Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Oct. 01, 2010		Sep. 30, 2011		Oct. 01, 2010
Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 417,433	[1]	$ 318,210	[1]	$ 1,208,895	[1]	$ 970,588	[1]
Cost of sales	205,874	[1]	158,462	[1]	597,072	[1]	488,417	[1]
Gross margin	211,559		159,748		611,823		482,171
Operating expenses
Research and development	49,928		36,897		139,452		109,339
Sales and marketing	70,662		53,228		195,359		153,518
General and administrative	44,088		29,637		114,717		85,474
Restructuring charges	647		238		1,775		1,244
Amortization of purchased intangible assets	13,786		8,078		32,830		24,250
Total operating expenses	179,111		128,078		484,133		373,825
Operating income	32,448		31,670		127,690		108,346
Non-operating income (expense), net
Interest income	422		221		1,026		864
Interest expense	(3,364)		(576)		(5,210)		(1,385)
Foreign currency transaction gain (loss), net	(4,022)		77		2,780		(1,046)
Income from equity method investments, net	4,789		3,404		10,970		9,025
Other income (expense), net	(388)		3,533		(892)		3,022
Total non-operating income (expense), net	(2,563)		6,659		8,674		10,480
Income before taxes	29,885		38,329		136,364		118,826
Income tax provision	2,689		5,487		16,118		51,061
Net income	27,196		32,842		120,246		67,765
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(775)		(3)		(1,106)		669
Net income attributable to Trimble Navigation Ltd.	$ 27,971		$ 32,845		$ 121,352		$ 67,096
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.23		$ 0.27		$ 0.99		$ 0.56
Shares used in calculating basic earnings per share	122,969		119,474		122,485		120,296
Diluted earnings per share	$ 0.22		$ 0.27		$ 0.96		$ 0.54
Shares used in calculating diluted earnings per share	125,894		122,869		125,980		123,599

[1] Sales to Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies Joint Venture (CTCT) and Nikon-Trimble Joint Venture (Nikon-Trimble) were $6.5 million and $5.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively, with associated cost of sales to those related parties of $4.5 million and $3.6 million, respectively. Sales to CTCT and Nikon-Trimble were $17.5 million and $15.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively, with associated cost of sales of $11.9 million and $10.7 million, respectively. In addition, cost of sales associated with related party net inventory purchases were $10.0 million and $7.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively, and $28.5 million and $22.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively. See Note 5 regarding joint ventures for further information about related party transactions.