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Photo: Samsung Electronics |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has accepted a request from Samsung Electronics and launched a patent infringement investigation against Finland-based Oura, a leading global maker of smart rings.
According to the U.S. Federal Register on January 21, the ITC announced on January 16 (local time) that it would officially investigate a Section 337 complaint filed by Samsung. The investigation targets both Oura’s U.S. operations in San Francisco and its headquarters in Finland.
In its filing, Samsung alleges that Oura has used four of its core patents—covering battery efficiency optimization and sensor placement—without authorization. Samsung has requested that, under Section 337 of the Tariff Act, Oura products incorporating the disputed technology be barred from importation and sale in the United States.
The investigation is viewed as a sign of intensifying competition between the two companies for leadership in the smart ring market. Notably, Oura had filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung in November of last year, and Samsung’s counteraction has escalated the legal dispute between the two firms.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
