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:
Jul. 08, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 13, 2003
Takeshi Fujimoto, Obu, JP;
Keiji Wakahara, Inazawa, JP;
Takeshi Fujimoto, Obu, JP;
Keiji Wakahara, Inazawa, JP;
DENSO Corporation, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
An engine start is beforehand detected when a preparation operation to engine start is detected. When the preparation operation is detected based on a seat switch indicating that a driver seats himself on a driver seat, control of an electric current for a heater of an air/fuel ratio sensor is started. The air/fuel ratio sensor is then activated prior to the engine start. Failure diagnosis is conducted on a function for detecting the preparation operation. Namely, the seat switch is diagnosed as having failure, for instance, by the following. Even while a vehicle travels, the seat switch is in an OFF state indicating that no driver is seated. This structure can restrict the engine start without the air/fuel ratio sensor being pre-heated. It can also restrict deteriorating of emission.