Microsoft has patented the binary system 1’s and 0’s. Read more by clicking the link. Yes I know this is an old article but still interesting.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29130
I do wish April 1st would end and we can get back to normality ;D
This somehow pre-dates Microsofts claim.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_numeral_system
The modern binary number system was fully documented by Gottfried Leibniz in the 17th century in his article Explication de l'Arithmétique Binaire. Leibniz's uses 0 and 1, like the modern binary numeral system.In 1854, British mathematician George Boole published a landmark paper detailing a system of logic that would become known as Boolean algebra. His logical system proved instrumental in the development of the binary system, particularly in its implementation in electronic circuitry.
In 1937, Claude Shannon produced his master’s thesis at MIT that implemented Boolean algebra and binary arithmetic using electronic relays and switches for the first time in history. Entitled A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits, Shannon’s thesis essentially founded practical digital circuit design.
April Fool’s ! now, who really thought it was real? 
I assure you that this is no April Fools joke, at least not on my behalf :).
Well it looks like you were fooled ;D
;D ;D ;D
I didn’t read the article itself, but here’s some comments from handling patents for about 7 years on “both sides of the fence”, I worked for the U.S. Patent Office and afterwards for patent attorneys.
While the system may have changed since then , back when I was active the real test of a patent’s validity was not its issuance (although there was a certain amount of presumption-of-validity), but was determined in court cases contesting it afterwards. So the story with MS is by no means over.
So then this did happen?
Sorry, justin, like I said, I didn’t actually read the story. But from this thread, it sounds like the “news” story was just a joke.