This is a weekly roundup of new trademark and patent filings from the sports watch and sensor brands this site covers. Trademarks come first, because a registered name usually becomes a product or feature and the name itself is often the clue. Patents follow as evidence of direction, and most never reach a product.
Other sites push out an alert for every patent and trademark the moment it is published. This roundup gathers the week into a single read and keeps your inbox clear. The weekly Deep Dive Digest email covers the wider sports technology news for those who want it.
Also in the Deep Dive series: Regulatory Filing, Legal Files, Fix Files, Feature Files and the Deep Dive Digest.
Smart rings dominate the week. Oura’s European application for a ring that tops up its own battery from body heat is the most unusual filing, and its US application for a sleep age metric is the one most likely to reach an app screen. Samsung published three Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring applications, two of which deal with how a ring knows it is being worn and by whom.
Trademarks
No new trademark filings from the brands this site covers could be confirmed with an official serial number during the week.
Patents
Oura: a smart ring that recharges from body heat
European application EP 4827575 A1, “Wearable device with energy harvesting module”, was published on 28 October 2026 in the name of Oura Health Oy. It claims priority from US application 19/006,814, which describes a ring with an inner housing and an outer housing that has a thermally isolated section. Thermoelectric generator elements sit between the two and produce a current from the temperature difference between the skin side and the outer shell, which can power the sensors, recharge the battery, or both.
The temperature difference between a finger and the air is small, so any harvested energy would probably extend battery life rather than replace charging. For an athlete, that might mean fewer gaps in overnight recovery and heart rate variability data during a training camp or a multi-day event when a charger is not to hand. Cold-weather training, where the gradient is larger, would in theory yield more energy.
Evidence: Patent application published. Likelihood: Possible. Source: epo.org, reported from around the web
Oura: a sleep age score compared with your real age
US application 2026/0325062 A1, “Sleep age determination from wearable-based physiological data”, was published on 22 October 2026 for Oura Health Oy. It describes feeding optical heart rate (PPG) data from several nights into one machine learning model that classifies sleep stages, then passing sleep features into a second model that outputs a sleep age relative to the user’s chronological age. The app would display the figure together with an explanation of what drives it.
A single age-style number is easier to act on than a list of sleep stage percentages. An athlete could see whether a heavy training block, late sessions or travel are pushing sleep quality older than expected, and whether a change in routine brings it back. As with Oura’s cardiovascular age, the figure would be a model output rather than a clinical measure.
Evidence: Patent application published. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
Amazfit: holding onto heart rate when the optical signal jumps
US Patent 12,773,119, “Wearable device, and heart rate tracking method and apparatus thereof”, was granted on 27 October 2026 to Anhui Huami Health Technology, the Zepp Health company behind Amazfit. The method takes the optical heart rate signal over a set period, converts it into a frequency spectrum with a short-time Fourier transform, groups the spectral peaks into a cluster of candidate curves, and selects the curve that meets defined conditions in order to follow sudden jumps in heart rate.
Wrist heart rate commonly lags or locks onto cadence at the start of an interval or a hill surge. A method that recognises a genuine jump, rather than smoothing it away, would give more accurate interval data and training load figures without a chest strap. The application was filed in 2022, so some version may already run on current Amazfit watches.
Evidence: Patent granted. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
Samsung: a ring that calibrates its motion sensor to how it sits on your finger
US application 2026/0325009 A1, “Wearable electronic device and method for determining state of being worn on human body”, was published on 22 October 2026 for Samsung Electronics. It describes a finger-worn device that asks the user to perform a set gesture, measures acceleration vectors in the direction of gravity during that gesture, and calculates a correction value that converts the sensor’s axes into a frame matched to the finger.
A ring can rotate on the finger, which confuses any feature that relies on knowing which way the sensor faces. A quick calibration gesture could make gesture controls and movement data from a Galaxy Ring more dependable, including step and activity detection during sessions when the ring shifts position.
Evidence: Patent application published. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
Samsung: a ring that recognises who is wearing it
US application 2026/0329993 A1, “Wearable electronic device and method for operating function according to user identification thereof”, was published on 22 October 2026 for Samsung Electronics. The ring carries electrodes inside and outside the housing and two biometric sensors. Once it detects that it is being worn, it compares a fresh biometric reading with stored data, identifies the wearer, and configures its functions differently for that person.
The obvious use is a shared ring, or a ring that refuses to log someone else’s data into the owner’s training history. Identification could also unlock payments or account access without a separate check. For athletes who log every night and session, keeping records clean when a device is borrowed matters more than it might appear.
Evidence: Patent application published. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
Samsung: a watch with sensors beside the display under one front glass
US application 2026/0325070 A1, “Wearable electronic device including sensor assembly”, was published on 22 October 2026 for Samsung Electronics. It describes a housing with a partly inclined front plate, a moulded divider that splits the interior into two spaces, a display in one space and a sensor assembly in the other, with the front plate covering both the display and the sensors.
Placing sensors on the front of the device, next to the screen rather than under the caseback, would suit sensing that relies on the user touching the face, such as an ECG or body composition reading, or on light and air reaching the sensor. It may also point to a band or fitness tracker shape in which the screen does not fill the whole front.
Evidence: Patent application published. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
Oura: one charger for every ring size
US Patent 12,771,172, “Universal charger”, was granted on 20 October 2026 to Oura Health Oy. It describes a base with a charging post whose diameter matches the inner diameter of the smallest ring size, an inductive coil inside the post, and a support that presses rings of any size against the post so that charging works through the ring’s inner surface.
Today each ring size needs a matching dock. A single charger for all sizes would make it easier to keep a spare at work or in a travel bag, and would simplify charging in households or teams with several rings. That reduces the chance of a dead ring on race morning.
Evidence: Patent granted. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
Google: a new strap connector design for a wearable
US Design Patent D1,154,395, “Band portion with connector for a wearable device”, was granted on 20 October 2026 to Google LLC. A design patent protects appearance rather than function, so the record covers the shape of a strap section and its attachment piece rather than a mechanism.
Google uses a proprietary strap mechanism on the Pixel Watch, and a new connector design suggests further work on how straps attach to its watches or Fitbit trackers. For athletes the practical questions would be whether straps can be swapped quickly between a training band and an everyday one, and whether older straps remain compatible.
Evidence: Patent granted. Likelihood: Possible. Source: uspto.gov, reported from around the web
More from last week’s Trademark & Patent Filing roundup.
Browse every issue at the Trademark & Patent Filing hub.
Upcoming products are tracked on the Release Radar.
Last Updated on 29 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
Reader-Powered Content
This content is not sponsored. It’s mostly me behind the labour of love, which is this site, and I appreciate everyone who supports it.
Support the site: Follow (free, fewer ads) · Subscribe (paid, ad-free) · Buy Me A Coffee
Written by real people, with AI assistance. Fact-checked and verified for originality. See the Editorial Policy. FTC: Affiliate Disclosure — some links pay commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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. See the gear tfk uses. ID
