Trademark and Branding
Portable Trust Infrastructure and PTI identify a public specification category and ecosystem. Trademarks protect subjects and buyers from misleading compatibility claims while preserving open implementation rights.
PTI marks are not owned by any single implementer. During Phase 1–3, trademark administration is performed by the stewardship organization; Phase 4 targets transfer to an independent foundation (Future Foundation Model).
Protected marks
| Mark | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Portable Trust Infrastructure™ | Category name in formal documents |
| PTI™ | Short form in technical and marketing contexts |
| PTI Compatible™ | Accredited certification mark (restricted) |
| PTI Certified™ | Accredited certification mark (restricted) |
| PTI logo | Visual identity on certificates and official materials |
Exact legal status and registration jurisdictions are published in stewardship trademark notices. This document defines policy intent.
Permitted use without license
The following MAY be used fairly and accurately:
- "Implements Portable Trust Infrastructure RFCs" in technical documentation
- "PTI-compatible Core profile v1.0 (self-assessed)" with accurate scope
- Academic papers citing PTI as a specification category
- Nominative reference to compare products ("our platform implements PTI lookup tiers")
Nominative use MUST be truthful and MUST NOT imply endorsement by the Working Group or stewardship organization.
Requires certification or explicit permission
| Use | Requirement |
|---|---|
| PTI Certified / PTI Compatible logos on product pages | Valid certificate |
| "Official PTI implementation" | Prohibited — no exclusive official vendor |
| PTI logo on merchandise or investor decks | Written trademark license |
| Modified PTI logos | Prohibited without approval |
Self-assessed implementations MUST NOT use certification marks. Acceptable phrasing: "Self-assessed against PTI Core v1.0 tests; not independently certified."
Implementer branding
Implementers MAY brand their products independently:
| Acceptable | Unacceptable |
|---|---|
| "Acme Trust Exchange — PTI Core certified" | "Acme PTI" implying Acme owns PTI |
| "Built on open PTI RFCs" | "The PTI Platform by Acme" |
| TumiTrust product name alongside accurate PTI claims | "PTI powered exclusively by TumiTrust" |
Working Group and RFC attribution
RFC and governance documents SHOULD credit authors by name. Organizational logos on normative RFC pages MUST NOT imply sole ownership of the standard.
Misrepresentation
The stewardship MAY pursue trademark remedies for:
- Certified claims without valid certificate
- "PTI compliant" when required tests fail
- Subject-facing materials suggesting PTI guarantees approval for credit or services
- Domain squatting or phishing using PTI marks
Good-faith errors SHOULD receive notice and cure period before enforcement.
Co-branding with TumiTrust
TumiTrust MAY describe itself as:
- Founding steward and reference implementation
- Contributor to the PTI Working Group
- A certified implementer (when applicable)
TumiTrust MUST NOT claim exclusive rights to PTI or require partners to imply PTI equals TumiTrust.
Transition to foundation
Upon foundation formation, trademark portfolio SHOULD transfer with:
- Royalty-free specification rights unchanged
- Certification mark rules preserved
- Public trademark guidelines updated within 90 days