[SOLVED] How do I convert a curl POST to Python requests.post for a US Patent Office API?

Issue

I want to use a Python requests.post() to get data from the US Patent & Trademark Office via an API. The details of the API appear href="https://developer.uspto.gov/ds-api-docs/index.html?url=https%3A//developer.uspto.gov/ds-api/swagger/docs/enriched_cited_reference_metadata.json/v2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here.

That page also contains a widget you can use to try out the API. Putting in an appropriate entry for the criteria field, it generates the corresponding API with a curl statement, e.g.

curl -X POST --header 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded' --header 'Accept: application/json' -d 'criteria=patentApplicationNumber%3A%20%2215931761%22&start=0&rows=100' 'https://developer.uspto.gov/ds-api/enriched_cited_reference_metadata/v2/records'

I tried using the curl-to-Python converter here, which produced the following:

import requests

headers = {
    'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
    'Accept': 'application/json',
}

data = {
    'criteria': 'patentApplicationNumber: "15931761"',
    'start': '0',
    'rows': '100',
}

response = requests.post(
    'https://developer.uspto.gov/ds-api/enriched_cited_reference_metadata/v2/records',
    headers=headers,
    data=data,
)

Unfortunately, that generates an error with a very long Traceback. I haven't included it here because I don't think it is helpful, but I can add it if necessary.

I would appreciate any guidance as to how to correct the syntax of the requests.post() to get the API to recognize it.

Solution

Your code seems correct, but add verify=False (or better, supply the correct certificate) to connect to the server:

import requests

url = 'https://developer.uspto.gov/ds-api/enriched_cited_reference_metadata/v2/records'

data = {
    'criteria': 'patentApplicationNumber: "15931761"',
    'start': 0,
    'rows': 100
}

out = requests.post(url, data=data, verify=False).json()
print(out)

Prints:

{
    "responseHeader": {
        "zkConnected": True,
        "status": 0,
        "QTime": 0,
        "params": {
            "json": '{"params":{"q":"patentApplicationNumber: \\"15931761\\"","start":0,"rows":100,"fl":"applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator,citationCategoryCode,citedDocumentIdentifier,createDateTime,createUserIdentifier,examinerCitedReferenceIndicator,groupArtUnitNumber,id,inventorNameText,obsoleteDocumentIdentifier,officeActionCategory,officeActionDate,passageLocationText,patentApplicationNumber,qualitySummaryText,relatedClaimNumberText,techCenter,workGroup","wt":"json","indent":"on"}}'
        },
    },
    "response": {
        "numFound": 14,
        "start": 0,
        "docs": [
            {
                "id": "5829161452615b32ddde83914a441f63",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": True,
                "citationCategoryCode": "Y",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20120223801 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": False,
                "inventorNameText": "Moon",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "passageLocationText": ["par. 0009 | par. 0069 | F.2d"],
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "relatedClaimNumberText": "4",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "0923fddf0c2df361530dd7e7be8e3913",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20140306795 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Kato; Motofumi",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "25e7a8360176ddd95177ebe424a89e62",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20100173509 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "HOLBROOK; MEGHAN ANN",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "1f5f19101b555590604eba29f26a2625",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "Y",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20080191832 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Tsai; Chon-Ming",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "passageLocationText": [
                    "Fig. 4-5 | par. 0043 | par. 0045-0048 | F.2d | claim 3 | claim 5 | claim 1 | claim 7 | par. 0046 | claim 2 | claim 4 | claim 6"
                ],
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "relatedClaimNumberText": "1-7",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "671da6feb6a77837bcfbd50ae3b72dba",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": True,
                "citationCategoryCode": "Y",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20130069001 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": False,
                "inventorNameText": "Luo et al.",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "passageLocationText": ["par. 0129, 130 | F.2d"],
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "relatedClaimNumberText": "6",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "61c801c057ff235c5d17ac7d0dc83fed",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "Y",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 4342881 A",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Fukuda; Sunichi",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "passageLocationText": [
                    "col. 2 lines 7-10 | col. 2 line 6 col. 3 line 4 | F.2d"
                ],
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "relatedClaimNumberText": "2",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "9f516d0bd44a02a659cb95e5fe7e43c4",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20190315031 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Asahi; Atsushi",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "8a3f9761f6edc6c6d590ac8598d50539",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 9831056 B2",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Mochizuki; Hirofumi",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "a937b9747f887cb36609892ff48911ea",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20070075822 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Pachla; Timothy E.",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "c0cabbd997071a8b56f5c3c39a49c87f",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20070018774 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Dietsch; Gordon T.",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "bfb1e59486c613f384ea1b9d6f9a4707",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20140356671 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Dawley; Evan J.",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "f83f64c0fd7db562362efc816d3eed92",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20100178813 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "HOLBROOK; MEGHAN ANN",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "e1ddb9c1be3db9476042f265e56b1367",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "Y",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20030024105 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "Chiu, Tony",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "passageLocationText": [
                    "claim 1 | par. 0029 Fig. 4-7 | par. 0029 | F.2d | claim 3 | claim 5 | claim 7 | claim 2 | claim 4 | claim 6"
                ],
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "relatedClaimNumberText": "1-7",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
            {
                "id": "dd0ebf2bbf630c209bc17e7c8f8acf5e",
                "applicantCitedExaminerReferenceIndicator": False,
                "citationCategoryCode": "A",
                "citedDocumentIdentifier": "US 20180294126 A1",
                "createDateTime": "2021-12-10T23:10:13Z",
                "createUserIdentifier": "ETL_SYS",
                "examinerCitedReferenceIndicator": True,
                "inventorNameText": "de Leon; Conrado",
                "obsoleteDocumentIdentifier": "KVRDZCSADFLYX10",
                "officeActionCategory": "CTNF",
                "officeActionDate": "2021-11-10T00:00:00Z",
                "patentApplicationNumber": "15931761",
                "qualitySummaryText": "AOK",
                "groupArtUnitNumber": "2835",
                "techCenter": "2800",
                "workGroup": "2830",
            },
        ],
    },
}

Answered By - Andrej Kesely

Answer Checked By - Pedro (WPSolving Volunteer)