PTAB Interferences Client

clients.ptab_interferences - Client for USPTO PTAB Interferences API.

This module provides a client for interacting with the USPTO PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) Interferences API. It allows you to search for patent interference decisions.

class pyUSPTO.clients.ptab_interferences.PTABInterferencesClient(api_key=None, base_url=None, config=None)[source]

Bases: BaseUSPTOClient[PTABInterferenceResponse]

Client for interacting with the USPTO PTAB Interferences API.

This client provides methods to search for patent interference decisions from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Interference proceedings are used to determine priority of invention when two or more parties claim the same patentable invention.

ENDPOINTS = {'search_decisions': 'api/v1/patent/interferences/decisions/search'}
__init__(api_key=None, base_url=None, config=None)[source]

Initialize the PTABInterferencesClient.

Parameters:

  • api_key (Optional[str]) – Optional API key for authentication.

  • base_url (Optional[str]) – Optional base URL override for the API.

  • config (Optional[USPTOConfig]) – Optional USPTOConfig instance for configuration.

download_interference_archive(interference_meta_data, destination=None, file_name=None, overwrite=False)[source]

Download interference archive (ZIP/TAR) without extraction.

Parameters:

  • interference_meta_data (InterferenceMetaData) – InterferenceMetaData with file_download_uri

  • destination (Optional[str]) – Directory to save to

  • file_name (Optional[str]) – Override filename

  • overwrite (bool) – Overwrite existing file

Return type:

str

Returns:

Path to downloaded archive file

Raises:

ValueError – If interference_meta_data has no file_download_uri

download_interference_document(document_data, destination=None, file_name=None, overwrite=False)[source]

Download individual interference document (auto-extracts if needed).

Parameters:
Return type:

str

Returns:

Path to downloaded file

Raises:

ValueError – If document_data has no file_download_uri

download_interference_documents(interference_meta_data, destination=None, overwrite=False)[source]

Download and extract all interference documents.

Parameters:

  • interference_meta_data (InterferenceMetaData) – InterferenceMetaData with file_download_uri

  • destination (Optional[str]) – Directory to save/extract to

  • overwrite (bool) – Overwrite existing files

Return type:

str

Returns:

Path to extraction directory

Raises:

ValueError – If interference_meta_data has no file_download_uri

paginate_decisions(post_body=None, **kwargs)[source]

Provide an iterator to paginate through interference decision search results.

This method simplifies fetching all interference decisions matching a search query by automatically handling pagination. It internally calls the search_decisions method, batching results and yielding them one by one.

Supports both GET and POST requests. For POST requests, provide the search criteria in post_body. For GET requests, use keyword arguments.

The offset parameter is managed by the pagination logic and should not be provided by the user. The limit parameter can be customized.

Parameters:

  • post_body (Optional[dict[str, Any]]) – Optional POST body for complex search queries.

  • **kwargs (Any) – Keyword arguments passed to search_decisions for constructing the search query (for GET-based pagination).

Returns:

An iterator yielding PTABInterferenceDecision

objects, allowing iteration over all matching decisions across multiple pages of results.

Return type:

Iterator[PTABInterferenceDecision]

Examples

# GET-based pagination through all decisions >>> for decision in client.paginate_decisions(): … print(f”{decision.interference_meta_data.interference_number}: ” … f”{decision.document_data.interference_outcome_category}”)

# GET-based pagination with date range and custom limit >>> for decision in client.paginate_decisions( … decision_date_from_q=”2020-01-01”, … decision_date_to_q=”2023-12-31”, … limit=50 … ): … process_decision(decision)

# POST-based pagination >>> for decision in client.paginate_decisions( … post_body={“q”: “interferenceOutcomeCategory:Priority to Senior Party”} … ): … process_decision(decision)

search_decisions(query=None, sort=None, offset=0, limit=25, facets=None, fields=None, filters=None, range_filters=None, post_body=None, interference_number_q=None, senior_party_application_number_q=None, junior_party_application_number_q=None, senior_party_name_q=None, junior_party_name_q=None, real_party_in_interest_q=None, interference_outcome_category_q=None, decision_type_category_q=None, decision_date_from_q=None, decision_date_to_q=None, additional_query_params=None)[source]

Search for PTAB interference decisions.

This method can perform either a GET request using query parameters or a POST request if post_body is specified. When using GET, you can provide either a direct query string or use convenience parameters that will be automatically combined into a query.

Parameters:

  • query (Optional[str]) – Direct query string in USPTO search syntax.

  • sort (Optional[str]) – Sort order for results.

  • offset (int | None) – Number of records to skip (pagination).

  • limit (int | None) – Maximum number of records to return.

  • facets (Optional[str]) – Facet configuration string.

  • fields (Optional[str]) – Specific fields to return.

  • filters (Optional[str]) – Filter configuration string.

  • range_filters (Optional[str]) – Range filter configuration string.

  • post_body (Optional[dict[str, Any]]) – Optional POST body for complex queries.

  • interference_number_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by interference number.

  • senior_party_application_number_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by senior party application number.

  • junior_party_application_number_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by junior party application number.

  • senior_party_name_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by senior party name.

  • junior_party_name_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by junior party name.

  • real_party_in_interest_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by Real Party in Interest.

  • interference_outcome_category_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by interference outcome category.

  • decision_type_category_q (Optional[str]) – Filter by decision type category.

  • decision_date_from_q (Optional[str]) – Filter decisions from this date (YYYY-MM-DD).

  • decision_date_to_q (Optional[str]) – Filter decisions to this date (YYYY-MM-DD).

  • additional_query_params (Optional[dict[str, Any]]) – Additional custom query parameters.

Returns:

Response containing matching interference decisions.

Return type:

PTABInterferenceResponse

Examples

# Search with direct query >>> response = client.search_decisions(query=”interferenceNumber:106123”)

# Search with convenience parameters >>> response = client.search_decisions( … interference_outcome_category_q=”Priority to Senior Party”, … decision_date_from_q=”2020-01-01”, … limit=50 … )

# Search with POST body >>> response = client.search_decisions( … post_body={“q”: “decisionTypeCategory:Final Decision”, “limit”: 100} … )