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API Catalog IP Institution Guide

Making Your APIs Easily Discoverable

This guide explains how IP Institutions can provide their APIs through the API Catalog for Intellectual Property.

The API Catalog can automatically capture these APIs based on the provision of OpenAPI Specification (OAS) files by IP Institutions. By following the steps below, you can ensure your APIs are included in the Catalog.

Note: If you are not able to produce an OAS file, please fill in this EXCEL Template with the necessary details and email it to us.

1. Create an OAS file for your API

To get started, create an OAS file for your API satisfying the following key requirements:

  • Version: Use OAS version 3.0.x (3.0.0 is recommended).
  • Minimum data set: Utilize the Skeleton Template below to ensure your OAS file meets the minimum requirements.

Skeleton Template for OAS file

In the table below the minimum set of fields required for your OAS file are listed.

Note that there are extension OAS Fields provided below indicated with an “x-“ following the guidance provided by Swagger’s Open API Extensions Specifications.

If you cannot provide a value for the defined fields from the template then specify these fields as for “manual entry” in the API Catalog. Future updates will require adding the extension schema to your OAS file to avoid manual edits.

OAS Field

Data Type

Description

openapi:

string

Version of the Open API Specification used (recommended to use 3.0.x)

Info Object:

- title:

string

Name of the API

- description:

string

Description of the API (Preferably in a format where it describes the use cases, eg. This API provides access to [functionality] so that users can [actions])

- version:

string

The version of your OAS file for the API. We recommend using the format 1.0.1

- x-oas-url:

string

The URL link to the page where the OAS file will be available for download (This enables the automated scraper to regularly check the page for any updates you make to the OAS file)

- x-product-page-url:

string

The URL link to the product page where the API is described on your website (This ensures that users of the API Catalog can be referred directly to the API they are looking for)

- x-ip-domain

string

List all the IP domain areas relevant to this API functionality: Patent, Trademark, Industrial design, Copyright, Geographical Indication

- x-service-type

string

List all of the service types that the API can provide: Account Management, Application Management, Communication, Dissemination, Payment, Portfolio Management, Search, Translation (See below for more detailed descriptions for each of these service types)

- x-content-type

string

List all of the content type that the API can provide: Abstract, Bibliographic data, Citation data, Classification, Court decision, Full-Text, Legal status data, Licensing data, Office Action data, Payment related data (See below for more detailed descriptions for each of these content types)

Contact Object:

- email

string

Email of the team to contact about the API

- URL

string

URL for the homepage of the IP Office API Catalog site or developer portal

Paths Object:

Path Item Object

Holds the relative paths to the individual endpoints and their operations. The path is appended to the URL from the Server Object in order to construct the full URL

/(for each path...)

- summary:

string

A string summary, intended to apply to all operations in this path

- get/put/post/delete

- example

- content

string

Format of content type response, eg. application/json or application/pdf, etc

2. Publish your OAS file

Publish your OAS file on your website with a static URL. Also make sure there are no additional inhibitors that would prevent the direct scraping of your OAS specification. For example, publishing the specification as a ZIP file.

Important: If you were unable to include the OAS URL or API product page URL in your initial OAS file, remember to update your OAS file with these the OAS fields above indicated with an “x” and republish as a new version. Don’t forget to update the version to indicate you have made these changes!

3. Share your OAS file URL with the International Bureau

Email the OAS URL to the International Bureau of WIPO. All other required information will be automatically scraped using the details provided in your OAS file.

4. Validate the new API entry when you receive it

After completing Step 3 above, you will receive an email with the details of your API.

In the email, if the required fields are incorrect or blank then add the relevant data to your OAS file and republish it before resending to the International Bureau.

Note: Regularly update your OAS file to include all suggested data fields to maintain a "single source of truth." This ensures consistency and reduces the need for manual updates.

Available Filters for the API Catalog

The following table summarizes the available filters. One or more filters can be set at the same time.

Filter Label

Function

Options
IP Domain Filters the type of intellectual property content that is returned by the API

Choose one or more of the following:

  • Patent
  • Trademark
  • Industrial Design
  • Copyright
  • Geographical Indication
  • Plant Variety Protection

API Service Type

Filters the type of service or functionality that the API provides

Choose one or more of the following:

Service for creation and maintenance of user account.

Service for filing of an IP application, including creation of an IP application and its submission.

Communications between the IP offices and the relevant IP owners, including office action related communication such as applicants or their representatives such as for examination related or fee related communication.

Dissemination of various data such as publication of IP application, Legal status data, Court decision data, Abstract, Citation data, Classification data, full-text data…

Payment services for various fees such as filing fees and renewal fees.

Services for management of IP portfolio by IP right owner/holders or their representatives.

Service for retrieving information based on specific queries, such as keyword search or application number search.

Service for translation of IP documentation or data.

Content Type

Filters APIs by the type of content returned by the API

Choose one or more of the following:

A concise summary of the content of IP document.

The descriptive information about IP document. It typically includes the title, applicant or assignee, the date of filing, publication dates, and other relevant administrative and procedural details.

References made by a patent document to prior patents (patent citations) or to non-patent literature (NPL citations).

IP documents are categorized into different classes and subclasses based on their subject matter. It includes IPC/CPC for Patent, Nice for Trademark, Locarno for Industrial Design.

The information and details about legal decisions from court cases involving IP matters.

The complete, detailed description of the invention or creation in a patent application or granted patent.

The present legal status of a specific IP application with or without the history relevant legal status events for the IP application; or the data set of legal status events of IP applications occurred during the given time period such as the given week or month. Offices are encouraged to provide the information following WIPO Standards ST.27, ST.61 or ST.87.

Data related to the licensing of IP.

The data related to office action such as for search report, examination result (e.g., rejection or decision for grant), responses to office action (e.g., amendment or argumentation), or related administration information (e.g., application due date, or fee payment).

The data related to fee payment such as currency.

Institution

Filters by the institution that provides the API

Choose one or more of the following:

  • European Patent Office
  • European Union Intellectual Property Office
  • IP Australia
  • Japan Patent Office
  • Korean Intellectual Property Office
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office

Response Language

Filters by the language of the content that the API returns

Choose one or more of the following:

  • Arabic
  • Chinese
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Spanish

Response Format

Filters APIs by the file format of te content that the API returns

Choose one or more of the following:

  • JSON
  • XML
  • IMG
  • PDF
  • TXT
  • DOCX
  • Sound
  • Multimedia
  • 3D
  • ZIP

API Protocol

Filters APIs by whether the API is REST or SOAP

Choose either REST or SOAP

  • REST
  • SOAP

API Operations

Filters APIs by operations available via the API

Choose one or more of the following:

  • GET
  • PUT
  • POST
  • DELETE

Contacts

If you have any further queries about the API Catalog, please contact us.

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