Claim Construction, Number

No definition available.

Name:	prkr_ClaimConstructionNumber
Namespace Prefix:	prkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	prkr_CommitmentsAndContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	prkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Petitions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	prkr_NumberOfPetitions
Namespace Prefix:	prkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of entity's patents that another entity has allegedly infringed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainContingencyPatentsAllegedlyInfringedUponNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of entity's patents that another entity was found not to have infringed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainContingencyPatentsFoundNotInfringedUponNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of claims dismissed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942415&loc=d3e14557-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118943654&loc=d3e12021-110248

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of another entity's patents that the entity was found to have infringed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyPatentsFoundInfringedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_DE
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.AppleAndQualcommMiddleDistrictOfFloridaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.IntelWesternDistrictOfTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.TclTechnologyGroupCorpCentralDistrictOfCaliforniaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.IntelIiWesternDistrictOfTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.QualcommMiddleDistrictOfFloridaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.HisenseWesternDistrictOfTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.TclWesternDistrictOfTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.BuffaloWesternDistrictOfTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=prkr_ParkervisionV.zyxelWesternDistrictOfTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Legal Proceedings (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended
Legal Proceedings (Details) $ in Thousands	Oct. 31, 2020 USD ($) item	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) item	Jul. 31, 2020 item	Jun. 30, 2020 item	May 31, 2020 item	Apr. 30, 2020 claim	Feb. 29, 2020 item	Jul. 31, 2019 item	Mar. 31, 2018 item	Mar. 31, 2017 item	Dec. 31, 2015 item	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Germany [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued costs \| $		$ 240										$ 370
ParkerVision v. Apple and Qualcomm (Middle District of Florida) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of petitions								6
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon									4		4
Number of patents dismissed									3
Claim construction								2
ParkerVision V. Intel (Western District of Texas) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon					2		8
ParkerVision v. TCL Technology Group Corp (Central District of California) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon					10
ParkerVision v. Intel II (Western District of Texas) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon			2
Number of patents found not infringed upon				1
ParkerVision v. Qualcomm (Middle District of Florida) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of petitions \| claim						10
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon										6
Number of patents found not infringed upon										3
Number of patents found infringed upon										2
Claim construction \| claim						7
ParkerVision v. Hisense (Western District of Texas) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon		10
Subsequent Event [Member] \| ParkerVision v. Qualcomm (Middle District of Florida) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated loss \| $	$ 1,300,000
Subsequent Event [Member] \| ParkerVision v. TCL (Western District of Texas) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon	10
Subsequent Event [Member] \| ParkerVision v. Buffalo (Western District of Texas) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon	10
Subsequent Event [Member] \| ParkerVision v.Zyxel (Western District of Texas) [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents allegedly infringed upon	10