Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Available-for-sale Securities (in Dollars)	$ 14,121,000	$ 14,121,000	$ 25,281,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss), Excluding Other than Temporary Impairments (in Dollars)		40,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life		40 years
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life		5 years
Distribution Agreement Termination Description		three
Standard Product Warranty Description	12	one
Deferred Revenue (in Dollars)	900,000	900,000	1,400,000
Valuation Allowance, Amount (in Dollars)	14,600,000	14,600,000	12,500,000
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax (in Dollars)	4,700,000	4,700,000	4,200,000
Face Value [Member] | Auction Rate Securities [Member]
Available-for-sale Securities (in Dollars)	12,300,000	12,300,000
Auction Rate Securities [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Adjustment, Net of Tax (in Dollars)	$ 500,000	$ 500,000	$ 600,000
Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		three
Vendor Payment Terms		30 days
Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		forty
Vendor Payment Terms		45 years
Third Party Arrangements [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage		91.00%
Small Distributor Purchase Orders [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage		9.00%