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:
Oct. 05, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 11, 2002
Masaki Ueno, Wako, JP;
Tetsuo Endo, Wako, JP;
Hideharu Yamazaki, Wako, JP;
Shiro Takakura, Wako, JP;
Kei Machida, Wako, JP;
Yasuyuki Miyahara, Wako, JP;
Tadashi Sato, Wako, JP;
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A temperature sensor is disposed near an HC adsorbent in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. After the internal combustion engine is shut off, a deteriorated state of the HC adsorbent is evaluated based on a value of the humidity detected by a humidity sensor. The deteriorated state of the HC adsorbent is evaluated by comparing the detected value of the humidity with a threshold established depending on the temperature state near the HC adsorbent. In evaluating deteriorated state of the HC adsorbent, a change in the output characteristics of the humidity sensor depending on its temperature state is compensated for.