Ford Laid False Claim to Home Energy Trade Secrets, Says Sol-Ark

Texas manufacturer Sol-Ark LLC told a Michigan federal judge Ford Motor Co. doesn’t own trade secrets related to patent applications for a home energy management system incorporating electric vehicle battery power.

Many of Sol-Ark’s patent filings were made before Ford and the manufacturer entered into contracts detailing terms and conditions as well as intellectual property, according to a motion to dismiss filed Monday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Sol-Ark said the agreements do not give Ford ownership of the manufacturer’s intellectual property.

“Ford does not own the at-issue trade secrets, which divests it of ...