Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Contingencies (Details)

v3.7.0.1
Contingencies (Details)
$ in Millions
1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2016
USD ($)
May 31, 2016
USD ($)
Jan. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Oct. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Jan. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Nov. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2004
Apr. 30, 2017
USD ($)
Jul. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Jul. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Jun. 20, 2014
USD ($)
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Gain Contingency, Patents Allegedly Infringed upon, Number             6        
Number of Licensee Patents               4      
Gain Contingency, Patents Found Not Infringed upon, Number           1          
Gain Contingencies Prejudgement Interest         $ 12.5            
Period Over Which Settlement Amount Has to Be Paid                   5 years  
Number Of Pending Cases               7      
Subpoena [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Estimated Litigation Settlement Amount                   $ 2.0  
Additional Payment of Litigation Settlement Amount                 $ 1.5    
Total liability for settlement agreement               $ 0.8      
Current liability for settlement agreement               0.4      
Other liability for settlement agreement               0.4      
Perkin Elmer [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Escrow Deposit                     $ 7.0
Affymetrix Inc [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Payments for Legal Settlements       $ 6.8              
Agilent Technologies, Inc [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Payments for Legal Settlements     $ 6.1                
Life Technologies Corporation [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Payments for Legal Settlements   $ 24.3                  
Illumina Inc [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Payments for Legal Settlements $ 14.5                    
Indemnification Agreement [Member]                      
Contingencies (Details) [Line Items]                      
Gain Contingency, Unrecorded Amount               $ 48.5