Canon Inc. Ranks First Among Japanese Companies in U.S. Patent Rankings: 2005 – 2013

This video presents “Canon Visual Overview to Communicate, Share, and Connect.”

• “This high-definition quality video introduces Canon’s global business activities centering on imaging technology and various other activities, which include research and development to production, sales, marketing, environmental conservation, and social contributions.“

It is announced today that Canon Inc. again ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of U.S. patents awarded in 2013.

Here are some of Canon’s new frontiers for image processing.

• Developing Texture-Acquisition Technology to acquire detailed photo-subject information.
  • Canon is working on making texture acquisition possible through image processing.

  “When realized, such technology would provide digital cameras and other consumer devices with texture-acquisition capabilities.”

• Developing Photorealistic CG (Computer Graphics) Technology to reconstruct realistic images from analytical data.
  

  Such image processing requires technology that captures and recreates light rays and texture-acquisition technology that provides information about a subject’s appearance, along with photorealistic CG technology capable of reconstructing highly detailed images based on texture information……Canon’s photorealistic CG technology is also effective in synthesizing photographic and CG images, enabling the smooth synthesis of photographic and CG images automatically, doing away with the troublesome process of manually manipulating each frame in order to achieve realistic results. The technology has the potential to easily create revolutionary composite images for major motion pictures, advertisements and other projects.

• Merging IT (Information Technology) – from the world of cyber technology – and RT (Real-World Technology) – from Canon’s areas of technological expertise in interfacing with the real world, including the company’s texture-acquisition and photorealistic CG technologies.
  
  • Canon will develop applied technologies enabling the future expansion of the following four business domains:
    1. imaging and information,
    2. safety and security,
    3. health and healthcare,
    4. industrial machinery and intelligent robots.
       • Canon is also focusing on the development of sophisticated intelligent robots.
       • An intelligent robot comprises three basic elements:
         1. vision (sense of sight = real technology) to recognize its real world surroundings;
            • Since 2005, Canon researchers have been working on the development of robotic eyes and Super Machine Vision, conducting research into machine vision technology through the application of optical, image-capture and recognition technologies.
         2. intelligence (cyber technology) “to think and act on its own accord”; and
         3. movement (real technology) to carry out actions.

 Please click here for more info about Canon Persuing the Ultimate in Image Reality.

NEWS RELEASE

January 15, 2014
Canon Inc.

Canon tops among Japanese companies in U.S. patent rankings for ninth consecutive year

TOKYO, January 15, 2014—Canon Inc. again ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of U.S. patents awarded in 2013, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services on January 14, 2014.

Canon actively promotes the globalization of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas, carefully adhering to a patent-filing strategy that pursues patents in essential countries and regions while taking into consideration the business strategies and technology and product trends unique to each location. Among these, the United States, with its many high-tech companies and large market scale, represents a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.

Canon U.S. patent ranking among Japanese companies 2005 – 2013

Year	Ranking*	No. of patents
2013	1st (3rd)	3,825
2012	1st (3rd)	3,179
2011	1st (3rd)	2,813
2010	1st (4th)	2,551
2009	1st (4th)	2,200
2008	1st (3rd)	2,107
2007	1st (3rd)	1,983
2006	1st (3rd)	2,367
2005	1st (2nd)	1,828

 * Number in parenthesis represents Canon’s ranking among all companies

Note: Number of patents for 2013 based on preliminary figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2012 tabulated by Canon based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Canon prizes its corporate DNA of placing a high priority on technology. And with regard to research and development results, the company actively promotes the acquisition of patent rights in accordance with the management direction of the Canon Group and technology trends while conducting thorough pre-application searches to raise the quality of applications. Through close cooperation between Canon’s technology and intellectual property divisions, the company aims to improve its technological capabilities while further enhancing its intellectual property rights.