Novatel Wireless Inc. said it filed an additional lawsuit against Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corp. and its U.S. unit for potential patent infringement.

The suit is the second patent infringement lawsuit involving mobile hotspots that the small wireless technologies company has filed against ZTE.

"We are committed to protecting our innovations and our intellectual property from those who take our proprietary technology," Peter Leparulo, chief executive of Novatel Wireless, said.

A ZTE representative declined to immediately comment.

Earlier this month, small video-ringtone and intellectual property company Vringo Inc. filed a lawsuit against ZTE related to patents for handsets, base stations and base station controllers.

Novatel's shares closed Monday at $1.70 and were inactive premarket. The stock is down 46% so far this year.