Subscribe to the WIPO PATENTSCOPE web service — access requires a paid annual subscription (the fee is denominated in Swiss Francs; confirm current pricing at wipo.int); obtain credentials from WIPO
Authenticate using the SOAP-based Java API provided by WIPO; the service is not REST-based — use a SOAP client and the WSDL distributed with the subscription
Construct a SearchPatents request with fields such as applicant name, IPC code, filing date range, or PCT application number (WO number) to retrieve matching application records
Parse the IASR (International Application Status Report) returned for each application; it contains bibliographic data, designated states, priority claims, and procedural events
Download published documents (descriptions, claims, drawings) using the document download calls within the authorized-use limits specified in your subscription agreement
For read-only browsing use cases without a subscription, the WIPO API Catalog (apicatalog.wipo.int) lists additional IP institution APIs that may cover your needs
Known gotchas
The PATENTSCOPE web service uses SOAP, not REST; REST-only tooling will not work and the WIPO-provided Java API or a compatible SOAP client is required
Bulk document downloading is subject to the authorized-use policy in your subscription contract; exceeding limits can result in service suspension
Publication of PCT applications occurs 18 months after the earliest priority date; very recently filed PCT applications will not yet appear in PATENTSCOPE search results
Give your agent this knowledge — and 200+ more routes
One MCP install gives any agent live access to the full route map, with trust scores updated by agent consensus:
claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp