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Per Google Patents, the order of dates for patent DE19817372C1 appears incorrect.
Per the site, the patent expired on April 18th 1998 (Fee Related), but lists a grant date of Oct 7th, 1999.
Looking at the legal events listed on the page on Google Patents, a series of different dates show up:
What's going on here? Is it nothing more than data import that got messed up?
The date shown on google patents on the right side next to the patent number where it says
date - number - status
is the application/filing/publication date for the number next to it, not the date of the status at the right side.
So the application was filed 1998 and is now deemed withdrawn/lapsed.
