Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	6 Months Ended
Apr. 01, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Principles Of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and our wholly owned subsidiaries. In addition, we have consolidated the financial results of jointly owned affiliated companies in which our principal stockholder has a controlling interest. We report these controlling interests as a separate line in our condensed consolidated statements of operations as net income attributable to controlling interest and in our condensed consolidated balance sheets as a controlling interest. We eliminate all intercompany accounts and transactions upon consolidation.
Operating Segments	Operating Segments Since we operate as a single reportable segment, all required financial segment information is included in our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements. This reflects the fact that our CODM, our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), evaluates our financial information and resources, and assesses the performance of these resources on a consolidated basis.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include estimated shipments by our licensees for which we are owed a sales-based royalty. These estimates involve the use of historical data and judgment for several key attributes including industry estimates of expected shipments, the percentage of markets using our technologies, and average sale prices. Our estimates of royalty-based revenue also take into consideration the macroeconomic effect of global events, such as the coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19") or other natural disasters which may impact our licensees' supply chain activities as well as demand for shipments. Additional significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include ESPs for performance obligations within revenue arrangements; allowances for credit losses for accounts receivable; carrying values of inventories and certain PP&E, goodwill and intangible assets; fair values of investments; accrued liabilities including unrecognized tax benefits, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and contingent liabilities; and stock-based compensation. Actual results could differ from our estimates.
Fiscal Year	Fiscal Year Our fiscal year is a 52 or 53 week period ending on the last Friday in September. The fiscal periods presented herein include the 13 week period ended April 1, 2022 and March 26, 2021. Our fiscal year ending September 30, 2022 (fiscal 2022) consists of 53 weeks, and our fiscal year ended September 24, 2021 (fiscal 2021) consisted of 52 weeks.
Recently Issued Accounting Policies	Recently Issued Accounting Standards Adopted Standards Income Taxes. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, which modifies and eliminates certain exceptions to the general principles of ASC 740, Income Taxes. We adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, and it did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. Standards Not Yet Adopted Business Combinations. In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, which requires contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination to be recognized and measured by an acquirer in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Currently, we recognize acquired contract assets and contract liabilities at fair value as of the acquisition date, in accordance with ASC 805. This standard will be effective for Dolby beginning September 30, 2023 on a prospective basis, but early adoption is permitted. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

6 Months Ended

Apr. 01, 2022

Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and our wholly owned subsidiaries. In addition, we have consolidated the financial results of jointly owned affiliated companies in which our principal stockholder has a controlling interest. We report these controlling interests as a separate line in our condensed consolidated statements of operations as net income attributable to controlling interest and in our condensed consolidated balance sheets as a controlling interest. We eliminate all intercompany accounts and transactions upon consolidation.

Operating Segments

Since we operate as a single reportable segment, all required financial segment information is included in our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements. This reflects the fact that our CODM, our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), evaluates our financial information and resources, and assesses the performance of these resources on a consolidated basis.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include estimated shipments by our licensees for which we are owed a sales-based royalty. These estimates involve the use of historical data and judgment for several key attributes including industry estimates of expected shipments, the percentage of markets using our technologies, and average sale prices. Our estimates of royalty-based revenue also take into consideration the macroeconomic effect of global events, such as the coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19") or other natural disasters which may impact our licensees' supply chain activities as well as demand for shipments.

Additional significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include ESPs for performance obligations within revenue arrangements; allowances for credit losses for accounts receivable; carrying values of inventories and certain PP&E, goodwill and intangible assets; fair values of investments; accrued liabilities including unrecognized tax benefits, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and contingent liabilities; and stock-based compensation. Actual results could differ from our estimates.

Fiscal Year

Our fiscal year is a 52 or 53 week period ending on the last Friday in September. The fiscal periods presented herein include the 13 week period ended April 1, 2022 and March 26, 2021. Our fiscal year ending September 30,

2022 (fiscal 2022) consists of 53 weeks, and our fiscal year ended September 24, 2021 (fiscal 2021) consisted of 52 weeks.

Recently Issued Accounting Policies

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Adopted Standards

Income Taxes. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, which modifies and eliminates certain exceptions to the general principles of ASC 740, Income Taxes. We adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, and it did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Standards Not Yet Adopted

Business Combinations. In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, which requires contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination to be recognized and measured by an acquirer in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Currently, we recognize acquired contract assets and contract liabilities at fair value as of the acquisition date, in accordance with ASC 805. This standard will be effective for Dolby beginning September 30, 2023 on a prospective basis, but early adoption is permitted. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for segment reporting.

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