The U.S. International Trade Commission has voted to investigate Apple's lineup of products, including the iPhone, iPad and Macs, in response to a complaint lodged by Google-owned Motorola Mobility, reports "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com).

Motorola says those products violate section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The company hopes the ITC will block the importation of Apple's devices that Motorola believes infringe upon its patented inventions, notes "AppleInsider."

The ITC's decision to investigate is not an indication of a future ruling for or against Apple, the article adds. The commission can elect to investigate patent infringement complaints filed by major corporations.

All this is part of an ongoing battle between the two companies. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (mostly but not exclusively iPhone, iPad and iPod). Litigation between the two companies has taken place in several different federal courts.

In November 2010 Apple sued Motorola, alleging that the company's smartphone lineup and the operating software it uses infringe on the iPhone-maker's intellectual property. The two lawsuits came after Motorola sued Apple in October 2010 for patent infringement. Motorola claims that Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and certain Mac computers infringe Motorola patents.