Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Litigation We and certain of our subsidiaries are currently parties to various legal proceedings, including those noted in this section. Unless otherwise noted below, during the periods presented we have not: recorded any accrual for loss contingencies associated with such legal proceedings; determined that an unfavorable outcome is probable or reasonably possible; or determined that the amount or range of any possible loss is reasonably estimable. We are engaged in numerous other legal actions not described below arising in the ordinary course of our business and, while there can be no assurance, we believe that the ultimate outcome of these actions will not have a material adverse effect on our operating results, liquidity or financial position. From time to time we may conclude it is in the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and customers to settle one or more litigation matters, and any such settlement could include substantial payments; however, other than as noted below, we have not reached this conclusion with respect to any particular matter at this time. There are a variety of factors that influence our decisions to settle and the amount we may choose to pay, including the strength of our case, developments in the litigation, the behavior of other interested parties, the demand on management time and the possible distraction of our employees associated with the case and/or the possibility that we may be subject to an injunction or other equitable remedy. It is difficult to predict whether a settlement is possible, the amount of an appropriate settlement or when is the opportune time to settle a matter in light of the numerous factors that go into the settlement decision. Intellectual Property Proceedings In March 2013, NXP B.V. sued Nintendo, our customer, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, asserting five patents against the Wii U, a Nintendo product. In October 2013, NXP B.V. withdrew its complaint against Nintendo and filed a new complaint against us, Case No. 2-13-cv-01883 (D. Nev.), asserting the same five patents against our near field communications (NFC) products. We have not yet responded to the complaint. No trial date has been set. At the request of the parties, the Court has granted a temporary stay while the parties pursue settlement discussions. In May 2013, we sued NXP Semiconductors USA, Inc. for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. SACV13-829-MRP-MAN (C.D. Cal.). The complaint accuses the NXP entities of infringing five of our patents and identifies certain NXP NFC and Secure Element products as representative accused products. No trial date has been set. At the request of the parties, the Court has granted a temporary stay while the parties pursue settlement discussions. We and our subsidiaries are also involved in other intellectual property proceedings, claims and litigation. We will disclose the nature of any such matter if we believe it to be material. Particularly in the early stages of such proceedings, an assessment of materiality may be complicated by limited information, including, without limitation, limited information about the patents-in-suit and Broadcom products against which the patents are being asserted. Accordingly, our assessment of materiality may change in the future based upon availability of discovery and further developments in the proceedings at issue. Some of these intellectual property proceedings may involve, for example, “non-practicing entities” asserting claims addressing certain of our products. The resolution of intellectual property litigation can include, among other things, payment of damages, royalties, or other amounts, which could adversely impact our product gross margins in future periods, or could prevent us from manufacturing or selling some of our products or limit or restrict the type of work that employees may perform for us. In addition, from time to time we are approached by holders of intellectual property, including non-practicing entities, to engage in discussions about our obtaining licenses to their intellectual property. We will disclose the nature of any such discussion if we determine that (i) it is probable an intellectual property holder will assert a claim of infringement, (ii) there is a reasonable possibility the outcome (assuming assertion) will be unfavorable, and (iii) the resulting liability would be material to our financial condition or results of operations. Other Proceedings In September 2013 the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, a Chinese regulatory agency, commenced an informal review of our compliance with China’s antitrust laws. We fully cooperated with this review and made our last submission of information to the SAIC in October 2013. General We and our subsidiaries are also involved in other legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We will disclose the nature of any such matter if we believe it to be material. The pending proceedings described above involve complex questions of fact and law and may require the expenditure of significant funds and the diversion of other resources to prosecute and defend. The results of legal proceedings are inherently uncertain, and material adverse outcomes are possible. From time to time we may enter into confidential discussions regarding the potential settlement of pending intellectual property or other litigation or other proceedings; however, there can be no assurance that any such discussions will occur or will result in a settlement. In the course of such settlement discussions, if we conclude that a settlement loss is probable and the settlement amount is estimable we may record settlement costs, notwithstanding not having reached a final settlement agreement. The settlement of any pending litigation or other proceedings could require us to incur substantial settlement payments and costs. Furthermore, the settlement of any intellectual property proceeding may require us to grant a license to certain of our intellectual property rights to the other party under a cross-license agreement. If any of those events were to occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Litigation

We and certain of our subsidiaries are currently parties to various legal proceedings, including those noted in this section. Unless otherwise noted below, during the periods presented we have not: recorded any accrual for loss contingencies associated with such legal proceedings; determined that an unfavorable outcome is probable or reasonably possible; or determined that the amount or range of any possible loss is reasonably estimable. We are engaged in numerous other legal actions not described below arising in the ordinary course of our business and, while there can be no assurance, we believe that the ultimate outcome of these actions will not have a material adverse effect on our operating results, liquidity or financial position.

From time to time we may conclude it is in the best interests of our shareholders, employees, and customers to settle one or more litigation matters, and any such settlement could include substantial payments; however, other than as noted below, we have not reached this conclusion with respect to any particular matter at this time. There are a variety of factors that influence our decisions to settle and the amount we may choose to pay, including the strength of our case, developments in the litigation, the behavior of other interested parties, the demand on management time and the possible distraction of our employees associated with the case and/or the possibility that we may be subject to an injunction or other equitable remedy. It is difficult to predict whether a settlement is possible, the amount of an appropriate settlement or when is the opportune time to settle a matter in light of the numerous factors that go into the settlement decision.

Intellectual Property Proceedings

In March 2013, NXP B.V. sued Nintendo, our customer, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, asserting five patents against the Wii U, a Nintendo product. In October 2013, NXP B.V. withdrew its complaint against Nintendo and filed a new complaint against us, Case No. 2-13-cv-01883 (D. Nev.), asserting the same five patents against our near field communications (NFC) products. We have not yet responded to the complaint. No trial date has been set. At the request of the parties, the Court has granted a temporary stay while the parties pursue settlement discussions.

In May 2013, we sued NXP Semiconductors USA, Inc. for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. SACV13-829-MRP-MAN (C.D. Cal.). The complaint accuses the NXP entities of infringing five of our patents and identifies certain NXP NFC and Secure Element products as representative accused products. No trial date has been set. At the request of the parties, the Court has granted a temporary stay while the parties pursue settlement discussions.

We and our subsidiaries are also involved in other intellectual property proceedings, claims and litigation. We will disclose the nature of any such matter if we believe it to be material. Particularly in the early stages of such proceedings, an assessment of materiality may be complicated by limited information, including, without limitation, limited information about the patents-in-suit and Broadcom products against which the patents are being asserted. Accordingly, our assessment of materiality may change in the future based upon availability of discovery and further developments in the proceedings at issue. Some of these intellectual property proceedings may involve, for example, “non-practicing entities” asserting claims addressing certain of our products. The resolution of intellectual property litigation can include, among other things, payment of damages, royalties, or other amounts, which could adversely impact our product gross margins in future periods, or could prevent us from manufacturing or selling some of our products or limit or restrict the type of work that employees may perform for us. In addition, from time to time we are approached by holders of intellectual property, including non-practicing entities, to engage in discussions about our obtaining licenses to their intellectual property. We will disclose the nature of any such discussion if we determine that (i) it is probable an intellectual property holder will assert a claim of infringement, (ii) there is a reasonable possibility the outcome (assuming assertion) will be unfavorable, and (iii) the resulting liability would be material to our financial condition or results of operations.

Other Proceedings

In September 2013 the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, a Chinese regulatory agency, commenced an informal review of our compliance with China’s antitrust laws. We fully cooperated with this review and made our last submission of information to the SAIC in October 2013.

General

We and our subsidiaries are also involved in other legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. We will disclose the nature of any such matter if we believe it to be material.

The pending proceedings described above involve complex questions of fact and law and may require the expenditure of significant funds and the diversion of other resources to prosecute and defend. The results of legal proceedings are inherently uncertain, and material adverse outcomes are possible. From time to time we may enter into confidential discussions regarding the potential settlement of pending intellectual property or other litigation or other proceedings; however, there can be no assurance that any such discussions will occur or will result in a settlement. In the course of such settlement discussions, if we conclude that a settlement loss is probable and the settlement amount is estimable we may record settlement costs, notwithstanding not having reached a final settlement agreement. The settlement of any pending litigation or other proceedings could require us to incur substantial settlement payments and costs. Furthermore, the settlement of any intellectual property proceeding may require us to grant a license to certain of our intellectual property rights to the other party under a cross-license agreement. If any of those events were to occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.