Patent · US Active

Gas sensor control apparatus controlling output characteristic of gas sensor

US8702937B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
1References
3Claims
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Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 18, 2011
Grant dateApr 22, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 10, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N27/409
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A gas sensor control apparatus is provided which controls an operation of a gas sensor made up of a solid electrolyte body and a pair of electrodes to output a signal indicating the concentration of a given gas component contained in gas. The gas sensor control apparatus includes a constant current circuit that is connected electrically to one of the electrodes of the gas sensor and supplies a constant current thereto and a controller. The controller supplies a constant current to the gas sensor so that it flows from one of the electrodes to the other in a selected direction, thereby changing a response time the gas sensor takes to react to a change in concentration of the gas component. This results in an increased accuracy, for example, in controlling an air-fuel ratio of a mixture to an internal combustion engine in an engine control system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.