Patent Image Search (Design Patents)

This skill guides you on how to perform patent image similarity search via the patent database for design patents only (type D). Given a single image URL, it finds visually similar patents in the design patent database, supporting multiple search models and extensive filtering options.

This skill supports design patents only. For utility model patents, use ecommerce.zhihuiya-utility-patent-image-search.

Core Concepts

Patent Image Search uses visual AI models to compare a given product or design image against a global patent image database. It returns a ranked list of similar patents, enabling users to evaluate infringement risks or conduct prior-art research.

Patent type for this skill:

Type	Code	Description
Design Patent	D	Protects the ornamental appearance of a product

Search models for design patents:

Model ID	Strategy	Recommendation
1	Intelligent Association	Recommended for design patents (default)
2	Search This Image	Exact visual match

Scoring logic: A higher score value means greater visual similarity. When presenting results, sort by score in descending order (highest similarity first) so users can prioritize the most relevant patents for review.

Parameter Guide

Required Parameters

Parameter	Description	Example
url	The image URL to search against	https://example.com/product.jpg
patentType	Patent type, fixed to D (design) by this skill	D
model	Search model ID: 1 (recommended) or 2	1

Common Optional Parameters

Parameter	Description	Default
country	Patent authority country codes, comma-separated (e.g., CN,US,JP)	All countries
loc	Locarno classification codes, connectable with AND/OR/NOT	None
legalStatus	Legal status codes, comma-separated	None
simpleLegalStatus	Simple legal status: 0 (expired), 1 (active), 2 (pending)	None
assignees	Applicant / patent holder name	None
applyStartTime	Application start date (yyyyMMdd)	None
applyEndTime	Application end date (yyyyMMdd)	None
publicStartTime	Publication start date (yyyyMMdd)	None
publicEndTime	Publication end date (yyyyMMdd)	None
limit	Number of results to return (1-100)	10
offset	Pagination offset (0-1000)	0
field	Sort field: SCORE, APD, PBD, ISD	SCORE
order	Sort order: desc or asc (for APD/PBD/ISD)	desc
lang	Title language preference: original, cn, en	original
preFilter	Enable country/LOC pre-filtering: 1 (on) / 0 (off)	1
stemming	Enable stemming: 1 (on) / 0 (off)	0
mainField	Search within title, abstract, claims, description, publication number, application number, applicant, inventor, IPC/UPC/LOC	None
includeMachineTranslation	Include machine-translated data in search	None
scoreExpansion	Enable score expansion	None
isHttps	Return HTTPS image URLs: 1 (yes) / 0 (no)	0
returnImgId	Return image IDs in results	false

Commonly Used Country Codes

Code	Country/Region
CN	China
US	United States
JP	Japan
KR	South Korea
EP	European Patent Office
WO	WIPO
DE	Germany
GB	United Kingdom
FR	France
AU	Australia

Usage

• API Endpoint: POST /zhihuiya/patentImageSearch (see references/api.md for full parameters, responses, and error codes)
• Python Script: python scripts/zhihuiya_patent_image_search.py '<JSON parameters>'

Output strategy (script default behavior):

• Prints the full JSON response to stdout

Data reading tip: Use jq or ConvertFrom-Json to extract specific fields from the response as needed.

Usage Examples

1. Basic design patent search (recommended starting point) Search for design patents similar to a product image across all countries:

{
  "url": "https://example.com/my-product.jpg",
  "patentType": "D",
  "model": 1,
  "limit": 20
}

2. Design patent search limited to specific countries Search only in China and the United States:

{
  "url": "https://example.com/my-product.jpg",
  "patentType": "D",
  "model": 1,
  "country": "CN,US",
  "limit": 20
}

3. Search with Locarno classification filter Narrow results to a specific product category (e.g., LOC 07-01 for tableware):

{
  "url": "https://example.com/my-product.jpg",
  "patentType": "D",
  "model": 1,
  "loc": "07-01",
  "preFilter": 1,
  "limit": 20
}

4. Search only active patents within a date range Find active design patents filed after 2020:

{
  "url": "https://example.com/my-product.jpg",
  "patentType": "D",
  "model": 1,
  "simpleLegalStatus": "1",
  "applyStartTime": "20200101",
  "limit": 30
}

5. Search by specific assignee Find patents held by a particular company:

{
  "url": "https://example.com/my-product.jpg",
  "patentType": "D",
  "model": 1,
  "assignees": "Apple Inc.",
  "limit": 20
}

6. Get results with Chinese-translated titles

{
  "url": "https://example.com/my-product.jpg",
  "patentType": "D",
  "model": 1,
  "lang": "cn",
  "limit": 20
}

Display Rules

1. Sort by score: Always sort results by score in descending order (highest similarity first) to help users quickly identify the most relevant infringement risks.

2. Show complete details: When summarizing results or generating reports, include ALL of the following for each patent -- do NOT omit or abbreviate:

   • Application number (apno)
   • Patent title in Chinese (use lang: cn or provide translation)
   • Inventor (inventor)
   • Patent drawing (the matched url image)
   • Every patent image in the image list
   • Patent abstract
   • Patent description
   • LOC classification information (loc)
   • Radar result (radarResult) if available
   • Patent specification

3. Legal disclaimer: Always append: "This search result was generated by Nexscope. It is recommended to consult a professional patent attorney for legal advice."

4. Score explanation: Remind users that the score represents visual similarity -- a higher score indicates a closer match, but does not constitute a legal determination of infringement.

5. Pagination guidance: When the total count exceeds the returned results, inform users about the total number of matching patents and guide them to use offset and limit for additional pages.

6. Error handling: When a query fails, explain the reason and suggest adjustments (e.g., verify the image URL is publicly accessible, check country codes, adjust date formats).

User Expression & Scenario Quick Reference

Applicable -- Image-based patent similarity searches:

User Says	Scenario
"Check if my product design infringes any patents"	Design patent infringement check
"Search for similar design patents"	Design patent similarity search
"Find patents that look like this image"	Visual patent lookup
"Are there any patents similar to my product appearance"	Appearance risk assessment
"Check patent risks for this product in China and US"	Multi-country patent check
"Find active design patents in this category"	Filtered patent search
"Who holds patents similar to this design"	Competitor patent discovery

Not applicable -- Needs beyond patent image search:

• Text-based patent search (keyword/abstract/claim search)
• Utility model patent search (use ecommerce.Nexscope-utility-patent-image-search)
• Patent legal status monitoring or annuity management
• Patent valuation or licensing negotiation
• Freedom-to-operate (FTO) legal opinions
• Patent family or citation analysis

Authentication

Set NEXSCOPE_API_KEY. Visit https://www.nexscope.ai/help/skills-external-access?co-from=skillNS to manage credits.