Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified					9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended				0 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	29 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] Rambus Patent Litigation Delaware [Member] integer	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	May 30, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] HSM Portfolio LLC and Technology Properties LLC [Member] integer	Sep. 01, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] HSM Portfolio LLC and Technology Properties LLC [Member] integer	Mar. 20, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] Advanced Data Access LLC [Member]	May 30, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] Advanced Data Access LLC [Member] integer	Nov. 16, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Advanced Data Access LLC [Member] integer	Mar. 20, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] Smart Memory Solutions LLC [Member]	Sep. 14, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Smart Memory Solutions LLC [Member] integer	May 30, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] Board Of Trustees For The University Of Illinois [Member] integer	Dec. 05, 2011 Patent Matters [Member] Board Of Trustees For The University Of Illinois [Member] integer	Mar. 20, 2013 Patent Matters [Member] Semiconductor Technologies, LLC [Member]	Mar. 26, 2012 Patent Matters [Member] Semiconductor Technologies, LLC [Member] integer	Apr. 27, 2012 Patent Matters [Member] Semcon Tech, LLC [Member] integer	May 30, 2013 Antitrust Matters [Member] Rambus DRAM Complaint [Member]	Jun. 23, 2010 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Jul. 31, 2006 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Nov. 29, 2012 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member]	May 30, 2013 Antitrust Matters [Member] DRAM Purported Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Oct. 16, 2012 Antitrust Matters [Member] Canadian DRAM Putative Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	Jun. 30, 2006 Antitrust Matters [Member] Canadian DRAM Putative Class Action Price-fixing Lawsuit [Member] integer	May 30, 2013 Commercial Matters [Member] Qimonda AG Inotera Share Purchase Proceedings [Member] Inotera [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Alleged number of patents infringed			12	14		2			2		1		3		5	1
Number of petitions submitted for inter-partes review												3
Court ruling patents unenforceable against us due to spoliation (number of patents)	12	12
Number of other defendants					17			7
Approximation of damages claimed																	$ 3,900
Number of lawsuits filed																					68		3
Approximate number of U.S. states and territories filing suit																			40
Settlement agreement execution date							March 20, 2013			March 20, 2013				March 20, 2013				June 23, 2010				October 16, 2012
Settlement agreement amount																		67
Settlement agreement number of installment payments																		3
Settlement agreement number of years for installment payments (in years)																		2 years
Amount paid into an escrow account in connection with settlement																				67
Loss Contingency, Claims Settled and Dismissed, Number																						3
Equity method investment net carrying value of shares acquired from Qimonda																								$ 143