Company patents

CANON U.S.A., INC.

CANON U.S.A., INC.'s patent strategy reveals a surprising and strong focus on medical technologies, with Medical Diagnostics & Surgery patents constituting 57.9% of its portfolio and Drug Delivery Devices patents showing a significant emerging focus with a +340.0% YoY growth in 2025. While traditionally known for imaging, the company's investment in Image Processing saw a substantial +120.0% YoY growth in 2024, indicating a continued, albeit fluctuating, interest in this core area.

Patent Trend by Technology Area

Yearly patent publications since 2023

Product themes

Product-level themes inferred from filings since 2023, with category chips showing where each theme appears. Select a theme to filter the patents below.

214 US filings (since 2023) · 11 categories · 25 themes

Surgical Imaging & Navigation

Systems and methods that use imaging technologies, computer vision, and augmented reality to provide real-time guidance, localization, and visualization during surgical procedures or for detailed anatomical assessment.

Medical Diagnostics & Surgery
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86since 2023
-21.2%YoY
Advanced Optical Imaging & Lens Design

Development of sophisticated optical lens assemblies and computational methods to achieve high-resolution, precise, or specialized imaging, often for medical or scientific applications.

Optical Elements & Systems
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49since 2023
-65.4%YoY
Catheter-based Intervention Devices

Minimally invasive medical devices, typically flexible tubes, inserted into body lumens to deliver substances, remove obstructions, or perform localized treatments like ablation, dialysis, or drainage.

Drug Delivery Devices
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43since 2023
+111.1%YoY
Surgical Instrument Mechanisms

Focuses on the mechanical design, articulation, and actuation of hand-held or robotic surgical instruments, including improvements in stapling, cutting, grasping, and tissue manipulation.

Medical Diagnostics & Surgery
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37since 2023
+633.3%YoY
Interventional & Implantable Therapies

Design and application of devices that are inserted into the body or implanted to treat diseases, modulate physiological functions, or repair anatomical structures.

Medical Diagnostics & Surgery
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37since 2023
+8.3%YoY
Medical Device Ergonomics

Focuses on the design of medical equipment for ease of use, mobility, and adaptability in various clinical or home environments, including carts, mounting systems, and compact form factors.

Medical Diagnostics & Surgery
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22since 2023
+175.0%YoY
Video Quality & Encoding Optimization

Methods and apparatus for improving the visual fidelity, resolution, or compression efficiency of video signals, often through advanced processing, up-scaling, or neural network-based filters.

Computer VisionPictorial / Video Communications
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12since 2023
+150.0%YoY
Optical 3D Surface Metrology

Techniques and systems for measuring three-dimensional shapes, depths, or surface profiles using optical principles, including diffraction, interferometry, structured light, and imaging.

Length / Distance Measurement
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12since 2023
-42.9%YoY
Automated Visual Inspection

Systems that employ imaging and image processing to automatically detect defects, verify states, or ensure quality control in manufactured goods, printed materials, or industrial processes.

Pictorial / Video Communications
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12since 2023
0.0%YoY
Multi-material Product Integration & Finishing

Techniques for combining multiple materials or layers, often with specialized surface treatments, coatings, or assembly methods, to create functional or aesthetically enhanced plastic articles, including consumer goods and encapsulated electronics.

Plastics Shaping & Molding
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11since 2023
-50.0%YoY
Video Enhancement & Object Tracking

Methods and systems for improving the quality of video streams, generating intermediate frames, or continuously locating and following objects within a sequence of images, even under occlusion.

Image Processing
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10since 2023
+150.0%YoY
Plastic Extrusion Processes

Methods and equipment for continuously shaping plastic materials by forcing them through a die, often involving screw extruders, heating elements, and downstream calibration.

Plastics Shaping & Molding
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8since 2023
-83.3%YoY
AR/VR User Interfacesfiltered

Techniques for rendering, interacting with, and managing content within augmented or virtual reality environments, including spatial tracking, gaze interaction, and dynamic multi-application display management.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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4since 2023
new
Optical Fiber Sensing Systems

Systems and methods that utilize optical fibers as sensing elements or for transmitting sensing signals, often for distributed monitoring of environmental conditions, phase changes, or integrating sensing with communication.

Optical Elements & Systems
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4since 2023
+100.0%YoY
Thermoplastic Compression Molding

Processes involving the application of heat and pressure to shape thermoplastic or elastomeric materials, often using molds or presses, to achieve specific forms or material properties.

Plastics Shaping & Molding
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4since 2023
-66.7%YoY
Smart Medication Management

Systems that integrate digital technology, sensors, or connectivity to monitor, track, or automate aspects of medication administration, often providing data feedback, personalized recommendations, or secure logging.

Healthcare Informatics
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4since 2023
n/a
Collaborative User Experiences

User interface designs and systems that enable multiple users to interact with shared content, provide feedback, or coordinate activities, often across different devices or locations.

Input/Output & User Interfaces
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3since 2023
new
Vision-Based Object & Pose Estimation

Methods and apparatus for detecting objects and determining their three-dimensional position and orientation (pose) using imagery or point cloud data, often for navigation, surveying, or environmental understanding.

Computer Vision
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3since 2023
0.0%YoY
AI for Medical Diagnostics

Utilizing machine learning, particularly deep learning, to analyze medical data such as images, sensor readings, or physiological signals for disease prediction, diagnosis, or treatment assessment.

Medical Diagnostics & SurgeryImage Processing
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2since 2023
0.0%YoY
Magnetic Position Sensing

Methods and devices that determine the position, angle, or distance of an object by detecting changes in magnetic fields or inductive coupling.

Length / Distance Measurement
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2since 2023
new
Multi-Sensor Imaging & Synthesis

Systems that combine data from multiple camera sensors or capture multiple images from different perspectives or qualities, often involving image processing techniques like synthesis to create enhanced or comprehensive views.

Pictorial / Video Communications
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2since 2023
0.0%YoY
Wearable Display Optics

Optical systems and components specifically designed for head-mounted displays, augmented reality (AR) glasses, and virtual reality (VR) headsets, focusing on image projection, waveguide integration, and display durability.

Optical Elements & Systems
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2since 2023
new
Specialized Neural Network Architectures

Development and optimization of novel neural network layers or architectures specifically designed to improve performance or efficiency for computer vision tasks.

Computer Vision
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2since 2023
n/a
3D Reconstruction & Modeling

Processes for creating or manipulating three-dimensional digital representations of objects or environments, including mesh generation, surface fitting, and depth estimation from multiple views.

Image Processing
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1since 2023
new
Remote Tracking and Ranging

Technologies for non-contact measurement of distance, position, or 3D properties of a target object, often involving active emission and detection of light or radio frequency waves, including target tracking.

Length / Distance Measurement
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1since 2023
n/a

Patents

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AR/VR User Interfaces
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