Oura scores initial win in US patent case against Ultrahuman
Indian smart ring maker
Ultrahuman
and Chinese rival
RingConn
may have infringed patents held by Finnish wearable tech startup
Oura
, according to an initial determination by a
US International Trade Commission
(ITC) administrative law judge (ALJ).
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In a blog post, Oura said the ALJ conducted a claim-by-claim analysis and found that both Ultrahuman and RingConn's products infringe every element of every asserted claim of its patent.
A smart ring is a wearable device embedded with sensors that track health metrics such as heart rate, sleep patterns, activity levels, and body temperature, typically syncing with a smartphone app.
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Oura alleged that the Ultrahuman Ring and RingConn Smart Ring copied not only its ring form factor but also the core technology behind its patented sleep and health tracking capabilities.
Ultrahuman denied the allegation. 'We respectfully but firmly disagree with the recent initial determination and remain confident in our position,' the Bengaluru-based company said in a statement.
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The ALJ's findings will be reviewed by the US ITC, which determines whether goods being imported into the US meet various standards including existing US patents.
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Ultrahuman currently manufactures around 40% of its volumes in the US there – putting the remaining 60% at risk should the US ITC rule against it, people aware of the matter said.
'Ultrahuman has a facility in Texas and can ramp it up to de-risk, but this will entail additional costs making its products costlier to manufacture,' one of them said.
The startup is in talks to raise $100-120 million in funding from
WestBridge Capital
, and plans to use these funds to fuel its international expansion, the sources said.
Oura had filed its complaint against Ultrahuman and RingConn in August 2023, citing multiple US patents covering hardware design, sensor integration, and signal processing algorithms.
According to the Finnish firm, the ALJ also found Ultrahuman's claims of its Texas facility to be 'falsified' – but this was opposed by the Indian startup.
'Our fast-scaling Texas facility is set to cover 100% of US demand within the next two to three months – underscoring our commitment to domestic operations and customer-first innovation,' Ultrahuman said in its statement.
'This category has enormous potential to transform human health, but it has too often been shaped by companies that rely on legal intimidation, legacy patent acquisitions, and questionable procurement tactics rather than innovation,' it said. 'We will continue to challenge anti-competitive behaviour, defend real innovation, and fight for a more transparent and merit-driven future in this industry – regardless of how long it takes or who's on the other side.'
The development was first reported by digital tech publication
ZDNet
.
Oura had also filed a case in 2023 against Ultrahuman in a US District Court of Texas but those proceedings were stayed pending the US ITC investigation.
In its annual report released in January, Ultrahuman said it recorded a 6X growth in revenue year-on-year in 2024, with an average profit before tax (PBT) of 11%. The company expects PBT margins to rise to around 20% over time, as it invests in expanding its product line up—including new wearable form factors, fertility and cardiovascular health clinical trials, experience centres, and its
Texas UltraFactory
.
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