In the latest escalation of a global legal battle, U.S. semiconductor giant Qualcomm on Thursday asked the country's trade regulators to stop the sales and import of Apple iPhones.
Qualcomm alleges that certain Apple iPhones components infringe its patents, thus it was seeking a ban on the smartphone's sales.
"Apple continues to use Qualcomm's technology while refusing to pay for it," Don Rosenberg, Qualcomm's general counsel, said in a statement.
"These lawsuits seek to stop Apple's infringement on six of our patented technologies."
In a suit filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission, Qualcomm requested that all iPhone imports and sales in the U.S. be banned.
Qualcomm claims that Apple has infringed six of its specific patents that are related to extending the iPhone's battery life.
"Qualcomm's inventions are at the heart of every iPhone and extend well beyond modem technologies or cellular standards," according to Rosenberg.
"The patents we are asserting represent six important technologies, out of a portfolio of thousands, and each is vital to the iPhone's functions."
Qualcomm wants the government to investigate which iPhones use components from competitors that infringe on its patents and then ban the sale of those specific models. Without the investigation, however, it is not clear exactly how many iPhones would be banned.
Apple referred Anadolu Agency (AA) to comments the company made in June regarding Qualcomm.
"Qualcomm's illegal business practices are harming Apple and the entire industry," an Apple spokesman had said at the time.
"They supply us with a single connectivity component, but for years have been demanding a percentage of the total cost of our products, effectively taxing Apple's innovation."
In January, Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion, alleging it charged royalties for technologies it should not have.
Qualcomm stock fell just more than 1 percent, to close Thursday at $54.79.