Researchers at the company’s Rennes based R&D centre are making the vision of wireless Canon products reality. The objective is to incorporate wireless capabilities into existing Canon products such as printers, copiers and fax machines.

And at the Paris launch of the DECT-MMC (DECT MultiMediaConsortium), Canon announced that during 2000 it expects to start trials of DECT wireless products in certain parts of Europe.

Using the DECT standard enables Canon to develop the concept of Easy Connectivity.  "Working with the DECT-MMC, we aim promote multimedia applications using the DECT-DMAP standard and to guarantee the interoperability of all devices. We know from our experience connecting our current products to computers and networks – from small printers to networked copiers - the importance of a simple and standard interface that is used across the industry," said Kazuya Matsumoto, President of Canon Research France.

"As Canon’s range of digital devices make further use of major network technologies such as IP, ISDN and Ethernet we will need a wireless interface system that can accommodate all these standards, hence our use of DECT," he added.

Canon expects the development of wireless environments to be in two key areas
In the home market, cordless access to Internet and home peripherals such as set top boxes, printers and modems. Meanwhile in the office environment, Canon predicts demand from companies wanting wireless LAN extensions to provide quick and easy access to services such as corporate intranets in meeting rooms or ad-hoc presentation areas. Alternatively, Wireless LANs can be an effective solution to an evolving company that may be renting an office space or temporarily relocated; situations where the investment in wiring can be lost in a move.

To ensure its products are easy to use, Canon places great emphasis on working with and promoting industry standard technologies. As well as co-operation with the DECT-MMC group, Canon Research France is also participating in the BRAN HiperLAN2 project of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

Canon Research France was established in 1991 at Rennes, France, reflecting Canon’s global policy of locating research centres in areas of local excellence. In this part of France, some 47% of electronics employment is telecom related and many universities and international R&D centres are based there. More information on the activities of Canon Research France is published at www.crf.canon.fr.

    For more information, please contact your local Canon company or

    Paul de Lara, Canon Europa Public Relations Department:

    Tel + 31 / 20 545 8171
    Fax + 31 / 20 545 8210
    E-mail    P.deLara@canon-europa.com

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