Has "Lightning Round" become generic?

[Jimmy Owen]

First time I heard the term \"Lightning Round\" was in connection with the \"Password\" show.  Now you hear it on Fox News, CNBC, CNN etc.  Is it licensed by Fremantle, or just used without permisson or has the term gone into public domain as a generic term, a la \"jackpot,\" \"bonus game,\" etc.

[rjaguar3]

I don\'t think Fremantle ever applied for a trademark for \"LIghtning Round\".  There\'s only one record in TESS (regarding \"game equipment set sold as a unit comprised of a battery-operated dry erase screen with timer, dry erase markers, eraser and activity sheets\" and belonging to Crayola Properties, Inc.), and it was filed January 12, 2012.

 

I know I earlier searched for various elements from Legends of the Hidden Temple in TESS and found that many of them were trademarked, but not in reference to the show.