FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * BIRAN DAN   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ALTERA CORP [ALTR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) VP, Strategy (Last) (First) (Middle) 101 INNOVATION DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/29/2012 (Street) SAN JOSE, CA 95134 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/29/2012   M   5,000 A $ 0 14,322 D   Common Stock 01/29/2012   D   1,728 (1) D $ 40.23 12,594 (2) D   Common Stock 01/30/2012   S   3,272 (3) D $ 39.6597 9,322 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Restricted Stock Unit (RSU)

$ 0 (4)

01/29/2012

M

5,000

01/29/2012

(5)

Common Stock

5,000

$ 0

30,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BIRAN DAN 101 INNOVATION DRIVE SAN JOSE, CA 95134			VP, Strategy

Signatures

DANNY BIRAN		01/30/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares of common stock were withheld at vesting to cover required tax withholding. Because the vesting date of such RSUs occurred on a day on which the NASDAQ Stock Market was closed for trading, the fair market value of Altera common stock used for purposes of calculating the number of shares to be withheld was the closing price of Altera common stock as reported on the last trading day immediately prior to such vesting date.
(2)	Includes 81 shares acquired under the Altera Corporation 1987 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on October 31, 2011.
(3)	The sale was made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Sales Plan adopted by the reporting person on January 28, 2011.
(4)	Each Restricted Stock Unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Altera common stock at no cost.
(5)	Ten years from the date of grant.

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