Siemens Energy’s office in Orlando is fighting trademark infringement allegations from a German company over technology that protects wind energy turbines during high winds.
Siemens has been fighting a subpoena for documents related to Siemens’ so-called high wind ride-through technology. Germany-based Wobbens Properties alleges that Siemens infringes on its German patent for similar technology, and Siemens is fighting the allegations.
Siemens’ parent corporation is also based in Germany, but its Energy division has an Orlando headquarters. Wobbens handles patents for Enercon, a wind power company established in Germany but now based in Brazil.
Originally filed in Germany, part of the Siemens-Wobbens dispute is playing out in Orlando federal courts, partly because Siemens corporate counsel William Sartor is based in Orlando. Siemens employs about 4,000 people in Central Florida; last year, Siemens opened a wind turbine training center in Orlando.
Siemens argues in court documents that Wobbens’ request for documents is too broad and would expose its trade secrets and technology to public scrutiny. Siemens has asked for a court order to limit the document request. Wobben agrees that the documents should be limited in scope; the two are arguing over what the scope will be.
According to Siemens’ court filings, the trade secrets consist of information about software, testing data, simulations, graphs, drawings, communications and data sheets regarding the high-wind ride-through technology. Siemens office in Boulder, Colo., worked on the technology.
Big law firms are involved in the dispute. Wobbens attorneys include Jorge Guttman and George LeMieux of West Palm Beach-based Gunster law firm. Siemens attorneys include Michael Levin and Robert Thielhelm from the Orlando office of Baker & Hostetler. Orlando attorney Michael Gay of Foley & Lardner was appointed as a special master to make recommendations on specific areas of the dispute.
Attempts to reach Sartor and attorneys for Wobbens for comment on the case were not successful on Friday.
Source: Orlandosentinel.com
