Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Foreign currency transaction losses	$ 2,500,000	$ 900,000	$ 2,200,000
Reduction in gross accounts receivable	6,900,000	7,500,000
Percentage of income tax benefit anticipated to be recognized upon ultimate settlement with taxing authority	50.00%
Number of customers accounting for more than 10% of revenue	1	1	1
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets, minimum, in years	3
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets, maximum, in years	18
Number of reportable segments	3
Number of reporting units	2
Impairment charges on real estate	900,000	3,008,000
Legal patent defense costs capitalized	7,400,000	12,400,000
Capitalized costs charged to expense	5,573,000
Research and development	84,384,000	69,547,000	59,566,000
Research and experimentation tax credits	300,000	400,000	2,600,000
Cost of service revenues	100,114,000	83,460,000	78,519,000
ScanSource [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of sales revenues	22.00%	23.00%	19.00%
Percentage of accounts receivable	19.00%	14.00%
Minimum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Period of support services revenue recognized ratably, years	1
Maximum [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Period of support services revenue recognized ratably, years	3
Operating Expenses [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development	3,700,000
Selling, general and administrative expense	6,000,000
Cost of service revenues	$ 2,300,000