Create a USPTO.gov account and obtain an ODP API key via the MyODP page at developer.uspto.gov — as of June 2026, a valid USPTO account and API key are required for all ODP API calls
Search for applications using GET /patent/applications with parameters such as applicationNumberText, patentNumber, or assignee name to retrieve matching application metadata
From the search result, extract the applicationNumberText and use it to call GET /patent/applications/{applicationNumberText}/documents to retrieve the list of file wrapper documents and their download URIs
Filter documents by documentCode (e.g., IDS, CTNF, CTFR, NOA) to target specific prosecution events such as office actions or notices of allowance
Download documents using the URIs returned in the metadata response; documents are served as PDF binary streams
Include your API key in requests via the header documented in the ODP Getting Started guide; check the X-RateLimit headers to avoid throttling
Known gotchas
The ODP dataset covers applications filed after January 1, 2001 — pre-2001 applications are not available via this API
Starting June 18, 2026, guest/unauthenticated access was removed; any integration built before that date relying on keyless access will break
The legacy Developer Hub Patent File Wrapper API was decommissioned in mid-2026; ensure all integrations target data.uspto.gov, not the legacy developer.uspto.gov endpoints
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claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp