China’s Internet giant Tencent has sued the country’s Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRAB) after its application to trademark QQ’s beeping sound was rejected by the latter.

　　中国网络巨头腾讯申请将QQ的提示音“滴滴滴滴滴滴”注册为商标遭拒，随后将国家工商行政管理总局商标评审委员会告上了法庭。

　　Tencent QQ, one of the most popular instant messaging software services in China, applied to register the signature “Di-Di-Di-Di-Di-Di” notification sound as its trademark in 2014, which is permitted by China’s Trademark Law as long as the sound can be easily distinguished. Tencent’s application was later turned down by TRAB, with the explanation that the sound was “simple and not creative,” lacking in any distinctive traits.

　　早在2014年，《商标法》规定只要声音具有辨识度就可以注册时，作为中国最受欢迎的即时通讯应用之一，腾讯QQ就提出将“滴滴滴滴滴滴”提示声作为声音商标，但被商标评审委员会驳回，原因是它“简单，缺乏显著性”。

　　“We have checked many sound trademarks approved by other nations, including the famous lion roar of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Most sound trademarks last less than five seconds and are quite simple. By TRAB’s standards, they also could not be registered as trademarks,” said Huang Yibiao, a lawyer for Tencent, during the court hearing on Dec. 6.

　　在12月6日的庭审上，腾讯公司代理律师黄义彪介绍，“我们查了外国的许多声音商标，包括著名的美高梅公司的‘狮吼’，这些商标通常基本没有超过5秒的，也都很简单。如果按照商标委的标准，这些声音都不能被注册。”

　　According to Huang, due to QQ’s popularity in China, the public has already connected the beeping sound with QQ’s services, which means it does possess distinctiveness. TRAB, on the other hand, holds a different opinion. It reiterated that Tencent’s notification sound is merely a repetition of notes, which is not distinctive at all. According to TRAB, the board is very careful about approvals of sound trademarks, with few successful cases so far. The court will release its final verdict at a later date.

　　黄律师说，由于QQ在中国的普及度，用户听到这个声音后就能直接对应QQ即时通讯服务，这意识着它的确具备辨识度。然而，商标评审委员会却持不同观点。商评委强调，腾讯QQ提示音只是简单的音节重复，缺乏显著特色，该部门还称，通过声音商标的注册是相当谨慎的，至今我们通过的都比较少。并表示会在晚些时候给出最终裁决。

　　Tencent’s accusation has stirred up online debate, with some netizens supporting the company’s appeal and others calling it a joke.

　　腾讯的该案件引起了网友们的热议。一些网友支持此商标申请，也有人认为这是一个笑料。

　　“I have been using QQ my whole life. Though the sound is quite simple, it always reminds me of QQ services when I hear it. I think the board should agree to make it QQ’s trademark,” one netizen wrote.

　　某网友说，“我一直都在使用QQ。尽管这个声音很简单，但当我听到它，确实就会马上意识到是QQ的消息提示。我认为商标委应当通过这个声音商标。”

　　Not everyone agreed, however.

　　不过，并非所有人都这么认为。

　　“The beeping is QQ’s online notification sound. Do you know that its offline notification sound is actually human coughing? Would we be banned from coughing if the board approved QQ’s appeal? That would be hilarious,” another netizen wrote

　　另一网友说，“‘滴滴滴滴滴滴’是QQ的上线提示音。但你知道它的下线提示音事实上就像是有人在咳嗽吗?如果商标委通过了这个申请，以后大家是不是都不能咳嗽了?那多荒谬呀!”

（编辑：何莹莹）