Patent infringement suits are common in the tech world and are often used as a means to get other companies to the negotiating table for a license deal. Other times the suits are used to get a product banned from being imported into the US. Motorola and Microsoft are both no strangers to both sides of a patent suit.

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Motorola recently filed a complaint with the ITC that the Xbox 360 from Microsoft infringed on some patents it holds relating to video streaming. The suit was a bit of tit for tat with Microsoft having filed its own company against Motorola back in October over Android smartphones. The USITC announced today that it had voted to initiate an investigation into the allegations made by Motorola.

The investigation is set to kick off soon, the first steps will be an evidentiary hearing, and then the ITC will decide if the case should be pursued further. Motorola's complaint alleges that the Xbox 360 violates section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and seeks a cease and desist order ruling. No decision on the merits of the case has been made at this point.