Apple claims HTC, of Taiwan, infringed on 20 patents governing a range of technologies. It filed the actions Tuesday with the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court for Delaware.

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"We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We've decided to do something about it," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, in a statement.

"We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own technology, not steal ours," said Jobs.

Patent suits are not uncommon in the ultra-competitive tech industry, but vendors generally take a low-key approach and let court documents speak for themselves. That Apple issued a press release featuring its high-profile CEO indicates the company views HTC's alleged infringements as a serious competitive threat.

"Apple has been and continues to be damaged by defendants' infringement," Apple said in its filing with the Delaware court.

HTC manufacturers mobile devices for a number of third-parties, but its recent introduction of the Nexus One for Google may be what caught Apple's attention. Like the iPhone, the Nexus One features a touch-screen, a built-in GPS, and downloadable applications.

The patents in question cover touch-screens, gesture recognition, scrolling, power management, and other technologies.

Apple is seeking unspecified damages. HTC has yet to issue a formal response to the allegations.

Amid rising competition in the mobile market, Apple is becoming increasingly aggressive in protecting what it believes is proprietary technology. The company sued Nokia in December, claiming the Finnish handset maker also infringed on iPhone patents. That case is ongoing.

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