Represents the cash received on account of intangible assets.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=rmbs_FavorableContractsMember
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember
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Intangible Asset and Goodwill (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Components of intangible assets
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 347,656		$ 347,656		$ 216,714
Accumulated Amortization	(182,794)		(182,794)		(152,448)
Net Carrying Amount	164,862		164,862		64,266
Amortization expense for intangible assets	10,200	$ 6,300	26,045	$ 18,914
Existing technology
Components of intangible assets
Gross Carrying Amount	257,228		257,228		185,321
Accumulated Amortization	(147,839)		(147,839)		(127,028)
Net Carrying Amount	109,389		$ 109,389		$ 58,293
Existing technology \| Minimum [Member]
Components of intangible assets
Useful Life (in years)			3 years		3 years
Existing technology \| Maximum [Member]
Components of intangible assets
Useful Life (in years)			10 years		10 years
Customer Contracts [Member]
Components of intangible assets
Gross Carrying Amount	66,728		$ 66,728		$ 31,093
Accumulated Amortization	(34,655)		(34,655)		(25,120)
Net Carrying Amount	32,073		$ 32,073		$ 5,973
Customer Contracts [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Components of intangible assets
Useful Life (in years)			1 year		1 year
Customer Contracts [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Components of intangible assets
Useful Life (in years)			10 years		10 years
Non-compete agreements
Components of intangible assets
Useful Life (in years)			3 years		3 years
Gross Carrying Amount	300		$ 300		$ 300
Accumulated Amortization	(300)		(300)		(300)
Net Carrying Amount	0		0		0
Favorable contracts
Components of intangible assets
Net Carrying Amount	5,200		5,200		$ 0
Cash received related to favorable contracts	600	$ 0	4,700	$ 100
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Components of intangible assets
Gross Carrying Amount	23,400		23,400
Accumulated Amortization	0		0
Net Carrying Amount	$ 23,400		$ 23,400