Note 11 - Subsequent Events	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	11. Subsequent Events On May 3, 2012, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order finding O2 Micro International, Ltd. ("O2 Micro") liable for approximately $9.1 million in attorneys' fees and non-taxable costs, plus interest, in connection with the patent litigation that the Company won in 2010. This award is in addition to the approximately $340,000 in taxable costs that the Court had earlier ordered O2 Micro to pay to the Company in connection with the same lawsuit. O2 Micro filed complaints against the Company in both the United States International Trade Commission (“ITC”) and and the Northern District of California, alleging that the Company infringed four O2 Micro patents but then voluntarily dismissed three patents. In June 2010, the ITC found that the Company's products did not infringe O2 Micro's patent. Subsequently, O2 Micro unilaterally dismissed its infringement claims with prejudice, and granted the Company and its customers broad covenants not to sue in the district court case. On March 3, 2011, the Court ordered O2 Micro to pay the Company $339,315.13 in costs. The Court also found that "O2 Micro engaged in a vexatious litigation strategy and litigation misconduct," entitling the Company to its reasonable attorneys' fees. O2 Micro's vexatious litigation strategy consisted of filing lawsuits against the Company and its customers; only to dismiss them after substantial litigation had taken place. This allowed O2 Micro to damage the Company's business while avoiding trials at which the validity of its patents would be challenged. Since that time, the Company submitted the documentation for its attorneys' fees and non-taxable costs. O2 Micro challenged those fees on various grounds. On May 3, 2012, the Court accepted the Company's figures and entered an order awarding $8,419,429 in attorneys' fees, and $663,151 in non-taxable costs, plus interest. The Court then entered judgment for the Company. The Company anticipates that O2 Micro will appeal the Court's orders and the final judgment. These amounts will be recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the company when all related appeals have been exhausted and collectibility is probable.

Note 11 - Subsequent Events

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

11. Subsequent Events

On May 3, 2012, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order finding O2 Micro International, Ltd. ("O2 Micro") liable for approximately $9.1 million in attorneys' fees and non-taxable costs, plus interest, in connection with the patent litigation that the Company won in 2010. This award is in addition to the approximately $340,000 in taxable costs that the Court had earlier ordered O2 Micro to pay to the Company in connection with the same lawsuit.

O2 Micro filed complaints against the Company in both the United States International Trade Commission (“ITC”) and and the Northern District of California, alleging that the Company infringed four O2 Micro patents but then voluntarily dismissed three patents. In June 2010, the ITC found that the Company's products did not infringe O2 Micro's patent. Subsequently, O2 Micro unilaterally dismissed its infringement claims with prejudice, and granted the Company and its customers broad covenants not to sue in the district court case.

On March 3, 2011, the Court ordered O2 Micro to pay the Company $339,315.13 in costs. The Court also found that "O2 Micro engaged in a vexatious litigation strategy and litigation misconduct," entitling the Company to its reasonable attorneys' fees. O2 Micro's vexatious litigation strategy consisted of filing lawsuits against the Company and its customers; only to dismiss them after substantial litigation had taken place. This allowed O2 Micro to damage the Company's business while avoiding trials at which the validity of its patents would be challenged.

Since that time, the Company submitted the documentation for its attorneys' fees and non-taxable costs. O2 Micro challenged those fees on various grounds. On May 3, 2012, the Court accepted the Company's figures and entered an order awarding $8,419,429 in attorneys' fees, and $663,151 in non-taxable costs, plus interest. The Court then entered judgment for the Company.

The Company anticipates that O2 Micro will appeal the Court's orders and the final judgment. These amounts will be recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the company when all related appeals have been exhausted and collectibility is probable.