TOKYO - Canon Inc. again ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of US patents awarded in 2015, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services on January 13, 2016, a press release by the Incorporation stated.

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 US patent rankings 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.