Valuation of debt and equity investments and certain liabilities - Change in fair values for Level 3 assets (Details) (Level 3, Auction-rate securities, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Level 3 \| Auction-rate securities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, Beginning	$ 134
Change in unrealized loss – included in AOCI	13
Redemptions	(84)
Sales	(63)
Balance, Ending	$ 0

Redemptions that have taken place during the period in relation to assets measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) for financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(1a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of sale of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant