patents-search

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:

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:

$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:

   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

{
  "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
}