patents-search

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2 scripts

Search global patents with natural language queries. Prior art, patent landscapes, and innovation tracking via Valyu.

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NPX Install

npx skill4agent add yorkeccak/scientific-skills patents-search

Tags

Translated version includes tags in frontmatter

Patents Search

Search the complete global patent database using natural language queries powered by Valyu's semantic search API.

Why This Skill is Powerful

  • No API Parameter Parsing: Just pass natural language queries directly - no need to construct complex search parameters
  • Semantic Search: Understands the meaning of your query, not just keyword matching
  • Full-Text Access: Returns complete patent information including claims, descriptions, and technical details
  • Image Links: Includes patent diagrams and figures when available
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Access to global patent data across jurisdictions

Requirements

  1. Node.js 18+ (uses built-in fetch)
  2. Valyu API key from https://platform.valyu.ai ($10 free credits)

CRITICAL: Script Path Resolution

The
scripts/search
commands in this documentation are relative to this skill's installation directory.
Before running any command, locate the script using:
bash
PATENTS_SCRIPT=$(find ~/.claude/plugins/cache -name "search" -path "*/patents-search/*/scripts/*" -type f 2>/dev/null | head -1)
Then use the full path for all commands:
bash
$PATENTS_SCRIPT "CRISPR gene editing methods" 15

API Key Setup Flow

When you run a search and receive
"setup_required": true
, follow this flow:
  1. Ask the user for their API key: "To search patents, I need your Valyu API key. Get one free ($10 credits) at https://platform.valyu.ai"
  2. Once the user provides the key, run:
    bash
    scripts/search setup <api-key>
  3. Retry the original search.

When to Use This Skill

  • Prior art searching and patent landscaping
  • Technology trend analysis
  • Competitor innovation tracking
  • Patent freedom-to-operate analysis
  • Patent claim analysis and interpretation
  • Patent filing strategy research

Output Format

json
{
  "success": true,
  "type": "patents_search",
  "query": "CRISPR gene editing methods",
  "result_count": 10,
  "results": [
    {
      "title": "Patent Title",
      "url": "https://patents.google.com/...",
      "content": "Patent claims, description, technical details...",
      "source": "patents",
      "relevance_score": 0.95,
      "images": ["https://example.com/diagram.png"]
    }
  ],
  "cost": 0.025
}

Processing Results

With jq

bash
# Get patent titles
scripts/search "query" 10 | jq -r '.results[].title'

# Get URLs
scripts/search "query" 10 | jq -r '.results[].url'

# Extract full content
scripts/search "query" 10 | jq -r '.results[].content'

Common Use Cases

Prior Art Search

bash
# Find prior art
scripts/search "lithium ion battery electrode materials" 50

Competitive Intelligence

bash
# Search competitor patents
scripts/search "CAR-T cell therapy manufacturing methods" 20

Technology Landscape

bash
# Find technology trends
scripts/search "quantum computing error correction patents" 15

Freedom to Operate

bash
# Search for blocking patents
scripts/search "mRNA vaccine delivery systems" 25

Error Handling

All commands return JSON with
success
field:
json
{
  "success": false,
  "error": "Error message"
}
Exit codes:
  • 0
    - Success
  • 1
    - Error (check JSON for details)

API Endpoint

  • Base URL:
    https://api.valyu.ai/v1
  • Endpoint:
    /search
  • Authentication: X-API-Key header

Architecture

scripts/
├── search          # Bash wrapper
└── search.mjs      # Node.js CLI
Direct API calls using Node.js built-in
fetch()
, zero external dependencies.

Adding to Your Project

If you're building an AI project and want to integrate Patents Search directly into your application, use the Valyu SDK:

Python Integration

python
from valyu import Valyu

client = Valyu(api_key="your-api-key")

response = client.search(
    query="your search query here",
    included_sources=["valyu/valyu-patents"],
    max_results=20
)

for result in response["results"]:
    print(f"Title: {result['title']}")
    print(f"URL: {result['url']}")
    print(f"Content: {result['content'][:500]}...")

TypeScript Integration

typescript
import { Valyu } from "valyu-js";

const client = new Valyu("your-api-key");

const response = await client.search({
  query: "your search query here",
  includedSources: ["valyu/valyu-patents"],
  maxResults: 20
});

response.results.forEach((result) => {
  console.log(`Title: ${result.title}`);
  console.log(`URL: ${result.url}`);
  console.log(`Content: ${result.content.substring(0, 500)}...`);
});
See the Valyu docs for full integration examples and SDK reference.