In a Friday statement, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) revealed that it intends investigating the complaint filed by HTC, in which the Taiwanese phone maker has accused Apple of infringing on five of its patents pertaining to handset technology. The ITC said that it will investigate whether HTC’s request, seeking a ban on the import and sale of iPhones, iPods, and iPads, is justifiable. 

The agency is already probing Apple’s own patent infringement complaint against HTC. Apple has alleged that HTC makes use of patents linked to the user interface of its popular iPhone, along with an array of other software and hardware technologies.

HTC, which manufactures handsets running the Google Android OS as well as Windows Mobile, requested ITC last month to block the import of the leading Apple devices in the US, claiming that the device violate HTC’s handset hardware and software patents, which the company has not yet publicly stated.

According to ITC, the products related to its investigations will include “portable electronic devices that utilize certain power management methods and may incorporate hardware and software for telephone directories within mobile telephone systems.”

An evidential hearing to ascertain the essential grounds of the HTC complaint will be held by an administrative law judge for the agency, which has 45 days to announce a target date for finishing the investigation.