Apple is going after HTC with a civil lawsuit claiming that HTC infringed on 20 different patents held by Apple. The infringements cover the iPhone’s underlying architecture, hardware and user interface. Things like the power conservation, finger-swipe unlocking processes, the accelerometer and a variety of other capabilities.

Apple is suing HTC and wants to ban the sale of HTC Phones that run Google’s Andoid operating system. These phones include Droid Eris for Verizon and the Hero for Sprint. The allegation against these phones is that they copy the iPhone’s functionality. The suit also takes aim at HTC’s Windows Mobile versions since it is alleged they are using the hardware decoders for the iPhone.

HTC is a major maufacturer of mobile phones including the G1, Nexus One, Dream, MyTouch, Touch Pro 2 and many others.

“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. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours,” Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs said in a statement.

Records indicate that the lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Delaware and with the US International Trade Commission.

“HTC values patent rights and their enforcement but is also committed to defending its own technology innovations. Until we have had this opportunity, we are unable to comment on the validity of the claims being made against HTC,” an HTC spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times.

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