Circular to Pay Royalties to Competitor Oura to Sell Smart Ring in the US

Circular, a French company, has reached a settlement with Oura, a leading smart ring maker, in an ongoing patent lawsuit. As part of the agreement, Circular will license Oura's intellectual property for devices sold in the US. The financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed.

Oura has been aggressive in defending its technology against competitors. In March, CEO Tom Hale announced that the company had filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), alleging that Circular and other smart ring makers, Ultrahuman and RingConn, had infringed on multiple patents with their products.

"We've spent over a decade investing countless hours of design, scientific research, and engineering into our hardware, software, and algorithms to create Oura Ring and the Oura Membership experience, and we'll always protect those efforts," Hale wrote.

The complaints against Circular specifically pertained to the form factor and the Readiness Score, which Oura claims offers insight into mental and physical stress factors. With the agreement in place, Oura will no longer pursue action against Circular.

Circular's cofounder and CEO, Amaury Kosman, praised Oura's innovation in a release tied to the news. "Oura revolutionized wearable technology over ten years ago with the introduction of Oura Ring. We recognize the strength and utility of the fundamental patents that have been awarded to Oura, and this agreement rightfully compensates them for their pioneering innovation in smart rings."

This type of agreement is not unusual in the world of consumer devices. Hardware giants like Apple and Google often strike similar deals, as licensing patents is often a far easier path than a protracted legal battle. However, not every conflict is so easily settled, as seen in the complaints filed by med tech firm Masimo, which resulted in the halting of Apple Watch Series 9 sales late last year.

AndroGuider Team

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