Canon 2007 Annual Report Download - page 24

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22
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
While focusing on the development of proprietary products, Canon will
strengthen R&D activities in an effort to identify next-generation domains.
Canon is conducting collab-
orative research with lead-
ing institutions such as
Stanford University in the
United States
R&D Expenditure and Patents
Canon is committed to the pursuit of cutting-edge R&D
as a vital means to deliver unique, proprietary products.
In fiscal 2007, the Company increased R&D expenditure
by ¥60.0 billion from the previous fiscal year to ¥368.3
billion, accounting for 8.2% of net sales. From this
total, ¥122.6 billion, or 33.3%, was allocated to the
Business Machines segment, ¥44.3 billion, or 12.0%,
went to the Cameras segment, ¥42.3 billion, or 11.5%
went to the Optical and Other Products segment, and
¥159.1 billion, or 43.2%, was used for basic R&D not
belonging to any one business segment.
In 2007, the Company was granted 1,989*
patents in the United States, placing third among all
corporations. This marked the 16th consecutive year
Canon has ranked among the top three.
Strengthening the Company’s R&D Infrastructure
Canon continues to improve its R&D capabilities by
strengthening its infrastructure. As a part of these
endeavors, the Company established the Technology
Strategy Committee, the Strategic Product Research
Headquarters and the Frontier Research Headquarters on
January 1, 2008. The Technology Strategy Committee
formulates Companywide R&D strategy proposals
significant to its future. The Strategic Product Research
Headquarters, pursuing both technological and market-
based endeavors, develops the essential technologies
required to create innovative products beyond the scope
of Product Operations. The Frontier Research
Headquarters, in collaboration with global institutes,
conducts research into emerging technologies as the
basis for cultivating future businesses.
Bolstering Product Strength
In order to deliver a consistent stream of unique products,
Canon is strengthening its activities in the development of
such key components and devices as CMOS sensors and
DigitalImagingIC (DIGIC) imaging processors for digital
cameras, and iR controllers for multifunction devices
(MFDs). Further enhancing and accelerating development,
the Company successfully incorporated such key compo-
nents and devices into new products throughout 2007.
To raise product prowess even further, Canon is
developing and promoting “cross-media imaging,” a
concept that, through interactive connectivity, enables
advanced synergies between such input and output
devices as cameras, printers and displays. Cross-media
imaging allows users to realistically communicate and
reproduce at will a variety of images and information.
In focusing on this link between its input and output
devices, Canon will continue to promote the develop-
ment of Companywide digital platform technologies
that include user-interface, communication and image
processing across its entire product lineup.
Concurrent processes bring together development and production
divisions for multifunction devices at the Company’s Toride Plant
400,000
R&D Expenditure
(Millions of yen)
0
07
368,261
03
259,140
04
275,300
05
286,476
06
308,307
*Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; Calculated based upon
announcements of weekly totals.