How to Use the EPO Open Patent Services MCP in OpenAI Agents SDK

Q: How can I use the OpenAI Agents SDK to search for patents with EPO Open Patent Services?

Your agent calls the searchepopatents tool with a CQL query string. The SDK automatically discovers this tool from the MCP server, so you don't need to define it. The results are returned as structured data for your agent to process.

Q: What's the difference between getpatentbibliographic and getpatentlegalstatus?

getpatentbibliographic fetches static data like inventors, title, and filing date. getpatentlegalstatus provides the current legal standing of the patent, like whether it's active or expired. You often need both for a full picture.

Q: Can my agent with the OpenAI Agents SDK check if the EPO Open Patent Services API is down?

Yes, it can invoke the checkapistatus tool. This tool, provided by the MCP server, directly queries the EPO service endpoint and returns a simple status. It’s a good first step for debugging failed queries.

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Connect EPO Open Patent Services MCP to OpenAI Agents SDK

Create your Vinkius account to connect EPO Open Patent Services to OpenAI Agents SDK and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup EPO Open Patent Services with OpenAI Agents SDK

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Run Targeted Patent Searches

The `search_epo_patents` tool lets your agent run complex CQL queries against the entire EPO database. You can find prior art, track competitor filings, or monitor specific technology classes. It's direct access, no third-party data layers involved. Your agent gets structured results back, ready for the next step. Since the OpenAI Agents SDK handles tool discovery automatically, you just point it at this MCP Server and start querying. It's the fastest way to get patent data into your agent's workflow.

Pull Specific Patent Details

The `get_patent_bibliographic` tool pulls the complete metadata for any patent publication by its document ID. Your agent can get inventors, applicants, filing dates, and abstracts. This is for when a search result isn't enough and you need the raw file. Pair this with `get_patent_legal_status` to check if a patent is granted, pending, or expired. This two-step process gives your agent a complete picture of a patent's history and current standing, all traced in your OpenAI dashboard.

Monitor API Uptime with your MCP Server

The `check_api_status` tool is a simple but critical function. It pings the EPO's services to confirm they are online and responding. This isn't just a status page check; it's a tool your agent can run programmatically. Build this into your agent's error-handling logic. If a search fails, the agent can use this tool to determine if the problem is the query or the EPO service itself. It makes your system more resilient, which is exactly what you need for a production deployment.

Setup guide

Set up EPO Open Patent Services MCP in OpenAI Agents SDK

Prerequisites

Python 3.10+ installed
openai-agents package (pip install openai-agents)
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Install the SDK

Run pip install openai-agents to install the OpenAI Agents SDK. The MCP integration is built-in — no extra dependencies needed.
2

Connect via SSE transport

Use MCPServerSse with your Vinkius endpoint URL. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your token from cloud.vinkius.com. The SDK auto-discovers all EPO Open Patent Services tools at runtime.
3

Create your Agent

Pass the MCP to Agent(mcp_servers=[server]). The agent receives EPO Open Patent Services tools as native definitions — JSON schemas resolve automatically.
4

Run the agent

Call Runner.run(agent, prompt) to execute. The agent invokes the appropriate EPO Open Patent Services tools and returns structured results. Copy the full example on the right to get started.

agent.py

import asyncio
from agents import Agent, Runner
from agents.mcp import MCPServerSse

async def main():
    async with MCPServerSse(
        url="https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    ) as server:
        agent = Agent(
            name="EPO Open Patent Services Agent",
            instructions="You have access to EPO Open Patent Services tools.",
            mcp_servers=[server],
        )
        result = await Runner.run(agent, "List recent transactions")
        print(result.final_output)

asyncio.run(main())

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by EPO Open Patent Services. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about EPO Open Patent Services MCP in OpenAI Agents SDK

Your agent calls the `search_epo_patents` tool with a CQL query string. The SDK automatically discovers this tool from the MCP server, so you don't need to define it. The results are returned as structured data for your agent to process.

`get_patent_bibliographic` fetches static data like inventors, title, and filing date. `get_patent_legal_status` provides the current legal standing of the patent, like whether it's active or expired. You often need both for a full picture.

Yes, it can invoke the `check_api_status` tool. This tool, provided by the MCP server, directly queries the EPO service endpoint and returns a simple status. It’s a good first step for debugging failed queries.

You can dedicate one agent to IP intelligence. It would use the `search_epo_patents` tool to monitor for new filings. When it finds one, it can hand off the document ID to another specialized agent that uses `get_patent_bibliographic` for detailed analysis.

This server processes patent document IDs, bibliographic data like titles and inventors, and legal status information from the public EPO database. No private or user-specific data is stored; we just proxy your requests to the EPO API. Your Vinkius endpoint token secures the connection.

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