The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 04, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 17, 1999
Tomomichi Mizoguchi, Nagoya, JP;
Masayuki Takami, Kariya, JP;
Denso Corporation, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
A/F ratio sensor includes an element portion using a solid electrolytic layer, and generates a sensor current in proportion to an oxygen concentration in an exhaust gas when a voltage is applied thereto. A bias control circuit switches the voltage applied to the A/F ratio sensor to an element resistance detection voltage during an element resistance detection with a given time constant, and detects the sensor current flowing at that time. A comparing circuit detects an amount of voltage change reaching a given value. A timing decision circuit decides a detection of voltage and current changes during the decision timing of the comparing circuit. A data output circuit measures the current change relative to the voltage change in response to the timing decision of the timing decision circuit. In this apparatus, the voltage change and the current change are detected when the applied voltage, which change with the given time constant, reaches to the given reference voltage Vref. In other words, the amount of the current change &Dgr;I of the sensor current is detected before the voltage, which change with the given time constant, converges to the voltage V .