This Marks The First Time A Japanese Company Exceeds 2,500 Patents In A Single Year

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 7, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced its parent company, Canon Inc., registered a company record of 2,543 new patents in 2010, ranking fourth overall based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office. Marking the 18th consecutive year the Company has ranked among the top five patent holders, the 2,543 patents received in 2010 represent a 15 percent increase from 2009, bringing the Company's total number of patents since 2000 to more than 22,500.

"2010 was an exciting and groundbreaking year for Canon as it marked the highest number of patents the Company has ever received in a single year," said Seymour Liebman, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel, Canon U.S.A. "These figures are a true testament to Canon's long-standing legacy and commitment to innovation. Each year, Canon invests nearly ten percent of global revenue into research and development so we are able to continually enhance our current products and develop new technologies that keep us on the cutting edge of innovation."

The patent portfolio of Canon has contributed to the successful introduction of several products in the marketplace today. The Canon PIXMA MG8120 and MG6120 introduced a new light guidance system - a first for personal desktop printers and incorporated Canon's Full High Definition (HD) Movie Print1 mode. The Canon imagePRESS C7010VP, which was designed incorporating customer feedback, represents the next installment of the Company's flagship imagePRESS lineup for the production and graphic arts markets. Additionally, Canon brought to market the CXDI-70C Wireless Digital Radiography (DR) detector which is the Company's first wireless DR system.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2009†, with 2009 global revenues of US $35 billion and is listed as number six in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies 2010 list. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – "all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future" – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

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† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

1. "Full HD Movie Print" is available from 'MOV' movie files created by Canon digital cameras. From PC, or Mac with Intel® processor. Requires Canon ZoomBrowser EX 6.5 or later, or Canon ImageBrowser 6.5 or later.