SUBSEQUENT EVENTS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Acorn investment in USSI On February 28, 2013, the Company entered into a new Stock Purchase Agreement (the "2013 USSI Purchase Agreement") with USSI pursuant to which the Company made a payment to USSI of $2,500 to purchase additional shares of USSI Preferred Stock. The USSI Preferred Stock is the same class of shares that the Company acquired in 2012 (see Note 3(c)) and provides that upon any future liquidation of USSI, to the extent funds are available for distribution to USSI's stockholders after the satisfaction of any USSI liabilities at that time, USSI would first repay the Company for the purchase price of its USSI Preferred Stock. Thereafter, the Company would receive a further payment for such shares ratably with all other USSI Common Stock holders as though the Company's shares of USSI Preferred Stock were the same number of shares of USSI Common Stock. Following the February 28, 2013 payment to USSI, the Company owned approximately 95.0% of USSI on an as converted basis. The 2013 USSI Purchase Agreement contemplates that the Company may make an additional investment of $2,500 later this year in exchange for more shares of USSI Preferred Stock. If the Company fully funds that investment, it will own approximately 95.6% of USSI on an as converted basis (which amount would be diluted to approximately 87.9% if all options which could be awarded under USSI's 2012 Stock Purchase Plan were awarded and exercised). Acorn Dividend On February 7, 2013, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.035 per share to be paid on March 4, 2013 to common stockholders of record on February 20, 2013. The dividend is a continuation of the Company's policy to pay a regular quarterly dividend. On March 4, 2013, the total dividend payment was $633 of which $516 was in cash and $117 (net of the DRIP discount of $6) was in common stock of the Company (representing 18,976 shares of common stock) in accordance with the DRIP. Gridsense Employee Incentive Plan On January 14, 2013, the Company's GridSense subsidiaries adopted the Gridsense Employee Incentive Plan. The plan is intended to incent officers, employees, directors and consultants of GridSense to grow the value of GridSense by granting them awards in a bonus pool. Such pool will consist of 17% of the consideration received upon the sale of all or substantially all of the assets or securities of one or more of the GridSense entities, net of transaction expenses and agreed-upon returns to Acorn of and on its invested capital in such entities.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Acorn investment in USSI

On February 28, 2013, the Company entered into a new Stock Purchase Agreement (the "2013 USSI Purchase Agreement") with USSI pursuant to which the Company made a payment to USSI of $2,500 to purchase additional shares of USSI Preferred Stock. The USSI Preferred Stock is the same class of shares that the Company acquired in 2012 (see Note 3(c)) and provides that upon any future liquidation of USSI, to the extent funds are available for distribution to USSI's stockholders after the satisfaction of any USSI liabilities at that time, USSI would first repay the Company for the purchase price of its USSI Preferred Stock. Thereafter, the Company would receive a further payment for such shares ratably with all other USSI Common Stock holders as though the Company's shares of USSI Preferred Stock were the same number of shares of USSI Common Stock.

Following the February 28, 2013 payment to USSI, the Company owned approximately 95.0% of USSI on an as converted basis. The 2013 USSI Purchase Agreement contemplates that the Company may make an additional investment of $2,500 later this year in exchange for more shares of USSI Preferred Stock. If the Company fully funds that investment, it will own approximately 95.6% of USSI on an as converted basis (which amount would be diluted to approximately 87.9% if all options which could be awarded under USSI's 2012 Stock Purchase Plan were awarded and exercised).

Acorn Dividend

On February 7, 2013, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.035 per share to be paid on March 4, 2013 to common stockholders of record on February 20, 2013. The dividend is a continuation of the Company's policy to pay a regular quarterly dividend. On March 4, 2013, the total dividend payment was $633 of which $516 was in cash and $117 (net of the DRIP discount of $6) was in common stock of the Company (representing 18,976 shares of common stock) in accordance with the DRIP.

Gridsense Employee Incentive Plan

On January 14, 2013, the Company's GridSense subsidiaries adopted the Gridsense Employee Incentive Plan. The plan is intended to incent officers, employees, directors and consultants of GridSense to grow the value of GridSense by granting them awards in a bonus pool. Such pool will consist of 17% of the consideration received upon the sale of all or substantially all of the assets or securities of one or more of the GridSense entities, net of transaction expenses and agreed-upon returns to Acorn of and on its invested capital in such entities.