Oura has been granted a patent that estimates blood pressure from the shape of each pulse, read optically at several wavelengths, with a ring as the main example and no cuff described.
- US patent 12,758,106, “Techniques for determining blood pressure based on morphological features of pulses”, was granted to Oura on 13 October 2026. It continues an application first filed in March 2023.
- The ring shines red, green and infrared light and records a pulse waveform for each. It measures features around the systolic and diastolic peaks of each heartbeat, including the delay between the two peaks and the difference in systolic timing between wavelengths.
- Comparing those feature sets gives the estimate, which is tracked against the wearer’s own baseline, including the normal fall in pressure overnight.
- Motion and pressure sensors correct for activity and for how tightly the ring sits on the finger.
What it means for athletes
An overnight blood pressure trend from a ring would sit alongside resting heart rate and HRV as a recovery marker, which is how athletes already use the best recovery trackers. Without further regulatory clearance, any feature built on this patent would report trends rather than mmHg readings.
Only watches with an inflatable cuff measure blood pressure directly, as the Blood Pressure Watches 2026 comparison and the Huawei Watch D3 review show.
Huawei Watch D3
Real cuff blood pressure in a slimmer watch, with a pre- and post-exercise BP mode and a 60-second Health Glance check.
Quick answers
Does the Oura patent need a cuff for calibration?
The patent describes no cuff calibration. It compares each new reading with the wearer’s own baseline over time.
Is a ring the only device the patent covers?
No. A ring is the main example, but watches, necklaces and chest-worn devices are also named.
This grant first appeared in #2 Trademark & Patent Filing on 15 October, alongside Oura’s positional sleep apnoea patent. Browse every issue at the Trademark & Patent Filing hub.
Last Updated on 17 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
