Samsung Electronics and Lenovo-owned Motorola Mobility faced the prospect of an import ban on certain LTE devices after the US International Trade Commission (ITC) opened an investigation into alleged patent infringements.

The probe follows a complaint from Texas-based Evolved Wireless filed last month accusing the companies of violating three of its patents covering methods for transmitting data and radio access information needed to establish a network connection.

Evolved Wireless asked the ITC to issue a cease and desist, and exclusion order limiting imports of products which infringe on its patents.

The agency explained it had yet to make a decision on the merits of the case and would assign a judge to hold an evidentiary hearing to determine whether a violation of US law had occurred.

It pledged to provide a target date for completion of its investigation within 45 days.

The case is the ITC’s second to involve Samsung in as many months, after it detailed plans to probe a 5G patent dispute between the company and Ericsson.