The newly formed Clearwire Corp. is facing its first major challenge in the form of a patent lawsuit from Texas-based Adaptix.

Adaptix, which produces WiMAX hardware, is suing Clearwire and partner Sprint Nextel for infringing on six of its WiMAX-related patents.

Clearwire is infringing on Adaptix patents "by offering its Xohm and Clear services in compliance with the 802.16 and 802.16e WiMAX standards, and by making, using and/or selling the supporting WiMAX network used to provide such WiMAX services," according to the Dec. 1 filing.

Adaptix lists three products on its Web site: a base station and two mobile terminals. A note underneath the products lists 14 Adaptix patents that it says may or may not apply to all three products.

Of the 14 patents listed, three are mentioned in the Clearwire case.

Adaptix, which filed its case in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Texas, wants damages, attorneys' fees and costs, and a permanent injunction.

In May, Sprint agreed to take over the combined WiMAX operations of Clearwire in a deal backed by tech titans Comcast, Google, Intel, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks. Those partners will invest a total of $3.2 billion, the "vast majority" of which will go toward building out WiMAX markets across the country.

The venture was approved by the Federal Communications Commission on Election Day, and Sprint and Clearwire officially completed their WiMAX deal at the end of November.