The US International Trade Commission has issued a ban on smart rings from Ultrahuman and RingConn following Oura Health's successful patent infringement case, marking a significant victory for the Finnish wearable technology company in the competitive smart ring market. Sales and marketing of the affected devices will cease on October 22.
Patent Dispute Escalates Across Multiple Jurisdictions
The legal battle has intensified with Ultrahuman filing a countersuit against Oura Health Oy and its US unit Ouraring Inc in the Delhi High Court. In its petition, Ultrahuman alleges that Oura's latest device, Ring 4, uses the former's architecture and features without authorization. The disputed patent pertains to a layered ring structure with sensors for heart rate, temperature, and motion, along with a microcontroller for processing data related to sleep stages and readiness scores.
Ultrahuman has also accused Oura of copying its innovations, including women's health features and circadian health tools, and placing these offerings behind a paywall. The Bengaluru-based company claims that Oura has essentially replicated its technological advances without proper licensing.
Oura Defends Patent Portfolio Strength
Responding to the lawsuit, an Oura spokesperson dismissed Ultrahuman's claims as having "no merit" and characterized the Indian lawsuit as a "blatant attempt to distract from their decisive US defeat." The spokesperson emphasized that the International Trade Commission ruled unequivocally that Ultrahuman infringed on Oura's intellectual property, resulting in exclusion and cease-and-desist orders that block all Ultrahuman smart rings and components from the US market.
"This ruling validates not only the strength of Oura's patents, but also our long-term IP strategy. We've now established, at the most rigorous levels of review, that ŌURA's patents are valid and enforceable – a precedent that will shape the future of this category," the spokesperson stated, adding that "Oura innovates, Ultrahuman imitates."
Market Impact and Financial Implications
The ITC's preliminary ruling found that Ultrahuman's Ring Air violated several of Oura's design and utility patents. If upheld at the final ruling expected in November 2025, Ultrahuman could face a permanent ban on importing its smart rings into the US, which represents the company's largest market and contributes nearly half of its revenue.
To mitigate this risk, Ultrahuman has highlighted its Texas facility, which the company claims can manufacture smart rings locally, potentially circumventing import restrictions.
Company Growth Despite Legal Challenges
Despite the ongoing legal battles, Ultrahuman reported strong financial performance in FY25, with revenue surging nearly 6X to INR 600 Cr from INR 104 Cr in FY24. Founded in 2019 by former Zomato executives Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal, the company has expanded beyond smart rings to include the M1 continuous glucose monitor, the Blood Vision biomarker platform, and smart home devices through Ultrahuman Home.
The company recently acquired women's health technology company viO HealthTech to launch advanced cycle and ovulation tracking capabilities, further diversifying its health technology portfolio.
Broader Industry Context
The patent dispute highlights the intensifying competition in the wearable health technology sector, where companies are increasingly relying on intellectual property protection to maintain competitive advantages. The outcome of this case could establish important precedents for patent enforcement in the rapidly growing smart ring market, particularly as more companies enter this space with similar health monitoring capabilities.
