Contingencies (Details) (USD $)														6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	20 Months Ended		19 Months Ended
	Jan. 09, 2009 Patent Matters [Member] Rambus Patent Litigation Delaware [Member] integer	Aug. 28, 2000 Patent Matters [Member] Rambus Patent Litigation Delaware [Member] integer	Jan. 13, 2006 Patent Matters [Member] Rambus Patent Litigation Northern California [Member] integer	Jul. 08, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Panavision Imaging Patent Litigation [Member] integer	Mar. 10, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Panavision Imaging Patent Litigation [Member] integer	Feb. 07, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Panavision Imaging Patent Litigation [Member] integer	Mar. 06, 2009 Patent Matters [Member] Panavision Imaging Patent Litigation [Member] integer	Sep. 01, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] HSM Portfolio LLC and Technology Properties LLC [Member] integer	Nov. 16, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Advanced Data Access LLC [Member] integer	Sep. 09, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Advanced Data Access LLC [Member] integer	Sep. 14, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Smart Memory Solutions LLC [Member] integer	Dec. 05, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Board Of Trustees For The University Of Illinois [Member] integer	Mar. 26, 2012 Patent Matters [Member] Semiconductor Technologies, LLC [Member] integer	Mar. 01, 2012 Antitrust Matters [Member] Rambus DRAM Complaint [Member]	Jul. 31, 2006 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Mar. 01, 2012 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Mar. 01, 2012 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member]	Jun. 23, 2010 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Jun. 30, 2006 Antitrust Matters [Member] Canadian DRAM Putative Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Mar. 23, 2012 Antitrust Matters [Member] Oracle Dram Price Fixing Suit [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Approximation of damages claimed														$ 3,900,000,000
Number of lawsuits filed																68			3
Approximate number of U.S. states and territories filing suit															40
Settlement agreement amount																		67,000,000		58,000,000
Settlement agreement number of installment payments																		3
Settlement agreement number of years for installment payments (in years)																		2Y
Amount paid into an escrow account in connection with settlement																	$ 45,000,000
Number of other defendants								17		7
Alleged number of patents infringed		12	14				4	2	2		1	3	5
Court ruling patents unenforceable against us due to spoliation (number of patents)	12
Court ruling patents in suit was invalid for indefiniteness (number of patents)						1
Court ruling patents in suit dismissed with prejudice (number of patents)					3
Court ruling patents in suit was invalid for indefiniteness rescinded (number of patents)				1