Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. is the United States subsidiary of the Japanese multinational corporation Canon Inc. Headquartered in Melville, New York, the U.S. branch was established in 1955 and formally incorporated as Canon U.S.A., Inc. in 1965. As a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly traded Canon Inc. (TYO: 7751), it serves as the operational hub for North, Central, and South America. While specific revenue for the U.S. subsidiary is not publicly detailed, its Japanese parent is a major global corporation with over 180,000 employees worldwide.

Canon is an operating company known for its extensive range of digital imaging products for consumer, business-to-business (B2B), and industrial markets. Its major product lines include digital cameras (DSLR and mirrorless), interchangeable lenses, and professional video equipment. The company is also a significant provider of office and enterprise equipment, such as multifunction printers and copiers, laser printers, and high-volume document scanners. Through various subsidiaries, it also offers business process outsourcing, managed print services, and technical support.

The company’s patent litigation posture, based on tracked cases, is that of an operating company defending its products against patent assertions. It has been a defendant in one tracked case and has not been a plaintiff. This pattern is typical for a large technology manufacturer that becomes a target for patent licensing entities.

The single tracked case is Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Canon Inc. et al., filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware in 2012. The plaintiff, Intellectual Ventures, is a prominent non-practicing entity (NPE), also described as a patent assertion entity, known for acquiring large patent portfolios and litigating against technology companies across various sectors. This case is consistent with the trend of NPEs targeting large, successful product companies like Canon.