Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]

Inventories consist of the following (in thousands):

	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Purchased materials	$	148	$	164
Finished goods	2,422		2,729
	$	2,570	$	2,893

Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block]

Accrued liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):

	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Accrued payroll and related costs	$	1,299	$	2,119
Warranty reserve	118		120
Contingent consideration	—		318
Restructuring charges	273		—
Other accrued liabilities	484		328
	$	2,174	$	2,885

Significant Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block]

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the percentage of the Company's total accounts receivable balance that were due from the following significant customers is as follows (refer to Note 9 - Significant Customers for a discussion of revenues generated from the Company's significant customers):

	December 31,
	2016	2015
Enel Distribuzione Spa	—%	18.2%
Avnet Europe Comm VA	26.9%	12.9%
Total	26.9%	31.1%

Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]

The following is a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted net loss per share computations for the years endedDecember 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Year ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Net loss (Numerator):
Net loss from continuing operations attributable to Echelon Corporation Stockholders	$	(4,103	)	$	(13,233	)	$	(15,611	)
Net loss from discontinued operations attributable to Echelon Corporation Stockholders	—			—			(8,715		)
Net loss attributable to Echelon Corporation Stockholders	$	(4,103	)	$	(13,233	)	$	(24,326	)
Shares (Denominator):
Weighted average common shares outstanding	4,425			4,409			4,350
Shares used in basic computation	4,425			4,409			4,350
Common shares issuable upon exercise of stock options (treasury stock method)	—			—			—
Shares used in diluted computation	4,425			4,409			4,350
Net loss per share:
Basic and diluted net loss per share from continuing operations attributable to Echelon Corporation Stockholders	$	(0.93	)	$	(3.00	)	$	(3.59	)
Basic and diluted net loss per share from discontinued operations attributable to Echelon Corporation Stockholders	$	0.00		$	0.00		$	(2.00	)
Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to Echelon Corporation Stockholders	$	(0.93	)	$	(3.00	)	$	(5.59	)