SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation	Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Immersion Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts, transactions, and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates	The preparation of consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with U.S. GAAP (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results may differ materially from those estimates which were made based on the best information known to management at that time. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, useful lives of property and equipment, valuation of income taxes including uncertain tax provisions, stock-based compensation and income taxes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities.
Foreign Currency Translation	Foreign Currency Translation The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is U.S. dollars. Accordingly, gains and losses from the remeasurement financial statements of the foreign subsidiaries into the U.S. dollars and from foreign currency transaction are included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Income (Loss).
Cash Equivalents	Cash Equivalents We consider all highly liquid instruments with an original or remaining maturity of 90 days or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.
Short-term Investments	Our short-term investments consist of U.S treasury bills with an original or remaining maturity of greater than 90 days on the date of purchase. These investments are classified as available-for-sale and carried at fair market value. Even though the stated maturity dates of these debt securities may be one year or more beyond the balance sheet date, we classified all debt securities as short-term investments as they are reasonably expected to be realized in cash or sold within one year. Unrealized gains or losses on such securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses from maturities of all such securities are reported in earnings and computed using the specific identification cost method. Realized gains or losses and charges for other-than-temporary declines in value, if any, on available-for-sale securities are reported in other income (expense), net, as incurred. We periodically evaluate these investments for other-than-temporary impairment.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	Financial instruments consist primarily of cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable and accounts payable. Cash equivalents and short-term investments are stated at fair value based on quoted market prices, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. The recorded cost of accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate the fair value of the respective assets and liabilities.
Property and Equipment	Property and equipment are stated at cost and is depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the related asset.Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or their estimated useful life.
Long-lived Assets	Long-lived AssetsWe evaluate our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of that asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when the sum of the undiscounted future net cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition is less than its carrying amount. Measurement of an impairment loss for long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangible assets that management expects to hold and use is based on the fair value of the asset.
Leases	Leases We lease our office space under lease arrangements with expiration dates on or before February 29, 2024. We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception under ASC 842 Leases. Our operating leases are accounted for as right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liability obligations in our Consolidated Balance Sheets under Other assets, net, Other current liabilities and Other long-term liabilities, respectively. ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liability represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease arrangements. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. We elect to combine lease and non-lease components and account for them as a single lease component. As our leases typically do not provide an implicit rate, we estimate our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. ROU assets also include any lease payments made and exclude lease incentives and direct costs. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. We elected to not present leases with an initial term of 12 months or less on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue	revenue is primarily derived from fixed fee license agreements and per-unit royalty agreements, along with less significant revenue earned from development, services and other revenue. Fixed fee license revenue We recognize revenue from a fixed fee license agreement when our performance obligation has been satisfied, which typically occurs upon the transfer of rights to our technology upon the execution of the license agreement. In certain contracts, we grant a license to our existing patent portfolio at the inception of the license agreement as well as rights to the portfolio as it evolves throughout the contract term. For such arrangements, we have two separate performance obligations: •Performance Obligation A: Transfer of rights to our patent portfolio as it exists when the contract is executed; •Performance Obligation B: Transfer of rights to our patent portfolio as it evolves over the term of the contract, including access to new patent applications that the licensee can benefit from over the term of the contract. If a fixed fee license agreement contains only Performance Obligation A, we will recognize most or all of the revenue from the agreement at the inception of the contract. For fixed fee license agreements that contain both Performance Obligation A and B, we will allocate the transaction price based on the standalone price for each of the two performance obligations. We use a number of factors primarily related to the attributes of our patent portfolio to estimate standalone prices related to Performance Obligation A and B. Once the transaction price is allocated, the portion of the transaction price allocable to Performance Obligation A will be recognized in the quarter the license agreement is signed and the customer can benefit from rights provided in the contract, and the portion allocable to Performance Obligation B will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the contract term. For such contracts, a contract liability account will be established and included within Deferred revenue and Long-term deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As the rights and obligations in a contract are interdependent, contract assets and contract liabilities that arise in the same contract are presented on a net basis. Some of our license agreements contain fixed fees related to past infringements. Such fixed fees are recognized as revenue or recorded as a deduction to our operating expense in the quarter the license agreement is signed. Payments for fixed fee license contracts typically are due in full within 30 - 45 days from execution of the contract. From time to time, we enter into a fixed fee license contract with payments due in a number of installments payable throughout the contract term. In such cases, we determine if a significant financing component exists and if it does, we will recognize more or less revenue and corresponding interest expense or income, as appropriate. Per-unit Royalty revenue We record per-unit royalty revenue in the same period in which the licensee’s underlying sales occur. As we generally do not receive the per-unit licensee royalty reports for sales during a given quarter within the time frame that allows us to adequately review the reports and include the actual amounts in our quarterly results for such quarter, we accrue the related revenue based on estimates of our licensees’ underlying sales, subject to certain constraints on our ability to estimate such amounts. We develop such estimates based on a combination of available data including, but not limited to, approved customer forecasts, a lookback at historical royalty reporting for each of our customers, and industry information available for the licensed products. As a result of accruing per-unit royalty revenue for the quarter based on such estimates, adjustments will be required in the following quarter to true up revenue to the actual amounts reported by its licensees. We recorded $0.1 million and $20,000 adjustments to decrease royalty revenue during the three months ended March 31, and June 30, 2020, respectively. We recorded $0.3 million and $0.6 million adjustments to increase royalty revenue during the three months ended September 30, and December 31, 2020, respectively. During the three months ended December 31, 2019 and September 30, 2019, we recorded $0.2 million and $0.1 million adjustments to decrease royalty revenue, respectively. During the three months ended June 30 and March 31, 2019, we recorded adjustments to increase royalty revenue by $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively. These adjustments represent the difference between the estimated per-unit royalty revenue we reported during the quarter and actual per-unit royalty revenue reported by our licensees after the quarterly reporting. Certain of our per-unit royalty agreements contain minimum royalty provisions which sets forth minimum amounts to be received by us during the contract term. Under Accounting Standard Codification 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, (“ASC 606”), minimum royalties are considered a fixed transaction price to which we have an unconditional right once all other performance obligations, if any, are satisfied. We recognize all minimum royalties as revenue at the inception of the license agreement, or in the period in which all remaining revenue recognition criteria have been met. We account for the unbilled minimum royalties as contract assets as Prepaid and other current assets and Other assets, net on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, and the balance of such contract assets will be reduced by the actual royalties to be reported by the licensee during the contract term until fully utilized, after which point any excess per-unit royalties reported are recognized as revenue. As the rights and obligations in a contract are interdependent, contract assets and contract liabilities that arise in the same contract are presented on a net basis. Payments of per-unit royalties typically are due within 30 to 60 days from the end of the quarter in which the underlying sales took place. Development, services, and other revenue As the performance obligation related to our development, service and other revenue is satisfied over a period of time, we recognize such revenue evenly over the period of performance obligations, which is generally consistent with the contractual term. Deferred revenue consists of amounts that have been invoiced or paid, but have not been recognized as revenue. The amounts are primarily derived from our fixed license fee agreements under which we are obliged to transfer both rights to our patent portfolio that exists when the contract is executed and rights to its patent portfolio as it evolves over the contract term. Deferred revenue that will be recognizable during the succeeding 12-month period is recorded as Deferred Revenue, and the remaining deferred revenue is recorded as Long-term deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Capitalized Contract Costs We capitalize certain incremental costs incurred, such as commissions, in order to obtain new contracts with our customers if we expect to recover these costs. The capitalized contract costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract.
Advertising	Advertising costs (including obligations under cooperative marketing programs) are expensed as incurred and included in Sales and Marketing expense on Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss).
Research and Development	Research and DevelopmentResearch and development expenses primarily consisted of personnel-related costs, including payroll and stock-based compensation, outside consulting expenses and allocations of corporate overhead expenses. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Income Taxes	Income Taxes We use the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, income tax expense is recognized for the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year. In addition, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized and are reversed at such time that realization is believed to be more likely than not.
Software Development Costs	Costs for the development of new software products and substantial enhancements to existing software products associated with the development of products for sale are expensed to research and development expense until technological feasibility has been established, at which time any additional costs would be capitalized. We consider technological feasibility to be established upon completion of a working model of the software. Because we believe our current process for developing software is essentially completed concurrently with the establishment of technological feasibility, no costs have been capitalized to date.
Concentration of Credit Risks	Financial instruments that potentially subject to a concentration of credit risk principally consist of cash, cash equivalents, short term investments, and accounts receivable. We are also subject to a concentration of revenues given certain key licensees that contributed a significant portion of our total revenue. See Note 12. Segment Reporting, Geographic Information and Significant Customers of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more details on customer revenue concentration. We invest primarily in money market accounts and highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an original or remaining maturity of greater than 90 days on the date of purchase. Deposits held with banks may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand. We license technology primarily to companies in North America, Europe, and Asia. To reduce credit risk, management performs periodic credit evaluations of the financial conditions of our customer. We periodically evaluate potential credit losses to ensure adequate reserves are maintained, but historically we have not experienced any significant losses related to individual customers or groups of customers in any particular industry or geographic area.
Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties	We operate in multiple industries and our operations can be affected by a variety of factors. For example, management believes that changes in any of the following areas could have a negative effect on our future financial position and results of operations: the mix of revenues; the loss of significant customers; fundamental changes in the technologies and our licensees’ products; market acceptance of our and our licensees’ products under development; development of sales channels; litigation or other claims in which we are involved; the ability to successfully assert its patent rights against others; the impact of changing economic conditions; the hiring, training, and retention of key employees; successful and timely completion of product and technology development efforts; and new product or technology introductions by competitors.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). This guidance requires financial assets measured at amortized cost to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected based on historical events, current conditions and forecast information. The standard will be effective for the first interim period within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We adopted ASU 2016-13 as of January 1, 2020. The adoption of this new accounting standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In December 2019, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which enhances and simplifies various aspects of the income tax accounting guidance, including requirements such as tax basis step-up in goodwill obtained in a transaction that is not a business combination, ownership changes in investments, and interim-period accounting for enacted changes in tax law. The amendment is effective for public companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020; early adoption is permitted. We adopted ASU 2019-12 as of January 1, 2021. The adoption of this new accounting standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Fair Value	Our fixed income available-for-sale securities consist of high quality, investment grade securities. We value these securities based on pricing from pricing vendors, who may use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2) in determining fair value. Financial instruments are valued based on quoted market prices in active markets include mostly money market securities. Such instruments are generally classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. Instruments based on quoted prices in markets that are less active, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency are generally classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and include U.S. treasury securities. Instruments valued based on unobservable inputs which reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions or data that market participants would use in valuing an instrument are generally classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, we did not hold any Level 3 instruments.
Segment Reporting, Policy	Segment Information We develop, license, and support a wide range of software and IP that more fully engage users’ senses of touch when operating digital devices. We focus on the following target application areas: mobile devices, wearables, consumer, mobile entertainment and other content; console gaming; automotive; medical; and commercial. We manage these application areas in one operating and reporting segment with only one set of management, development, and administrative personnel. Our chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) is the Chief Executive Officer. The CODM approves budgets and allocates resources to and assesses our business performance using information about our revenue and operating loss. There is only one segment that is reported to management.
Compensation Related Costs, Policy	Stock-based CompensationWe recognize stock-based compensation cost for shares, net of estimated forfeiture over the requisite service period of the award, which is the vesting period. We use the Black-Scholes Merton option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options and employee stock purchase plan shares. We estimate the fair value of market-performance based stock options and restricted stock units using a Monte Carlo simulation model which requires the input of assumptions, including expected term, stock price volatility and the risk-free rate of return. In addition, judgment is also required in estimating the number of stock-based awards that are expected to be forfeited. Forfeitures are estimated based on historical experience at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Immersion Corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts, transactions, and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with U.S. GAAP (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results may differ materially from those estimates which were made based on the best information known to management at that time. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, useful lives of property and equipment, valuation of income taxes including uncertain tax provisions, stock-based compensation and income taxes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities.

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is U.S. dollars. Accordingly, gains and losses from the remeasurement financial statements of the foreign subsidiaries into the U.S. dollars and from foreign currency transaction are included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid instruments with an original or remaining maturity of 90 days or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Short-term Investments

Our short-term investments consist of U.S treasury bills with an original or remaining maturity of greater than 90 days on the date of purchase. These investments are classified as available-for-sale and carried at fair market value. Even though the stated maturity dates of these debt securities may be one year or more beyond the balance sheet date, we classified all debt securities as short-term investments as they are reasonably expected to be realized in cash or sold within one year. Unrealized gains or losses on such securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses from maturities of all such securities are reported in earnings and computed using the specific identification cost method. Realized gains or losses and charges for other-than-temporary declines in value, if any, on available-for-sale securities are reported in other income (expense), net, as incurred. We periodically evaluate these investments for other-than-temporary impairment.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Financial instruments consist primarily of cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable and accounts payable. Cash equivalents and short-term investments are stated at fair value based on quoted market prices, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. The recorded cost of accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate the fair value of the respective assets and liabilities.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and is depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the related asset.Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or their estimated useful life.

Long-lived Assets

Long-lived AssetsWe evaluate our long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of that asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when the sum of the undiscounted future net cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition is less than its carrying amount. Measurement of an impairment loss for long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangible assets that management expects to hold and use is based on the fair value of the asset.

Leases

We lease our office space under lease arrangements with expiration dates on or before February 29, 2024. We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception under ASC 842 Leases. Our operating leases are accounted for as right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liability obligations in our Consolidated Balance Sheets under Other assets, net, Other current liabilities and Other long-term liabilities, respectively. ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liability represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease arrangements. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. We elect to

combine lease and non-lease components and account for them as a single lease component. As our leases typically do not provide an implicit rate, we estimate our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. ROU assets also include any lease payments made and exclude lease incentives and direct costs. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. We elected to not present leases with an initial term of 12 months or less on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue

revenue is primarily derived from fixed fee license agreements and per-unit royalty agreements, along with less significant revenue earned from development, services and other revenue.

Fixed fee license revenue

We recognize revenue from a fixed fee license agreement when our performance obligation has been satisfied, which typically occurs upon the transfer of rights to our technology upon the execution of the license agreement. In certain contracts, we grant a license to our existing patent portfolio at the inception of the license agreement as well as rights to the portfolio as it evolves throughout the contract term. For such arrangements, we have two separate performance obligations:

•Performance Obligation A: Transfer of rights to our patent portfolio as it exists when the contract is executed;

•Performance Obligation B: Transfer of rights to our patent portfolio as it evolves over the term of the contract, including access to new patent applications that the licensee can benefit from over the term of the contract.

If a fixed fee license agreement contains only Performance Obligation A, we will recognize most or all of the revenue from the agreement at the inception of the contract. For fixed fee license agreements that contain both Performance Obligation A and B, we will allocate the transaction price based on the standalone price for each of the two performance obligations. We use a number of factors primarily related to the attributes of our patent portfolio to estimate standalone prices related to Performance Obligation A and B. Once the transaction price is allocated, the portion of the transaction price allocable to Performance Obligation A will be recognized in the quarter the license agreement is signed and the customer can benefit from rights provided in the contract, and the portion allocable to Performance Obligation B will be recognized on a straight-line basis over the contract term. For such contracts, a contract liability account will be established and included within Deferred revenue and Long-term deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. As the rights and obligations in a contract are interdependent, contract assets and contract liabilities that arise in the same contract are presented on a net basis.

Some of our license agreements contain fixed fees related to past infringements. Such fixed fees are recognized as revenue or recorded as a deduction to our operating expense in the quarter the license agreement is signed.

Payments for fixed fee license contracts typically are due in full within 30 - 45 days from execution of the contract. From time to time, we enter into a fixed fee license contract with payments due in a number of installments payable throughout the contract term. In such cases, we determine if a significant financing component exists and if it does, we will recognize more or less revenue and corresponding interest expense or income, as appropriate.

Per-unit Royalty revenue

We record per-unit royalty revenue in the same period in which the licensee’s underlying sales occur. As we generally do not receive the per-unit licensee royalty reports for sales during a given quarter within the time frame that allows us to adequately review the reports and include the actual amounts in our quarterly results for such quarter, we accrue the related revenue based on estimates of our licensees’ underlying sales, subject to certain constraints on our ability to estimate such amounts. We develop such estimates based on a combination of available data including, but not limited to, approved customer forecasts, a lookback at historical royalty reporting for each of our customers, and industry information available for the licensed products.

As a result of accruing per-unit royalty revenue for the quarter based on such estimates, adjustments will be required in the following quarter to true up revenue to the actual amounts reported by its licensees. We recorded $0.1 million and $20,000 adjustments to decrease royalty revenue during the three months ended March 31, and June 30, 2020, respectively. We recorded $0.3 million and $0.6 million adjustments to increase royalty revenue during the three months ended September 30, and December 31, 2020, respectively. During the three months ended December 31, 2019 and September 30, 2019, we recorded $0.2 million and $0.1 million adjustments to decrease royalty revenue, respectively. During the three months ended June 30 and March 31, 2019, we recorded adjustments to increase royalty revenue by $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively. These adjustments represent the difference between the estimated per-unit royalty revenue we reported during the quarter and actual per-unit royalty revenue reported by our licensees after the quarterly reporting.

Certain of our per-unit royalty agreements contain minimum royalty provisions which sets forth minimum amounts to be received by us during the contract term. Under Accounting Standard Codification 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, (“ASC 606”), minimum royalties are considered a fixed transaction price to which we have an unconditional right once all other performance obligations, if any, are satisfied. We recognize all minimum royalties as revenue at the inception of the license agreement, or in the period in which all remaining revenue recognition criteria have been met. We account for the unbilled minimum royalties as contract assets as Prepaid and other current assets and Other assets, net on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, and the balance of such contract assets will be reduced by the actual royalties to be reported by the licensee during the contract term until fully utilized, after which point any excess per-unit royalties reported are recognized as revenue. As the rights and obligations in a contract are interdependent, contract assets and contract liabilities that arise in the same contract are presented on a net basis.

Payments of per-unit royalties typically are due within 30 to 60 days from the end of the quarter in which the underlying sales took place.

Development, services, and other revenue

As the performance obligation related to our development, service and other revenue is satisfied over a period of time, we recognize such revenue evenly over the period of performance obligations, which is generally consistent with the contractual term.

Deferred revenue consists of amounts that have been invoiced or paid, but have not been recognized as revenue. The amounts are primarily derived from our fixed license fee agreements under which we are obliged to transfer both rights to our patent portfolio that exists when the contract is executed and rights to its patent portfolio as it evolves over the contract term.

Deferred revenue that will be recognizable during the succeeding 12-month period is recorded as Deferred Revenue, and the remaining deferred revenue is recorded as Long-term deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Capitalized Contract Costs

We capitalize certain incremental costs incurred, such as commissions, in order to obtain new contracts with our customers if we expect to recover these costs. The capitalized contract costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract.

Advertising

Advertising costs (including obligations under cooperative marketing programs) are expensed as incurred and included in Sales and Marketing expense on Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Research and Development

Research and DevelopmentResearch and development expenses primarily consisted of personnel-related costs, including payroll and stock-based compensation, outside consulting expenses and allocations of corporate overhead expenses. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Income Taxes

We use the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, income tax expense is recognized for the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year. In addition, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized and are reversed at such time that realization is believed to be more likely than not.

Software Development Costs

Costs for the development of new software products and substantial enhancements to existing software products associated with the development of products for sale are expensed to research and development expense until technological feasibility has been established, at which time any additional costs would be capitalized. We consider technological feasibility to be established upon completion of a working model of the software. Because we believe our current process for developing software is essentially completed concurrently with the establishment of technological feasibility, no costs have been capitalized to date.

Concentration of Credit Risks

Financial instruments that potentially subject to a concentration of credit risk principally consist of cash, cash equivalents, short term investments, and accounts receivable. We are also subject to a concentration of revenues given certain key licensees that contributed a significant portion of our total revenue. See Note 12. Segment Reporting, Geographic Information and Significant Customers of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more details on customer revenue concentration. We invest primarily in money market accounts and highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an original or remaining maturity of greater than 90 days on the date of purchase. Deposits held with banks may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand. We license technology primarily to companies in North America, Europe, and Asia. To reduce credit risk, management performs periodic credit evaluations of the financial conditions of our customer. We periodically evaluate potential credit losses to ensure adequate reserves are maintained, but historically we have not experienced any significant losses related to individual customers or groups of customers in any particular industry or geographic area.

Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties

We operate in multiple industries and our operations can be affected by a variety of factors. For example, management believes that changes in any of the following areas could have a negative effect on our future financial position and results of operations: the mix of revenues; the loss of significant customers; fundamental changes in the technologies and our licensees’ products; market acceptance of our and our licensees’ products under development; development of sales channels; litigation or other claims in which we are involved; the ability to successfully assert its patent rights against others; the impact of changing economic conditions; the hiring, training, and retention of key employees; successful and timely completion of product and technology development efforts; and new product or technology introductions by competitors.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). This guidance requires financial assets measured at amortized cost to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected based on historical events, current conditions and forecast information. The standard will be effective for the first interim period within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We adopted ASU 2016-13 as of January 1, 2020. The adoption of this new accounting standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which enhances and simplifies various aspects of the income tax accounting guidance, including requirements such as tax basis step-up in goodwill obtained in a transaction that is not a business combination, ownership changes in investments, and interim-period accounting for enacted changes in tax law. The amendment is effective for public companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020; early adoption is permitted. We adopted ASU 2019-12 as of January 1, 2021. The adoption of this new accounting standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value

Our fixed income available-for-sale securities consist of high quality, investment grade securities. We value these securities based on pricing from pricing vendors, who may use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2) in determining fair value.

Financial instruments are valued based on quoted market prices in active markets include mostly money market securities. Such instruments are generally classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

Instruments based on quoted prices in markets that are less active, broker or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency are generally classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and include U.S. treasury securities.

Instruments valued based on unobservable inputs which reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions or data that market participants would use in valuing an instrument are generally classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, we did not hold any Level 3 instruments.

Segment Reporting, Policy

Segment Information

We develop, license, and support a wide range of software and IP that more fully engage users’ senses of touch when operating digital devices. We focus on the following target application areas: mobile devices, wearables, consumer, mobile entertainment and other content; console gaming; automotive; medical; and commercial. We manage these application areas in one operating and reporting segment with only one set of management, development, and administrative personnel.

Our chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) is the Chief Executive Officer. The CODM approves budgets and allocates resources to and assesses our business performance using information about our revenue and operating loss. There is only one segment that is reported to management.

Compensation Related Costs, Policy

Stock-based CompensationWe recognize stock-based compensation cost for shares, net of estimated forfeiture over the requisite service period of the award, which is the vesting period. We use the Black-Scholes Merton option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options and employee stock purchase plan shares. We estimate the fair value of market-performance based stock options and restricted stock units using a Monte Carlo simulation model which requires the input of assumptions, including expected term, stock price volatility and the risk-free rate of return. In addition, judgment is also required in estimating the number of stock-based awards that are expected to be forfeited. Forfeitures are estimated based on historical experience at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.