Canon tops among Japanese companies in
U.S. patent rankings for eleven years running
Canon Inc. again ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of U.S. patents awarded in 2015, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services on January 13, 2016.
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 2005–2015
Year | Ranking* | No. of patents |
| 2015 | 1st (3rd) | 4,134 |
| 2014 | 1st (3rd) | 4,055 |
| 2013 | 1st (3rd) | 3,820 |
| 2012 | 1st (3rd) | 3,173 |
| 2011 | 1st (3rd) | 2,818 |
| 2010 | 1st (4th) | 2,551 |
| 2009 | 1st (4th) | 2,200 |
| 2008 | 1st (3rd) | 2,107 |
| 2007 | 1st (3rd) | 1,983 |
| 2006 | 1st (3rd) | 2,366 |
| 2005 | 1st (2nd) | 1,829 |
| * Number in parenthesis represents Canon’s ranking among all companies |
Note: Number of patents for 2015 based on preliminary figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2014 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.
About Canon Hongkong Company Limited Canon Inc. (TSE:7751 / NYSE:CAJ) was founded in 1937 in Japan. Its predecessor, Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory, produced Japan's first 35 mm focal-plane-shutter camera “Kwanon” in 1934. Canon Inc. eventually expanded into the photocopying and printing industries, launching Japan's first plain-paper copier NP-1100 in 1970 and the world's first inkjet printer BJ-80 in 1985. Through the years, Canon Inc. has acquired in-depth experience in digital imaging product manufacturing, and research and development. It is a leader in the development of innovative products and holds the most technology patents in the imaging industry. Canon Inc. also makes a significant contribution to the promotion of photography. Today, Canon Inc. has a strong global presence and is one of the most important market players in the imaging, office and industrial product categories. As of 31 December 2014, Canon's global revenue was US$30.8 billion.
One of the company’s first offices in Asia, Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. (CHK) was established in 1971. It is responsible for the sales, marketing and after-sales services for all Canon product lines in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Taiwan, the Philippines and Mongolia. CHK adheres to Canon’s corporate philosophy of “kyosei”, which encourages the company and its staff to participate in social, charitable and environmental activities in the community. CHK implements internationally-recognized management systems and has achieved ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certification. For more information about Canon Hongkong, please visit our website: www.canon.com.hk.
