diff --git a/docling/backend/abstract_backend.py b/docling/backend/abstract_backend.py
index 491330b36..d6f52c33e 100644
--- a/docling/backend/abstract_backend.py
+++ b/docling/backend/abstract_backend.py
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ def unload(self):
     def supported_formats(cls) -> Set["InputFormat"]:
         pass
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    def extract_metadata(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        return {}
+
 
 class PaginatedDocumentBackend(AbstractDocumentBackend):
     """DeclarativeDocumentBackend.
diff --git a/docling/backend/xml/uspto_backend.py b/docling/backend/xml/uspto_backend.py
index 268b80ade..25099a036 100644
--- a/docling/backend/xml/uspto_backend.py
+++ b/docling/backend/xml/uspto_backend.py
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ def convert(self) -> DoclingDocument:
                 f"Cannot convert doc (hash={self.document_hash}, "
                 f"name={self.file.name}) because the backend failed to init."
             )
+    
+    @override
+    def extract_metadata(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        return {}
 
 
 class PatentUspto(ABC):
diff --git a/docling/datamodel/document.py b/docling/datamodel/document.py
index 7955ff9df..b3cce5d55 100644
--- a/docling/datamodel/document.py
+++ b/docling/datamodel/document.py
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ class ConversionResult(BaseModel):
     confidence: ConfidenceReport = Field(default_factory=ConfidenceReport)
 
     document: DoclingDocument = _EMPTY_DOCLING_DOC
+    metadata: Dict[str, Any] = {}
 
     @property
     @deprecated("Use document instead.")
diff --git a/docling/pipeline/simple_pipeline.py b/docling/pipeline/simple_pipeline.py
index 0e3f1b6f9..7b12dfd6b 100644
--- a/docling/pipeline/simple_pipeline.py
+++ b/docling/pipeline/simple_pipeline.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ def _build_document(self, conv_res: ConversionResult) -> ConversionResult:
         # a DoclingDocument straight.
         with TimeRecorder(conv_res, "doc_build", scope=ProfilingScope.DOCUMENT):
             conv_res.document = conv_res.input._backend.convert()
+            conv_res.metadata = conv_res.input._backend.extract_metadata()
         return conv_res
 
     def _determine_status(self, conv_res: ConversionResult) -> ConversionStatus: