No matter whether you shoot Canon, Nikon or Sony, you can't deny that Canon's level of innovation is hard to match. And now, we have definitive proof. According to the US patent office, Canon has placed third in the IFI Claims 2019 US Patent Rankings, having been granted 3,548 patents. While bronze is certainly nothing to sniff at, there is a deeper implication beyond a third place win.
This ranking means that Canon is now the only company in the world to be consistently ranked in the top five most prolific patent grantees for a staggering 34 years. In addition, Canon has also been ranked first among Japanese companies for the 15th consecutive year.
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As reported by Canon Watch, Canon is well known within the industry for continuously applying for patents. While most of these never see the light of day, a select few are worked into new cameras, giving us exciting innovations such as the multi-function bar and eye-controlled focus.
Seymour Liebman, the executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Canon USA Inc said, "As technology continues to evolve, we too will continue exploring new areas and future innovation opportunities. Canon is proud to be in the top three patent holders as it reflects our dedication and commitment to delivering innovative ideas and solutions to meet market and customer demands."
One of the most exciting patent applications we've seen recently is for a mirrorless camera with a super large screen with virtual control dials. However, with Canon continuously churning out patent applications, there could be something even more fascinating to explore this time next week.
With Canon geared up to release some amazing cameras this year, we doubt they're going to slow their patent applications down any time soon.
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