The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to launch an investigation into claims that Nintendo’s Wii console and the system’s controls infringe upon existing patents.

The independent, quasi-judicial federal agency decided to carry out the investigation after Maryland-based Hillcrest Laboratories said last month that Nintendo’s Wii infringes on patents pertaining to motion control technology and graphical interface software.

Specifically, the complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a law that was established to prevent foreign imports from infringing upon American patents.

Hillcrest has requested that the ITC issue an exclusion order and a cease and desist order, which would block Japan-based Nintendo from importing Wii units and Wii Remotes.

“By instituting this investigation (337-TA-658), the ITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case,” said the body, which typically issues a verdict on such cases within 15 months.

Back in June a federal court ordered Nintendo to pay Texas-based Anascape $21 million for controller patent infringements.

The platform holder currently has product-related lawsuits pending in Texas, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Wilmington, Delaware.