CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (USD $) In Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Warrants [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Parent [Member]	Non-controlling Interests [Member]
Balances at Dec. 31, 2008
Net income from continuing operations	$ (100)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (306)	$ 0	$ 0	$ (306)	$ 206
Net income from discontinued operations	(6,076)	0	0	0	(5,450)	0	0	(5,450)	(626)
Differences from translation of subsidiaries' financial statements	494	0	0	0	0	0	452	452	42
Comprehensive income	(5,557)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(5,179)	(378)
Stock option compensation	678	0	678	0	0	0	0	678	0
Stock option compensation of subsidiaries	747	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	747
Exercise of options	2,342	8	3,064	(730)	0	0	0	2,342	0
Exercise of options (in shares)		794
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests	2,873	0	596	0	0	0	0	596	2,277
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Adjustment, Net of Tax	125	0	0	0	0	0	125	125	0
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method	(1,108)	0	0	0	0	(1,108)	0	(1,108)	0
Balances at Dec. 31, 2009	36,098	132	58,373	290	(23,343)	(4,827)	152	30,777	5,321
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009		13,249
Net income from continuing operations	(7,781)	0	0	0	(7,186)	0	0	(7,186)	(595)
Net income from discontinued operations	(17,969)	0	0	0	(17,902)	0	0	(17,902)	(67)
Differences from translation of subsidiaries' financial statements	871	0	0	0	0	0	871	871	0
Comprehensive income	(24,879)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(24,217)	(662)
Other	62	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	62
Stock option compensation	690	0	690	0	0	0	0	690	0
Stock option compensation of subsidiaries	779	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	779
Deconsolidation of CoaLogix	(386)	0	795	0	0	0	(386)	409	(795)
Exercise of options	220	1	235	(16)	0	0	0	220	0
Exercise of options (in shares)		81
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Changes, Issuance of Equity by Subsidiary to Noncontrolling Interests	3,010	0	587	0	0	0	0	587	2,423
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		2,232
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	11,467	22	11,445	0	0	0	0	11,467	0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions		1,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions	5,640	10	5,630	0	0	0	0	5,640	0
Shares issued in the acquisition of GridSense - shares		356
Shares issued in the acquisition of GridSense	1,867	4	1,863	0	0	0	0	1,867	0
treasury shares issued in acquisition	0	0	(1,791)	0	0	1,791	0	0	0
Non Controlling Interests Acquired in Acquisition	3,600	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,600
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests	0	0	2,224	0	0	0	0	2,224	(2,224)
Shares issued in December capital raise, net of transaction costs -shares		1,150
Shares issued in December capital raise, net of transaction costs - value	3,709	11	3,545	153	0	0	0	3,709	0
Balances at Dec. 31, 2010	41,877	180	83,596	427	(48,431)	(3,036)	637	33,373	8,504
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010		18,068
Net income from continuing operations	5,199	0	0	0	5,748	0	0	5,748	(549)
Net income from discontinued operations	29,121	0	0	0	29,661	0	0	29,661	(540)
Differences from translation of subsidiaries' financial statements	(168)	0	0	0	0	0	(152)	(152)	(16)
Comprehensive income	34,152	0	0	0	0	0	0	35,257	(1,105)
Adjustment of non-controlling interests following exercise of USSI option	0	0	600	0	0	0	0	600	(600)
Other	30	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30
Stock option compensation	406	0	406	0	0	0	0	406	0
Stock option compensation of subsidiaries	176	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	176
Deconsolidation of CoaLogix	(5,896)	0	1,193	0	0	0	0	1,193	(7,089)
Compensation to consultant granted in stock		0
Compensation to consultant granted in stock (in shares)		26
Exercise of options	211	3	208	0	0	0	0	211	0
Exercise of options (in shares)		232	101	0	0	0	0	101	0
Dividends	(1,490)	0	(1,490)	0	0	0	0	(1,490)	0
Balances at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 69,567	$ 183	$ 84,614	$ 427	$ (13,022)	$ (3,036)	$ 485	$ 69,651	$ (84)
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011		18,326