uspto_pfw_mcp

This MCP server implements the USPTO Patent File Wrapper API with context-reduction capabilities, allowing you to obtain focused results by selectively including only relevant fields and workflows. It integrates with Claude-based tools and cross-MCP infrastructure to enable efficient patent document retrieval, field customization, and secure browser-friendly downloads. The server exposes a minimal-opinion, guided workflow suitable for patent research, prosecution tracking, and document extraction tasks, while preserving API keys securely and supporting multi-database integration. To use it, configure your Claude Desktop or client tooling to point at the uv-managed MCP entry, supply your USPTO and optional Mistral API keys, and start the server through the configured command. Once running, you can leverage the provided field mappings, context-reduction levels, and multi-tool discovery to perform targeted patent searches, retrieve document bundles, and access secure download endpoints without exposing sensitive keys in client code.

Prerequisites:

• Python 3.11+ is recommended for related tooling, and uv (a cross-platform Python runtime) should be installed.
• A working USPTO API key is required; a Mistral API key is optional.
• Access to a shell (Windows PowerShell or Unix-like shell) with permissions to install dependencies.

Installation steps:

1. Clone or download the repository to your machine.
2. Install uv if not already present. Follow the uv installation guide (via winget on Windows or your package manager on Linux/macOS).
3. Ensure Python 3.11+ is installed and available in your PATH.
4. Set up environment and run the deployment script or configure Claude Desktop integration as shown in INSTALL.md. If you are previously using other USPTO MCPs, you can merge configurations as described in the documentation.

Example manual startup (Windows/PowerShell):

• Ensure you have the repository checked out: git clone https://github.com/john-walkoe/uspto_pfw_mcp.git cd uspto_pfw_mcp
• Prepare environment variables (replace placeholders with your keys): $env:USPTO_API_KEY = "your_actual_USPTO_api_key_here" $env:MISTRAL_API_KEY = "your_mistral_api_key_here_OPTIONAL"
• Run the deployment (as described in the project’s INSTALL.md): .\deploy\windows_setup.ps1

For Claude Desktop integration (manual JSON example):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "uspto_pfw": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "--directory",
        "C:/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/uspto_pfw_mcp",
        "run",
        "patent-filewrapper-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "USPTO_API_KEY": "your_actual_USPTO_api_key_here",
        "MISTRAL_API_KEY": "your_mistral_api_key_here_OPTIONAL",
        "PROXY_PORT": "8080"
      }
    }
  }
}

Consult INSTALL.md in the repository for detailed cross-platform steps and troubleshooting.

Tips and notes:

• Ensure API keys are stored securely; the setup supports secure storage (DPAPI on Windows) when configuring via the provided scripts.
• If you opt to configure Claude Desktop integration, backups are performed and the MCP configuration is merged with existing Claude Desktop config.
• The PROXY_PORT env var controls browser-accessible download routing; ensure 8080 (or your chosen port) is open in your firewall.
• Use the field customization features to tailor the minimal/balanced/complete tool outputs for your workflows.
• If tool search is needed, verify ENABLE_TOOL_SEARCH is set as described in the documentation; you can enable it on Windows or Linux/macOS shells.
• Common issues include uv installation failures, missing API keys, or permission errors when running the deployment script. Check INSTALL.md and the security guidelines for remediation steps.