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. 28, 2014
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2012
Tomohiro Tajima, Kasugai, JP;
Satoshi Ishikawa, Kani, JP;
Kunihiko Yonezu, Inabe, JP;
NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd., Aichi, JP;
Abstract
A sensor control apparatus including a gas sensor having a sensor element, a housing and a base part formed of a resin. The apparatus includes a heating part and a control part. When the control part determines that a predetermined automatic stop condition has been satisfied, the control part switches from a control for maintaining the temperature of the sensor element at an activating temperature to a control in a stop state for reducing at least one of voltage and current supplied to the heating part so as to set a temperature of the base part to a value equal to or lower than a shape holding temperature of the resin. Also disclosed is a sensor control method for holding a temperature of a sensor element to an activating temperature.