Amount of employees total compensation eligible for GESOP purchase

No definition available.

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- Definition

Annual Weighted Average Forfeiture Rate The weighted average of estimated forfeitures for grants based on historical trends

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

compensation expense, per share - basic

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bsx_
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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

compensation expense, per share - diluted

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Exercise price of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair value of the Free Cash Flow (FCF) performance awards

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Fair value of market based awards

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Exercise Amount equivalent to 85% of Fair Market Value of Common Stock at beginning or end of each offering period (whichever is less)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Measurement period - market based awards

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Non-vested stock awards exercise price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
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- Definition

Options expected to vest

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Options expected to vest, weighted average exercise price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Options expected to vest, weighted average remaining contractual life

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Range of the target number of market-based DSUs awarded

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Share-based compensation, net of tax benefit

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Target payout of Free Cash Flows (FCF) performance awards

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Unrecognized Compensation Cost

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Non-vested stock awards

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Stock Options

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

voting power of all classes of stock

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

weighted average remaining vesting period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
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- Definition

The total recognized tax benefit related to compensation cost for equity-based payment arrangements recognized in income during the period.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of plan compensation cost recognized during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109244661&loc=d3e17540-113929

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- Definition

Weighted average purchase price of capital shares purchased through an employee stock ownership plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The aggregate amount of noncash, equity-based employee remuneration. This may include the value of stock or unit options, amortization of restricted stock or units, and adjustment for officers' compensation. As noncash, this element is an add back when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that were forfeited during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Weighted average fair value as of the grant date of equity-based award plans other than stock (unit) option plans that were not exercised or put into effect as a result of the occurrence of a terminating event.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

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- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The number of non-vested equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that validly exist and are outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The weighted average fair value of nonvested awards on equity-based plans excluding option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, revenue or profit achievement stock award plan) for which the employer is contingently obligated to issue equity instruments or transfer assets to an employee who has not yet satisfied service or performance criteria necessary to gain title to proceeds from the sale of the award or underlying shares or units.

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- Definition

The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period.

+ References

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- Definition

Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The weighted average fair value as of grant date pertaining to an equity-based award plan other than a stock (or unit) option plan for which the grantee gained the right during the reporting period, by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash in accordance with the terms of the arrangement.

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- Definition

The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.

+ References

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- Definition

The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.

+ References

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

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- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

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- Definition

The number of shares into which fully or partially vested stock options outstanding as of the balance sheet date can be currently converted under the option plan.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

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- Definition

For presentations that combine terminations, the number of shares under options that were cancelled during the reporting period as a result of occurrence of a terminating event specified in contractual agreements pertaining to the stock option plan or that expired.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Weighted average price of options that were either forfeited or expired.

+ References

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- Definition

Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of options outstanding.

+ References

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- Definition

Number of options outstanding, including both vested and non-vested options.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)-(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Weighted average price at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance under the stock option plan.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount by which current fair value of underlying stock exceeds exercise price of fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding. Includes, but is not limited to, unvested options for which requisite service period has not been rendered but that are expected to vest based on achievement of performance condition, if forfeitures are recognized when they occur.

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- Definition

Number of fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding that can be converted into shares under option plan. Includes, but is not limited to, unvested options for which requisite service period has not been rendered but that are expected to vest based on achievement of performance condition, if forfeitures are recognized when they occur.

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- Definition

Weighted-average exercise price, at which grantee can acquire shares reserved for issuance, for fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding. Includes, but is not limited to, unvested options for which requisite service period has not been rendered but that are expected to vest based on achievement of performance condition, if forfeitures are recognized when they occur.

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- Definition

Weighted average price at which option holders acquired shares when converting their stock options into shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Weighted average per share amount at which grantees can acquire shares of common stock by exercise of options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of difference between fair value of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise price of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable.

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- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for option awards outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

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- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, unvested options for which requisite service period has not been rendered but that are expected to vest based on achievement of performance condition, if forfeitures are recognized when they occur.

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- Definition

Number of shares issued during the period as a result of an employee stock purchase plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
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Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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Stock Incentive and Ownership Plans (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Feb. 21, 2019	Feb. 15, 2018	Feb. 28, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	May 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Fair value of market based awards	$ 10	$ 7	$ 8
Share Price	$ 45.22	$ 35.34	$ 24.79	$ 40.12	$ 27.09	$ 24.55
Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Stock Options	$ 35
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans	2,196,000	2,452,000	2,491,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number	11,079,000	12,683,000	15,250,000				18,797,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 29	$ 22	$ 18				$ 14
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period	3,656,000	4,375,000	4,798,000
Measurement period - market based awards	2 years 10 months 24 days	2 years 10 months 24 days	2 years 9 months 18 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	2.48%	2.36%	1.45%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 39	$ 28	$ 24
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period	(4,811,000)	(6,194,000)	(7,663,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 20	$ 16	$ 11
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period	(449,000)	(748,000)	(683,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 27	$ 22	$ 17
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number	23,065,000	25,304,000	26,716,000				26,644,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross	2,992,000	3,491,000	4,439,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period	(4,872,000)	(4,385,000)	(3,922,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 12	$ 11	$ 10
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period	(359,000)	(519,000)	(445,000)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures and Expirations in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 24	$ 22	$ 17
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 157	$ 140	$ 127
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	2,000,000,000.000	2,000,000,000
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance	124,000,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense	$ (24)	$ (21)	(32)
Share-based compensation, net of tax benefit	$ 133	$ 119	$ 96
compensation expense, per share - basic	$ 0.10	$ 0.09	$ 0.07
compensation expense, per share - diluted	0.09	0.08	0.07
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price	40.20	27.26	24.70
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 11.76	$ 8.55	$ 7.16
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate	24.00%	26.00%	25.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term	6 years 1 month 6 days	6 years	6 years 1 month 6 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Total Intrinsic Value	$ 140	$ 90	$ 64
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 19	$ 16	$ 13				$ 11
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 6 months
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Intrinsic Value	$ 594
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Number	15,091,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 14
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	4 years 1 month 6 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Intrinsic Value	$ 476
Options expected to vest	7,617,000
Options expected to vest, weighted average exercise price	$ 30
Options expected to vest, weighted average remaining contractual life	8 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 114
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number	22,707,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 19
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term	5 years 3 months 18 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 590
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Total Fair Value	$ 193	$ 170	$ 190
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized	50,000,000
Amount of employees total compensation eligible for GESOP purchase	10.00%
Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Exercise Amount equivalent to 85% of Fair Market Value of Common Stock at beginning or end of each offering period (whichever is less)	85.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant	8,000,000
Unrecognized Compensation Cost - Non-vested stock awards	$ 169
Unrecognized Compensation Cost	$ 204
weighted average remaining vesting period	1 year 2 months 12 days
annualweightedaverageforfeiturerate	6.00%
voting power of all classes of stock	10.00%
Exercise price of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant	110.00%
Qualified options exercise price	$ 0
Fair value of the Free Cash Flow (FCF) performance awards	$ 8	$ 11	$ 6
Target payout of Free Cash Flows (FCF) performance awards	90.00%	118.00%	98.00%
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Compensation Expense	$ 19	$ 17	$ 13
High end of range [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded	150.00%
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Weighted Average Purchase Price of Shares Purchased	$ 36.47	$ 27.91	$ 21.07
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	2.61%	3.01%	2.21%
Range of the target number of market-based DSUs awarded	200.00%
Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Range of the target number of performance-based DSUs awarded	0.00%
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Weighted Average Purchase Price of Shares Purchased	$ 29.29	$ 21.49	$ 18.60
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate	1.38%	2.61%	2.03%
Range of the target number of market-based DSUs awarded	0.00%
2011 LTIP Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common Stock, Shares Authorized								146,000,000
Cost of Sales [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 8	$ 7	$ 7
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	120	109	98
Research and Development Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 28	$ 24	$ 23