Oura’s Patent Gambit Is Shrinking the Smart Ring Market—And Forcing Competitors to Get Creative

The smart ring patent war has left competitors scrambling—except for the winner, who’s using its legal edge to double down on health-tracking luxury.

Oura won a U.S. International Trade Commission patent case against RingConn and Ultrahuman, banning their smart rings from importing into the U.S. The ITC ruling centers on Patent 178, which covers hardware design with layered internal/external components—a broad claim that has effectively stifled direct competition in the smart ring category.

Ultrahuman CBO Bhuvan Srinivasan acknowledged the challenge: "Intellectual property is super important to us." Oura’s Alison Deasy reinforced the company’s stance in an email: "We will continue to be at the forefront of innovation."

"Intellectual property is super important to us," says Ultrahuman CBO Bhuvan Srinivasan.

"We will continue to be at the forefront of innovation," wrote Oura’s Alison Deasy in an email.

While the ITC ban blocks hardware imports, it does not restrict software updates.

This has forced Ultrahuman to pivot toward app-driven differentiation, launching free Blood Vision biomarker checks (20 metrics) and PowerPlugs app customization.

The subscription-free model contrasts sharply with Oura’s $6/month fee, though the latter has secured licensing deals with Circular and Omate to maintain its U.S. market presence.

Patent 178’s broad wording has created a paradox: Oura enforces its legal dominance while simultaneously driving innovation in software workarounds.

The patent’s layered design language—"components arranged in a stacked configuration"—leaves room for interpretation but has been interpreted strictly enough to justify the ITC’s import ban.