If you want to claim the rights of a name or logo, use the TM (trademark) or SM (service mark) designation to give notice to the public about your claim. This use of the TM or SM Trademark Symbol does not mean a legally enforceable trademark. The registration symbol, ®, however, does carry legal weight. It may only be used when the mark is registered in the PTO. The ® symbol may be used only after the registration has been approved by the U.S. trademark office. A circled C means copyright. A copyright notice or copyright symbol is an identifier placed on copies of the work to inform the world of copyright ownership. While use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional. Use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with the Copyright Office. Because prior law did contain such a requirement, however, the use of a copyright notice or copyright symbol is still relevant to the copyright status of older works. Copyright notice was required under the 1976 Copyright Act. This requirement was eliminated when the United States adhered to the Berne Convention, effective March 1, 1989. Although works published without copyright notice before that date could have entered the public domain in the United States, the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) restores copyright in certain foreign works originally published without copyright notice. http://inventors.about.com/od/copyrights/a/CopyrightNotice.htm http://trademarkmyname.com/trademark-symbols.html

The Circles R ( ® ) means Registerd Trade Mark, it means particuler mark has been registered in Government Trade Mark office. and Circle C, means Copyright and TM symbols means the mark which using as trade mark which is not registered by him in any Govt. Trade Mark office. Best Regards, Naresh Kumar Azad HNLU, Ripur, chhattisgarh

So true.. I wish others would realize this... because SO many use the circle R and they are NOT registered at all! Can be trouble, even if innocently doing it. The circle and TN is ok! Registered will be bring attorneys into the picture. all my best PLP