The U.S. International Trade Commission has agreed to investigate patent infringement claims Motorola filed against Apple.
The ITC "has voted to institute an investigation of certain wireless devices, portable music and data processing devices, computers and components thereof," the commission said in a statement. "The products at issue in this investigation are electronic devices such as cell phones, portable music players, and computers."
In early October, Motorola Mobility sued Apple in three separate complaints; in district courts in Illinois and Florida and a separate complaint filed with the ITC. The suits cover 18 different patents, and they allege that Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and certain Mac computers infringe them.
The ITC complaint specifically claims that Apple is violating section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by importing and selling certain video games and controllers that infringe patents held by Motorola Mobility. Motorola wants the ITC to issue an exclusion order as well as a cease and desist order.
"After Apple's late entry into the telecommunications market, we engaged in lengthy negotiations, but Apple has refused to take a license," Motorola said last month. "We had no choice but to file these complaints to halt Apple's continued infringement."
The ITC said it will make a final determination in the case "at the earliest practicable time." It plans to set a target date for completion with 45 days; any action the ITC takes is effective immediately and final within 60 days unless the U.S. Trade Representative intervenes, ITC said.
Apple responded by filing infringement suits of its own against Motorola over the weekend. Apple said Motorola's multi-touch smartphones use Apple-owned intellectual property.