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riemannzeta

USPTO Patent MCP Server

by riemannzeta
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Remote

check_api_status

Read-onlyIdempotent

Verify status and availability of USPTO patent and trademark data sources, including API configuration, connections, and rate limits. Use before research or to troubleshoot errors.

Instructions

Check status and availability of all patent and trademark data sources.

USE THIS TOOL WHEN: You encounter errors or want to verify which APIs
are available and properly configured before starting research.

Returns status of each data source including:
- Configuration status (API keys, credentials)
- Connection availability
- Rate limit information where available

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv1.8.1
    • changedOutput schema / (root)
      Previous value: -{
-  "properties": {
-    "result": {
-      "additionalProperties": true,
-      "title": "Result",
-      "type": "object"
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "result"
-  ],
-  "title": "check_api_statusOutput",
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null
  2. First observedv1.1.1

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely new behavioral context by enumerating what comes back: configuration status (API keys, credentials), connection availability, and rate-limit information where available.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded one-line purpose, then a labeled trigger block, then a scannable bullet list of return contents. Every sentence carries information and nothing is redundant padding.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description must carry the return-value burden, and it does so by listing the three categories of status reported. Combined with the annotations covering the safety profile, an agent has everything needed to invoke and interpret this no-arg diagnostic tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool takes zero parameters, which sets the baseline at 4. The description correctly does not invent parameter semantics, and the empty schema confirms there is nothing further to document.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names a specific verb and resource ('Check status and availability of all patent and trademark data sources') and clearly occupies a diagnostic niche distinct from every sibling, which all retrieve substantive patent/trademark data. An agent can tell instantly that this is a health-check tool, not a data-fetch tool.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives an explicit trigger via 'USE THIS TOOL WHEN: You encounter errors or want to verify which APIs are available ... before starting research', covering both reactive and preflight contexts. It stops short of stating when not to use it or naming a fallback sibling, so it is clear context rather than full when/when-not/alternatives guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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