Skip to main content
Glama
riemannzeta

USPTO Patent MCP Server

by riemannzeta
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Remote

odp_get_application

Read-onlyIdempotent

Retrieve patent application prosecution/file wrapper data from USPTO Open Data Portal by application number, including filing date, status, and basic metadata.

Instructions

Get patent application data from USPTO Open Data Portal.

USE THIS TOOL WHEN: You need prosecution/file wrapper data for an
application including status, dates, and basic metadata.

Args:
    app_num: Application number without slashes or commas (e.g., "14412875")

Returns:
    Application data including filing date, status, and basic info.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
app_numYes

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": "odp_get_applicationOutput",
-  "type": "object"
-}New value: +null
  2. First observedv1.1.1

TDQS

A3.9/5.0
Behavior3/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, idempotentHint=true, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=true, so the safety and repeatability profile is fully covered. The description adds useful context about what is returned (filing date, status, basic info), but says nothing about rate limits, auth requirements, or error behavior for an invalid application number. Adequate given the annotation coverage, but not rich.

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 purpose sentence, a scannable USE THIS TOOL WHEN clause, and a compact args/returns block. Every line earns its place and nothing is padded.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a single-parameter, read-only lookup with full annotation coverage and no output schema, the definition tells the agent what it gets and how to format the input. The one real gap is sibling disambiguation against odp_get_application_metadata and odp_get_documents, which the description never addresses.

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?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must carry the parameter burden – and it does: it specifies the format ('without slashes or commas') and gives a concrete example ('14412875'). That is genuinely beyond what the bare string schema provides, though it doesn't state whether leading zeros or check-digit variants are accepted.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb+resource ('Get patent application data') plus the data source (USPTO Open Data Portal), so the agent knows what it retrieves. However, it does not distinguish itself from the closely-named sibling odp_get_application_metadata, whose scope ('basic metadata') appears to overlap with this tool's stated 'basic info', leaving an ambiguity an agent must resolve by guessing.

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?

An explicit 'USE THIS TOOL WHEN' clause gives a clear triggering condition: needing prosecution/file wrapper data (status, dates, metadata). It stops short of naming when NOT to use it or pointing at alternatives, and gives no guidance for cases that fit both this tool and odp_get_application_metadata or the odp_search_* family.

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

Deploy Server

Other Tools