Patent Connector

Fetch the full text of one examination-manual section by manual code and section number (e.g. code=MPEP section=2141, or code=EPO_EPC section=g_vi_3), with its breadcrumb (ancestor headings) and child sections. Use reference_search or list_manuals first to find the right code/section. Quote the citation when relying on guidance. For prosecution-history work, pass as_of (YYYY-MM-DD) to get the guidance edition that was in force on a given date. This is the classification taxonomy and examination guidance - not the patent corpus and not the statutes themselves. Results are candidate references to verify against the primary source, not legal determinations. English only.

get_manual_section

Retrieve complete patent document including title, abstract, description, and claims. The correct provider is auto-selected from the patent number. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), or German patents ('DE102020001234A1'). Supports multi-language for EPO patents. Optional provider override: 'epo_ops', 'uspto', 'dpma'. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_fulltext

Retrieve the legal status of a patent as reported by the patent office: the office's status value where provided, the status date, and the legal/prosecution events. The correct provider is auto-selected from the patent number. USPTO reports an application status such as 'Patented Case'; EPO and DPMA report legal events. For EP patents it also reports EU Unitary Patent status (the request-for-unitary-effect timeline: filed, registered, or rejected) when present. This tool does not compute an in-force or expired determination - infer current standing from the events (for example maintenance-fee payments or lapses) and use get_patent_term for expiry dates. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), German patents ('DE102020001234A1'), or by-application-number lookups for JP (jpo) and AU (ipau). Optional provider override: 'epo_ops', 'uspto', 'dpma', 'ipau', 'jpo', 'tipo'. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_legal_status

Retrieve a single EUIPO owner by identifier (from search_owners). type=applicant returns an IP owner; type=representative returns a professional representative, including its member attorneys. Returns the full record: legal name/form, address, correspondence address and (for representatives) association members. Provider defaults to euipo. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_owner

Get details of a specific PTAB proceeding. Set proceeding_type to trial (default) and pass a trial number (e.g. 'IPR2020-00001'), appeal and pass an appeal number, or interference and pass an interference number. Returns proceeding metadata, associated decisions, and (for trials) filed documents. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_ptab_proceeding

Retrieve patent abstract for a specific patent number. The correct provider is auto-selected from the patent number. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), German patents ('DE102020001234A1'), or French patents ('FR2979290'). Optional provider override: 'epo_ops', 'uspto', 'dpma', 'inpi'. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_abstract

Retrieve patent assignment/ownership data for US patents. Shows the recorded conveyance history verbatim: assignor, assignee, recorded date, execution date, conveyance type, and reel/frame number. No current owner is derived - reason over the conveyance text and dates. USPTO-only: for cross-office relationships, use get_patent_family instead. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), or publications ('US20250087686A1'). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_assignments

Retrieve bibliographic data (title, applicants, inventors, dates, classifications) for a specific patent number. The correct provider is auto-selected from the patent number. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), German patents ('DE102020001234A1'), or by-application-number lookups for JP (jpo) and AU (ipau). Optional provider override: 'epo_ops', 'uspto', 'dpma', 'ipau', 'jpo', 'tipo'. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_bibliography

Retrieve the cited references (prior art) for a patent: the patent and non-patent-literature citations from its search report, each with a relevance category (X = relevant alone, Y = relevant in combination, A = background) and the relevant claims and passages. Served via EPO OPS for any office's publication; with a Lens.org token configured, Lens is preferred and additionally returns FORWARD citations (later patents citing this one) plus resolved scholarly ids on non-patent literature. Accepts a publication number (e.g. 'EP1000000B1', 'US7456156B2'). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_citations

Retrieve patent claims for a specific patent number. Returns structured claim data. The correct provider is auto-selected from the patent number. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), or German patents ('DE102020001234A1'). Optional provider override: 'epo_ops', 'uspto', 'dpma'. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_claims

Retrieve patent continuity data (parent/child application chain). Shows continuation, divisional, continuation-in-part, and provisional relationships. Served by USPTO for US patents and by JPO for JP patents (divisional chain); for cross-office relationships, use get_patent_family instead. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), or JP application numbers. Returns parents[] and children[] with application numbers, patent numbers, filing dates, and relationship types. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_continuity

Retrieve patent description/specification text. The correct provider is auto-selected from the patent number. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), or German patents ('DE102020001234A1'). Supports multi-language for EPO patents (use 'language' parameter). Optional provider override: 'epo_ops', 'uspto', 'dpma'. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_description

List the file-wrapper (prosecution) documents for a patent application: office actions, applicant remarks (Remarks), claim amendments, IDS, examiner's amendments, and the rest of the file wrapper. Each entry has the document type, mail/official date, direction (where the office reports one), and download URLs (pass one to download_patent_document or read_patent_document). Optional document_type filter (matches the document code or description, e.g. 'CTNF', 'remarks', 'Examining Division', 'Prüfungsbescheid') and direction filter ('incoming' or 'outgoing'). Sources: USPTO (US file wrapper; coverage back to Jan 2001), INPI (France: the published fascicule per kind code with its section page map), JPO (Japan), DPMA (DE publications) and, on self-hosted deployments, Global Dossier (EP file wrapper incl. search opinions, examining-division communications, replies and amended claims; JP/KR/CN office actions; the DE file wrapper incl. Prüfungsbescheide, merged with the DPMA publications). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_patent_documents

Retrieve patent family (INPADOC) containing all related patents worldwide through priority claims. Defaults to EPO INPADOC for any country's patent; set provider for an office-native family (ipau, tipo, jpo) or Lens. Accepts US grants ('US 11,646,472 B2'), applications ('17/248,024'), publications ('US20250087686A1'), EPO patents ('EP2549025A1'), or German patents ('DE102020001234A1'). Returns family ID, member count, countries, and member list. Set include_biblio=true for titles and applicants. Large families are capped at max_members (default 100). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_patent_family

Retrieve a page of a patent's images - drawings, the full document, or the search report - rendered as PNG. Returns the image plus the catalog of available sections and page counts so you can page through. Use section to choose ('Drawing' or 'FullDocument'; defaults to Drawing) and page for the 1-based page. For application (A) publications the search report is usually contained within FullDocument rather than offered as a separate section. Served via EPO OPS images for any office's publication; provider=inpi returns the single abstract drawing of a French publication (INPI publishes one image per publication, so section and page are ignored for inpi). Accepts a publication number (e.g. 'EP1000000B1', 'US7456156B2'). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_patent_image

Get a comprehensive patent snapshot in one call: bibliography (title, applicants, inventors, dates, classifications), legal status, patent family ID, size and countries, and patent term/expiry. Runs multiple lookups concurrently and returns partial results if some lookups fail. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_patent_summary

Return the raw, office-provided facts relevant to patent term. This tool computes nothing and asserts no expiration date: patent term depends on the right type, whether the term runs from filing or grant, SPC/PTE extensions, terminal disclaimers, renewal-fee payment (per designated state for EP), and legislation that has changed over time. Fields are populated only when the office actually provides them. USPTO returns filing date, grant date and PTA (patent term adjustment) days. JPO, TIPO and IP Australia return an office-reported expiry/term-end date verbatim (plus grant/annuity dates where available). EPO and DPMA publish no term, so they return the filing date and a pointer to get_legal_status. To assess whether a right is in force or expired, combine these facts with get_legal_status / get_register_events. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_patent_term

Get a specific USPTO petition decision by its record identifier (petitionDecisionRecordIdentifier, e.g. from search_petitions). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_petition

Get a chronological prosecution timeline for a patent: key milestones (filed, published, examination requested, granted) and full event history. Combines bibliography dates, register events, and legal status into a unified timeline. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_prosecution_timeline

Retrieve patent register/prosecution events showing the examination history. Returns events with date, code, description, and category (filing, publication, examination, grant, opposition, no_opposition, appeal, other). For EP patents it also returns the structured register: the procedural-step timeline (phase, code, text, date), opposition status (filed or not), terms of grant (designated-state lapses) and the search-report reference. Supports EP patents via EPO, US patents via USPTO, DE patents via DPMA, AU patents via IP Australia and TW patents via TIPO (change/correction records). Use 'limit' to return only the most recent N events. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_register_events

Resolve a non-patent-literature citation into the full scholarly record: pass the lens_id carried on a patent's NPL citations (get_citations with a Lens provider) or a DOI. The record includes authors, venue, external ids and - closing the loop - the citing_patent_lens_ids of every patent citing this work. Requires the Lens provider configured (Scholarly API subscription on the same token). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_scholarly_work

Returns the query syntax documentation for a search provider. Call this before search_patents (epo_ops, uspto, dpma, ipau, tipo, inpi) or before search_trademarks (euipo, ipau, dpma, tipo, inpi) / search_designs (euipo, ipau, dpma, inpi) to learn the correct query format. Each provider uses different syntax. Without a provider it documents the one search_patents uses when none is given (epo_ops if nothing is configured).

get_search_syntax

List the documents filed for a trademark case by serial number. USPTO returns the full file wrapper (document IDs, types e.g. NOA/APP/DRW, categories, dates, page counts); INPI returns the single BOPI publication copy. Use document IDs with download_trademark_document to retrieve PDFs. USPTO requires the TSDR API key; INPI uses the account credentials. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_trademark_documents

Get a trademark's mark representation by serial number. By default returns the logo/drawing image plus a temporary URL for viewing in a browser. For EUIPO, the media_type parameter selects the representation: image (default), thumbnail, sound, video or model - for sound and motion/multimedia marks this returns the actual audio/video, playable directly from the returned temporary URL; model returns the 3D model. Defaults to USPTO TSDR; also available for tipo (Taiwan) and inpi (France, mark logo) via the provider parameter. Non-EUIPO offices support only media_type=image. Each office uses its own configured credentials. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_trademark_media

Get full trademark status by serial number. Returns mark text, current status, filing/registration dates, goods/services classifications, owner info, and prosecution history. Defaults to USPTO TSDR; also available for euipo, ipau, jpo, tipo and inpi (France) via the provider parameter. Each office uses its own configured credentials (the USPTO trademark key is separate from the USPTO patent key). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

get_trademark_status

Look up the official IPC catchword index: maps a keyword/phrase to the IPC places where that subject is classified (the index a searcher consults to find where a concept lives in the scheme). Returns candidate IPC symbols per matching term; confirm the place with get_classification. Complements semantic reference_search with the curated, authoritative term→place mapping. This is the classification taxonomy and examination guidance - not the patent corpus and not the statutes themselves. Results are candidate references to verify against the primary source, not legal determinations. English only.

classification_catchword

List all patent API providers you have configured and their status

list_configured_providers

List the examination manuals available for lookup with their active edition, jurisdiction and section count (MPEP, TMEP, EPO/EUIPO/WIPO Guidelines, IP Australia, KIPO/JPO/DPMA). Use this to discover the manual `code` and edition before fetching a section with get_manual_section. This is the classification taxonomy and examination guidance - not the patent corpus and not the statutes themselves. Results are candidate references to verify against the primary source, not legal determinations. English only.

list_manuals

Read a file-wrapper document page by page: downloads the PDF behind a downloads[].download_url from get_patent_documents, renders the requested pages server-side, and returns one PNG image per page; the first page range also carries the original PDF as an embedded resource. Use this to read documents whose PDF has no text layer (reexamination certificates, older file-wrapper scans). At most 10 pages per call - page through with first_page/last_page, calling once per range. Some clients replace the embedded PDF block with an 'unsupported' notice; the page images are authoritative. For a download link without page images use download_patent_document. Works with the PDF download URLs of every get_patent_documents source (USPTO, INPI, DPMA, Global Dossier); the provider is inferred from the URL. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

read_patent_document

Search EUIPO's harmonized classification-term databases. scheme=nice searches the Goods-and-Services terms used to classify TRADEMARKS (Nice classes 1-45); scheme=locarno searches the product-indication terms used to classify DESIGNS (Locarno classes). Filter by free-text term and class number. For nice, pass translate_to (e.g. ['de','fr']) to also receive the matched terms in those EU languages. Returns harmonized terms with their text, class and concept id. Provider defaults to euipo. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_classification_terms

Search the EU registered-design register (EUIPO). The query uses RSQL - call get_search_syntax with provider=euipo for the fields and operators. Examples: 'locarnoClasses==14.04 and status==REGISTERED_AND_FULLY_PUBLISHED' or 'productIndications==*chair*'. Optional page/size. Returns matching designs with design number, status, Locarno classes and dates. Provider defaults to euipo. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_designs

Search AI-enriched citations extracted from USPTO office actions. Per cited reference it returns the citation category (X/Y/A), the claims the reference was applied to (related_claims), a quality summary, and the inventor. Note: passageLocationText is office-action-level - one merged passage list shared across all references in the action, NOT split per cited reference; for per-reference passage attribution read the office action full text via search_office_actions. Provide application_number or use Lucene query (fields: patentApplicationNumber, citedDocumentIdentifier, officeActionDate, citationCategoryCode, relatedClaimNumberText, passageLocationText). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_enriched_citations

Hybrid (keyword + semantic) search across examination manuals (MPEP, TMEP, EPO/EUIPO/WIPO Guidelines, IP Australia, KIPO/JPO/DPMA), classification schemes (CPC/IPC/FI), and the trademark/design term classifications (domain=nice for Nice goods/services, domain=locarno for Locarno designs). Use it to find the governing guidance section, the right classification place, or the Nice/Locarno class for a concept, e.g. "obviousness rejection rationale" -> MPEP §2141, "harvesting root crops" -> A01D, or "milk" -> Nice class 29. Hits are grouped by jurisdiction/scheme so offices are never co-ranked against each other; pick the group for the office you care about. Use mode=keyword for an auditable, reproducible lookup. This is the discovery path for Nice/Locarno terms (jurisdiction-neutral, no credentials); to validate or translate a term against the EU register use search_classification_terms / validate_classification_terms (euipo). This is the classification taxonomy and examination guidance - not the patent corpus and not the statutes themselves. Results are candidate references to verify against the primary source, not legal determinations. English only.

reference_search

Search prior art citations from USPTO office actions. Provide application_number or use Lucene query (fields: patentApplicationNumber, citedDocumentIdentifier, countryCode, kindCode). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_office_action_citations

Search USPTO office action rejections. Provide application_number or use Lucene query (fields: hasRej101, hasRej102, hasRej103, hasRej112, hasRejDP, aliceIndicator, bilskiIndicator, mayoIndicator, myriadIndicator, legalSectionCode, groupArtUnitNumber, claimNumberArrayDocument). This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_office_action_rejections

Search USPTO office action text. Provide application_number for quick lookup or query for Lucene syntax (fields: patentApplicationNumber, actionType, mailedDate, filingDate, grantDate, inventionTitle, bodyText). Data covers actions mailed from June 2018 to 180 days before today. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_office_actions

Search EUIPO's owner directory (Persons API). type=applicant searches IP owners; type=representative searches professional representatives (attorneys/agents). Filter by name, city and country. Returns matching owners with their identifier, name, type and address - pass the identifier to get_owner for the full record. Provider defaults to euipo. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_owners

Search PTAB decisions across all proceedings. Set proceeding_type to trial (default), appeal, or interference. Trial query fields: decisionData.trialOutcomeCategory (Final Written Decision/Institution Granted/Institution Denied/Settled After Institution), decisionData.decisionTypeCategory (Decision), trialNumber (e.g., IPR2024-00984). Syntax: Use AND/OR for multiple conditions. Quote multi-word values. Examples: 'decisionData.trialOutcomeCategory:"Final Written Decision"', 'trialNumber:IPR2024-00984 AND decisionData.decisionTypeCategory:Decision'. Empty query returns recent decisions. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_ptab_decisions

Search PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) proceedings. Set proceeding_type to trial (default) for IPR/PGR/CBM trials, appeal for ex parte appeals, or interference. Trial query fields: regularPetitionerData.realPartyInInterestName (petitioner), patentOwnerData.patentOwnerName (patent owner), patentOwnerData.patentNumber (patent number, no US prefix), trialMetaData.trialTypeCode (IPR/PGR/CBM), trialMetaData.trialStatusCategory (Pending/Terminated/Final Written Decision). Syntax: Use AND/OR for multiple conditions. Quote multi-word values. Examples: 'regularPetitionerData.realPartyInInterestName:Google', 'patentOwnerData.patentNumber:10015413 AND trialMetaData.trialTypeCode:IPR', 'trialMetaData.trialStatusCategory:"Final Written Decision"'. Empty query returns recent proceedings. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_ptab_proceedings

Search patents using provider-specific query syntax. Each provider's query grammar differs (a query that works on one fails on another), and get_search_syntax returns the grammar for a given provider; 'pa=' is EPO syntax, while USPTO and DPMA use different field names. Permissive queries (one or two terms) match more broadly, and zero-result responses include relaxed query suggestions to retry. If provider is omitted, EPO OPS is used when configured (broadest coverage), else USPTO, else DPMA. Valid provider IDs: 'epo_ops' (EPO), 'uspto' (USPTO), 'dpma' (DPMA, German patents), 'ipau' (IP Australia free-text quick search), 'tipo' (Taiwan, free-text title search, beta), 'inpi' (INPI France, bracket syntax like [TIT=moteur]), 'lens' (Lens.org, Lucene syntax over 100+ jurisdictions; explicit selection only - it is never the default, to protect its monthly request quota). Optional filters refine the search where the provider supports them: sort/offset/fields (EUIPO, USPTO) and applicant/classification/date_from/date_to (param-based offices like TIPO); see get_search_syntax. This tool retrieves patent data from official patent office databases.

search_patents