Note 10 - Litigation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]
Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block]	10. Litigation The Company and certain of its subsidiaries are parties to actions and proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including litigation regarding its shareholders and its intellectual property, challenges to the enforceability or validity of its intellectual property and claims that the Company’s products infringe on the intellectual property rights of others. These proceedings often 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 Company defends itself vigorously against any such claims. *O2 Micro* In May 2012, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (the “District Court”) 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 was in addition to the approximately $0.3 million in taxable costs that the District Court had earlier ordered O2 Micro to pay to the Company in connection with the same lawsuit. In October 2012, O2 Micro appealed the District Court’s judgment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the “Federal Circuit”). In August 2013, the Federal Circuit affirmed O2 Micro’s liability for the full amount of the award. In September 2013, O2 Micro filed a petition for rehearing of that ruling, but the Federal Circuit denied O2 Micro’s petition for rehearing on October 16, 2013. In November 2013, the Company received a cash payment of $9.5 million from O2 Micro. In January 2014, O2 Micro filed an appeal with the United States Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court agrees to review the case and O2 Micro is successful in obtaining a favorable ruling against the Company, MPS may be liable to return a portion or all of the $9.5 million to O2 Micro. Accordingly, the Company recorded the $9.5 million as a current liability as of December 31, 2013. *Silergy* In December 2011, the Company entered into a settlement and license agreement with Silergy Corp. and Silergy Technology for infringement of the Company’s patent whereby the Company would receive a total of $2.0 million. The first $1.2 million was paid in equal installments of $300,000 in each quarter of 2012 and the remainder was paid in two equal installments in the first two quarters of 2013. No further amount was due to the Company as of December 31, 2013. All amounts were recorded as credits to litigation expense (benefit), net, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the periods the proceeds were received. *Linear* In August 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an order affirming the judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware finding Linear Technology Corporation (“Linear”) liable for approximately $2.3 million in attorneys’ fees and non-taxable costs, plus interest, in connection with the litigation regarding a contract dispute that the Company won in 2011. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company received a payment from Linear of $2.3 million plus $0.2 million reimbursement of additional attorney fees in connection with the cost of defending the appeal, which was recorded as a credit to litigation expense (benefit), net, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Note 10 - Litigation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]

Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block]

10. Litigation

The Company and certain of its subsidiaries are parties to actions and proceedings in the ordinary course of business, including litigation regarding its shareholders and its intellectual property, challenges to the enforceability or validity of its intellectual property and claims that the Company’s products infringe on the intellectual property rights of others. These proceedings often 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 Company defends itself vigorously against any such claims.

O2 Micro

In May 2012, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (the “District Court”) 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 was in addition to the approximately $0.3 million in taxable costs that the District Court had earlier ordered O2 Micro to pay to the Company in connection with the same lawsuit. In October 2012, O2 Micro appealed the District Court’s judgment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the “Federal Circuit”). In August 2013, the Federal Circuit affirmed O2 Micro’s liability for the full amount of the award. In September 2013, O2 Micro filed a petition for rehearing of that ruling, but the Federal Circuit denied O2 Micro’s petition for rehearing on October 16, 2013.

In November 2013, the Company received a cash payment of $9.5 million from O2 Micro. In January 2014, O2 Micro filed an appeal with the United States Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court agrees to review the case and O2 Micro is successful in obtaining a favorable ruling against the Company, MPS may be liable to return a portion or all of the $9.5 million to O2 Micro. Accordingly, the Company recorded the $9.5 million as a current liability as of December 31, 2013.

Silergy

In December 2011, the Company entered into a settlement and license agreement with Silergy Corp. and Silergy Technology for infringement of the Company’s patent whereby the Company would receive a total of $2.0 million. The first $1.2 million was paid in equal installments of $300,000 in each quarter of 2012 and the remainder was paid in two equal installments in the first two quarters of 2013. No further amount was due to the Company as of December 31, 2013. All amounts were recorded as credits to litigation expense (benefit), net, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the periods the proceeds were received.

Linear

In August 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an order affirming the judgment issued by the United States District Court for the District of Delaware finding Linear Technology Corporation (“Linear”) liable for approximately $2.3 million in attorneys’ fees and non-taxable costs, plus interest, in connection with the litigation regarding a contract dispute that the Company won in 2011. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company received a payment from Linear of $2.3 million plus $0.2 million reimbursement of additional attorney fees in connection with the cost of defending the appeal, which was recorded as a credit to litigation expense (benefit), net, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.