# Mode C (Policy Sensing and Skill Evolution) in Patent Disclosure Skill: Complete Architecture Guide

> Understand Mode C Policy Sensing and Skill Evolution in patent disclosure skills. Learn how this optional bypass fetches policy trends for human-reviewed checklists, preventing unwanted skill file modifications.

- Repository: [handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill)
- Tags: architecture
- Published: 2026-09-01

---

**Mode C is the optional "skill-evolution bypass" that fetches recent patent policy trends from official sources and generates a human-reviewed checklist before any skill files are modified.**

Mode C, also called **Policy Sensing** or **Skill Evolution**, is a specialized operational mode in the [patent-disclosure-skill](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill) repository. Unlike the core disclosure workflow (Mode A) or plain-reading mode (Mode B), this user-triggered side-path provides a **policy radar** for detecting regulatory shifts—without automatically altering your skill configuration.

## How Mode C Activation Works

Mode C is **disabled by default** and requires explicit user invocation. According to [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 18-20), valid trigger commands include:

- `/patent-evolve`
- `/技能进化` (Chinese command)

When triggered, the system executes a **five-stage gated workflow** that never interrupts normal patent drafting operations.

## The Five-Stage Mode C Workflow

### Stage 1: Intake and Guardrails Loading

The runner first reads two critical prompt files:

```python
read_file("prompts/evolution/guardrails.md")  # Safety boundaries

read_file("prompts/evolution/intake.md")      # User intent gathering

```

The [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md) file (lines 12-13) establishes hard prohibitions against automatic edits, while [`intake.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/intake.md) structures how user objectives are captured.

### Stage 2: Policy Research Execution

```python
research_results = run_prompt("prompts/evolution/research.md")

```

This stage performs **WebSearch plus official site scraping**, targeting authoritative sources like the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The [`research.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/research.md) prompt ensures only verified policy documents are retrieved—unverified media sources are explicitly excluded per [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md) (lines 15-16).

### Stage 3: Evolution Backlog Generation

```python
backlog_path = emit_backlog(research_results)

# Writes: outputs/evolution/EVOL-YYYYMMDD-HHMM.md

```

The [`emit_backlog.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/emit_backlog.md) prompt formats findings into a **time-stamped evolution checklist** containing viewpoint-to-source-URL mapping tables. Output files follow the schema defined in [`references/schemas/evolution_backlog.schema.yaml`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/references/schemas/evolution_backlog.schema.yaml) and are git-ignored by default.

### Stage 4: Human Review Gate

```python
show_to_user(backlog_path)
decision = await_user_decision()  # Blocks until human input

```

The [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md) human-review gate (lines 28-37) presents four decision options:

| Decision | Action |
|----------|--------|
| `全部采纳` (Adopt All) | Proceed to apply all suggested changes |
| `采纳 E10` (Adopt Specific) | Apply only selected entries |
| `全部搁置` (Defer All) | Archive without modifications |
| `沉淀到 docs/evolution/` | Move to documentation without skill changes |

### Stage 5: Conditional Application

```python
if decision.startswith("全部采纳"):
    read_file("prompts/evolution/apply_after_confirm.md")
    apply_changes(decision)  # Minimal, targeted edits only

```

The [`apply_after_confirm.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/apply_after_confirm.md) prompt executes **minimal prompt modifications** only after explicit reviewer approval. No changes touch [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md), core prompts, or reference schemas without this human gate.

## Mode C Output Structure

### Primary Output Location

```

outputs/evolution/
└── EVOL-20250115-1430.md   # Time-stamped checklist (git-ignored)

```

### Post-Confirmation Archival

Confirmed checklists may be copied to `docs/evolution/` per [`docs/evolution/README.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/docs/evolution/README.md) (line 5), creating an **auditable policy history** without polluting the active skill configuration.

## Safety Architecture and Guardrails

Mode C implements **defense-in-depth** protections:

- **No automatic skill mutation**: [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md) (lines 12-13) mandates human approval before any [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md), prompt, or schema modifications
- **Source authority validation**: Only official government and examination guidelines qualify; industry blogs and unverified media are rejected
- **Workflow isolation**: Mode C runs **mutually exclusive** with Modes A and B per [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 77-89), ensuring draft integrity

## Complete Mode C Invocation Example

```python

# Command-line trigger detection

if user_input.strip().lower() in {"/patent-evolve", "/技能进化"}:
    # Stage 1: Load guardrails and intake

    read_file("prompts/evolution/guardrails.md")
    read_file("prompts/evolution/intake.md")
    
    # Stage 2: Execute policy research

    research_results = run_prompt("prompts/evolution/research.md")
    
    # Stage 3: Generate evolution backlog

    backlog_path = emit_backlog(research_results)
    
    # Stage 4: Human review gate (blocking)

    show_to_user(backlog_path)
    decision = await_user_decision()
    
    # Stage 5: Conditionally apply approved changes

    if decision.startswith("全部采纳"):
        read_file("prompts/evolution/apply_after_confirm.md")
        apply_changes(decision)

```

Helper functions (`read_file`, `run_prompt`, `emit_backlog`, `show_to_user`, `await_user_decision`, `apply_changes`) are implemented in `tools/shared/` within the repository.

## Key Files in Mode C Architecture

| File Path | Purpose in Mode C |
|-----------|-----------------|
| [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md) | Central routing table defining Mode C activation and isolation rules |
| [`prompts/evolution/guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/prompts/evolution/guardrails.md) | Global safety boundaries and human-review gate |
| [`prompts/evolution/intake.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/prompts/evolution/intake.md) | User intent capture for policy sensing sessions |
| [`prompts/evolution/research.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/prompts/evolution/research.md) | WebSearch and official site scraping execution |
| [`prompts/evolution/emit_backlog.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/prompts/evolution/emit_backlog.md) | Checklist formatting and `EVOL-*.md` generation |
| [`prompts/evolution/apply_after_confirm.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/prompts/evolution/apply_after_confirm.md) | Minimal post-approval modifications |
| [`docs/evolution/README.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/docs/evolution/README.md) | Archival procedures for confirmed checklists |
| [`references/schemas/evolution_backlog.schema.yaml`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/references/schemas/evolution_backlog.schema.yaml) | Structural schema for evolution backlog tables |

## When to Use Mode C (Policy Sensing and Skill Evolution)

Trigger Mode C when you need to:

1. **Detect regulatory shifts** before they affect patent examination outcomes
2. **Validate skill currency** against latest CNIPA or WIPO guidance
3. **Audit policy influence** on your disclosure workflows with full traceability
4. **Stage prompt updates** through a reviewable, reversible process

Avoid Mode C for urgent drafting tasks—its gated workflow introduces deliberate latency for safety.

## Summary

- **Mode C** is an **optional, user-triggered bypass** for policy sensing and skill evolution, disabled by default in the patent-disclosure-skill repository
- It operates through a **five-stage gated workflow**: guardrails loading → research → backlog emission → human review → conditional application
- **Critical safety feature**: No automatic edits to [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md), prompts, or schemas; all changes require explicit human approval per [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md)
- Outputs are **time-stamped checklists** (`EVOL-*.md`) stored in `outputs/evolution/`, with optional archival to `docs/evolution/`
- Mode C is **mutually exclusive** with Modes A and B, ensuring zero impact on active patent disclosure workflows

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I activate Mode C in Patent Disclosure Skill?

Send the trigger command `/patent-evolve` or `/技能进化` to the skill runner. Mode C does not activate automatically—you must explicitly request policy sensing. The trigger is recognized in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 18-20) and routes execution to the evolution prompt sequence.

### Can Mode C modify my skill files without permission?

No. [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md) (lines 12-13) enforces a hard prohibition against automatic edits. The human-review gate (lines 28-37) blocks all file modifications until you explicitly select `全部采纳` (Adopt All), `采纳 E10` (Adopt Specific), or archive the results. This is architecturally guaranteed, not merely a preference setting.

### What sources does Mode C use for policy research?

The [`research.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/research.md) prompt restricts sources to **official government and examination authorities**—primarily CNIPA publications and WIPO guidance documents. [`guardrails.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/guardrails.md) (lines 15-16) explicitly rejects unverified media, industry blogs, and third-party interpretations. Only authoritative URLs populate the evolution backlog table.

### Where are Mode C outputs stored and for how long?

Primary outputs write to [`outputs/evolution/EVOL-YYYYMMDD-HHMM.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/outputs/evolution/EVOL-YYYYMMDD-HHMM.md) and are git-ignored. After your approval, you may optionally move checklists to `docs/evolution/` for permanent archival per [`docs/evolution/README.md`](https://github.com/handsomestWei/patent-disclosure-skill/blob/main/docs/evolution/README.md) (line 5). Unapproved outputs remain in the temporary outputs directory and may be purged per your retention policies.