Zhihuiya Patent Forward Citation
This skill guides you on how to query patent forward citation data from the Zhihuiya patent database, helping users discover the patents and non-patent literature cited by specific patents during their application process.
Core Concepts
Forward citation refers to the patents and non-patent literature that a given patent has cited in its application documents. This is a fundamental aspect of patent analysis — understanding what prior art a patent references helps assess its novelty, scope, and technological lineage.
- Patent citations (): Other patents referenced by the queried patent.
- Non-patent literature citations (): Academic papers, technical reports, and other non-patent documents referenced by the queried patent.
Parameter Guide
You must provide at least one of the following two parameters. If both are provided,
takes priority.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|
| patentId | string | Conditionally | Patent ID(s). Multiple values separated by commas. Maximum 100 entries. |
| patentNumber | string | Conditionally | Publication/announcement number(s). Multiple values separated by commas. Maximum 100 entries. |
Rules:
- At least one of or must be provided.
- If both are present, is used preferentially.
- Multiple values are separated by commas (English commas).
- Each parameter supports up to 100 entries per request.
Response Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|
| total | integer | Total number of records returned |
| data | array | List of patent citation results |
| data[].patentId | string | Patent ID of the queried patent |
| data[].pn | string | Publication/announcement number |
| data[].citedPatents | array | List of cited patent documents |
| data[].citedOthers | array | List of cited non-patent literature |
| columns | array | Column definitions for rendering |
| costToken | integer | Tokens consumed by the query |
| type | string | Rendering style hint |
API Usage
This tool calls the LinkFox tool gateway API. See
for calling conventions, request parameters, and response structure. You can also execute
scripts/zhihuiya_cited_references.py
directly to run queries.
Usage Examples
1. Query forward citations by publication number
Look up the forward citations for patent US10000000B2.
Parameters:
{"patentNumber": "US10000000B2"}
2. Query forward citations for multiple patents
Find all citations for patents US10000000B2, US9876543B1, and EP3456789A1.
Parameters:
{"patentNumber": "US10000000B2,US9876543B1,EP3456789A1"}
3. Query forward citations by patent ID
Retrieve the cited references for patent ID 12345678.
4. Query forward citations using both identifiers
Look up citations for patent ID 12345678 (publication number US10000000B2).
Parameters:
{"patentId": "12345678", "patentNumber": "US10000000B2"}
(patentId takes priority)
Display Rules
- Present data clearly: Show citation results in well-structured tables, separating patent citations from non-patent literature citations.
- Summarize counts: Always state the total number of cited patents and cited non-patent literature items.
- No fabrication: Only display data returned by the API. Do not infer or fabricate citation details.
- Error handling: When a query fails, explain the reason based on the error response and suggest the user verify their patent ID or publication number.
- Batch results: When querying multiple patents, organize results by patent so each patent's citations are clearly grouped.
- Empty results: If a patent has no citations, explicitly inform the user rather than showing an empty table.
User Expression & Scenario Quick Reference
Applicable -- Patent citation queries:
| User Says | Scenario |
|---|
| "What patents does XX cite" | Forward citation lookup |
| "Show me the references for patent XX" | Citation detail retrieval |
| "What prior art is cited by XX" | Prior art reference query |
| "List the cited literature for XX" | Non-patent literature lookup |
| "Citation analysis for patent XX" | Combined patent + literature citation |
| "What documents does patent XX reference" | General citation query |
Not applicable -- Needs beyond forward citation data:
- Backward/reverse citations (who cites this patent)
- Patent validity or legal status
- Patent family analysis
- Patent full-text search
- Patent classification or landscape analysis
Feedback:
Auto-detect and report feedback via the Feedback API when any of the following apply:
- The functionality or purpose described in this skill does not match actual behavior
- The skill's results do not match the user's intent
- The user expresses dissatisfaction or praise about this skill
- Anything you believe could be improved
Call the feedback API as specified in
. Do not interrupt the user's flow.
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