Is it illegal to use the USB logo in your application?

Question

I thought I could use this icon (free for commercial use) in an application to indicate that a USB device has been plugged into the system. But someone told me that the USB logo itself can't be used without permission.

I'm trying to understand the guidelines written on USB.org. So far I get your product must pass the "USB-IF Test Procedure".

However, it seems to me that this would only apply to USB hardware. Not for an application that simply shows the icon to identify a certain device as a USB device.

Does anyone know more?

Answer 1

Here's a presentation on the logo specifically:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/214193/usb-logo-guidelines

Here's information from USB.org:

http://www.usb.org/developers/logo_license/

I can't find any information for software, but the easiest solution to your query would be to send them a quick email. Until then, the answer is probably no, you can't use it.

With trademarks and copyright, when in doubt, don't.

Answer 2

The image linked isn't the USB Consortium logo though . The "trident icon" seems to be a source of confusion for Wikipedia, too -- one box says it's public domain, the other says it's copyrighted. The presentation Tom Gullen linked does also not say anything about the trident icon...

IANAL -- personally I'd freely use the trident icon, since it's such a de facto symbol for USB. See, say, http://www.threadless.com/product/2168/USB_Port :P

Answer 3

As far as a I'm aware, and take free pseudo-legal advice from non-lawyers given on the Internet for what it's worth, the icon you linked to is not an official USB logo, so it's not covered by their licensing.

This document:

http://www.usb.org/developers/logo_license/1819753_1_USB-IF_TLA_Usage_Guidelines.pdf

shows all the various USB logos, and there's nothing which is even passingly similar to the one you linked.