The Smart Ring Patent Dispute: Oura, Ultrahuman, and RingConn

The dispute unfolds between Oura, Ultrahuman, and RingConn, two leading companies in the smart ring market. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) announced that both companies infringed upon Oura's patent related to smart ring design and issued cease and desist orders against Ultrahuman and RingConn.

The cease and desist order was scheduled to take effect on October 21. However, RingConn managed to avoid this order thanks to a licensing agreement with Oura, allowing it to continue selling smart rings in the United States. This does not apply to Ultrahuman, the other company found to have infringed Oura's patent.

Ring Specifications and Market Competition

These smart rings are considered affordable alternatives and do not require a monthly subscription, unlike the Oura smart ring, which costs $350 and requires a $70 annual subscription for full data access. The Oura ring features advanced sensing technology, including infrared and green LED lights to measure heart rate and its variability 24/7, in addition to respiratory rate during sleep. It also includes a digital temperature sensor that measures skin temperature variations, and an accelerometer for tracking activity and movement.

As of October 21, Ultrahuman smart rings cannot be imported or sold in the United States. Ultrahuman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Settlements and Licensing Agreements

Oura and RingConn announced a comprehensive settlement and patent licensing agreement. Oura also entered into a multi-year patent licensing agreement with Omate, a less-known smart ring brand.

RingConn rings will continue to be sold on Amazon and in the United States, and the company will now pay royalty payments to Oura. Omate will be able to access Oura's patent portfolio to develop future smart rings that align with Oura's patents.

Repercussions of the Decision and Ultrahuman's Statements

Earlier this year, the International Trade Commission found that both Ultrahuman and RingConn engaged in 'dishonest tactics,' according to an Oura blog post, to develop their own smart rings.

Now that the cease and desist order against Ultrahuman has taken effect, certain features in its smart ring may be disabled, or the company may be forced to redesign the form of its Ultrahuman Air ring.

In a previous interview with ZDNET about the patent dispute, Ultrahuman's CEO, Mohit Kumar, said the company is working on a new smart ring and will continue its factory operations in Texas.

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