Patents

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Patents

3. Patents

The Company performs intangible asset impairment analysis at least annually in accordance with the relevant accounting guidance. The Company periodically reassesses the lives of its patents and tests for impairment in order to determine whether the book value of each patent exceeds the fair value of each patent. Fair value is determined by estimating future cash flows from the products that are and will be protected by the patents and taking into account the factors listed in Critical Accounting Policies in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Management completed an analysis of the Company's patents as of December 31, 2011. Based on that analysis, the Company concluded that no impairment of the carrying value of the patents existed. The Company believes that no events or circumstances occurred or changed during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, and therefore concluded that no impairment in the carrying values of the patents existed at September 30, 2012.

Amortization of patent costs was $90 and $274 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012. Amortization of patent costs was $92 and $281 for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2011.

Intangible Assets

The following table summarizes intangible assets (in millions):

Amortizable intangible assets:	September 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
	Carrying Amount	Accumulated Amortization	Carrying Amount	Accumulated Amortization
Patents	$ 6,746	(5,000)	$ 6,746	$ (4,726)
Capitalized software	4,112	(4,112)	4,112	(4,034)
Total	$ 10,858	$ (9,112)	$ 10,858	$ (8,760)

Amortization for intangible assets recorded as of September 30, 2012 is estimated to be (in thousands):

Remainder of 2012	$ 91
2013	365
2014	357
2015	342
2016	322
Thereafter	269
Total	$ 1,746