thanks for getting back to me so promptly.

To start your search, head for the TESS page at:

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=ruot1.1.1


and select:

Free Form Search (Advanced Search) 

and enter the search phrase:

($hello-w$)[FM]


The $ sign acts as the wildcard to find any terms that contain hello
(as well the "hello" term itself) and to find words that being with
"w" and then contain additional letters.

The dash is needed to connect the words.  Why did TESS require this
obscure convention....?  Who knows?  But that may account for the
problems you had with spaces.

The [FM] restricts the search to the mark itself.

Pressing "Submit Query" should (after a while!...this isn't the
fastest search system) return about 20 records of the format [ hello
w..... ]


To expand the search a bit, GO BACK TO THE INITIAL SEARCH PAGE (dont'
try to search from the Results page...it's very tempermental) and try
adding an $ in the middle, like this:


($hello-$-w$)[FM]


That should get you some additional search results with "hello" and
"w...." near one another, but not necessarily adjacent.

It's a persnickety system, so a bit of experimentation may be in order
to get the best results for you particular needs.

Before rating this answer, please let me know if you need any
additional explanations or more information.  I'll be happy to assist
you further.

Best of luck!

pafalafa-ga


search strategy:  used existing bookmarks and my knowledge of the TESS
system, and some playing around.

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Clarification of Answer by pafalafa-ga on 24 Sep 2004 12:06 PDT

As noted below, the TESS links do expire, so I'm afraid the link I
gave you won't work.  Instead, head to the main Trademarks site at:

http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

and click on "Search" to get through to the Free Form Search page.

pafalafa-ga

pafalafa is a great researcher!

Dear pafalafa,

Are you going to lock this or post an answer?  I have a comment I
would like to post but you have first dibs here . . .

Thanks.

ipfan

ipfan-ga,

If you have something helpful to add, by all means, please do...

paf

Dear pafalafa and iptess,

Pafalafa's answer is excellent.  May I also suggest:

Assume that "x" is the letter that begins your second (or third) word.
 Try going to http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=search&state=asuk9q.1.1
and entering "x*[bi]" (without the quotes).  This will search the
Basic Index field using * as a right truncation operator.  You will
get some results in which the first word starts with "x" as well, but
if you further define your search by narrowing the goods and services
descriptions, you should get pretty close.

Applying this logic to your "Hello W" query, search for "hello[bi] and
w*[bi]" (again, no quotes).

I note that you said that you want "all" trademarks in which the
second or third word begin with a specific letter.  You realize that
that is a very large list . . . :)

Sorry, bad link, I forgot that the sessions expire.  You do want to
use the TESS Free Form Search, however.

Pafalafa, 
Thanks a lot. 
Perfect 10.

and IPfan,
good job as well!
WELL DONE!!!

ipTess

iptess-ga,

Thanks so much for the kind feedback (and the stars, of course!), and
best of luck with your trademarks research.

paf