This indicator represents state patent activity normalized to the size of its S&E workforce, specifically employees in S&E occupations. People in S&E occupations include engineers; computer, mathematical, life, physical, and social scientists; and postsecondary teachers in these fields. This indicator covers only utility patents, commonly known as patents for inventions. Utility patents can be granted for any new, nonobvious, useful, or improved method, process, machine, device, manufactured item, or chemical compound and represent a key measure of intellectual property.