Gas sensor control apparatus and gas sensor system

1. A gas sensor control apparatus for controlling a gas sensor element, the gas sensor element including: a first measuring chamber into which an external gas to be measured is introduced and a second measuring chamber in communication with the first measuring chamber and into which a first chamber gas in an interior of the first measuring chamber is introduced, the first measuring chamber and the second measuring chamber being formed in an interior of the gas sensor element; a second chamber pump cell made of a solid electrolyte; and a pair of electrodes which are provided on the second chamber pump cell and which are disposed inside and outside the second measuring chamber,

the gas sensor control apparatus comprising:

first chamber control unit for controlling an oxygen concentration of the first chamber gas in the interior of the first measuring chamber to a first concentration;

second chamber control unit for applying a second chamber pump voltage and dissociating an oxygen-containing specific gas, which is contained in a second chamber gas in an interior of the second measuring chamber, between the pair of electrodes, so as to cause a concentration-dependent current, which corresponds to a concentration of the oxygen-containing specific gas in the second chamber gas in the interior of the second measuring chamber, to flow between the pair of electrodes;

current detecting unit for detecting a magnitude of the concentration-dependent current which flows between the pair of electrodes;

voltage changing unit for changing the second chamber pump voltage; and

deterioration determination unit for determining the deterioration state of the gas sensor element based on a transient response of the concentration-dependent current which is generated in association with a change in the second chamber pump voltage,

wherein the voltage changing unit includes voltage switching unit for switching, in a stepwise state, the second chamber pump voltage from a detecting voltage for detecting a specific gas concentration to a determination voltage which is higher than the detecting voltage, and

wherein the deterioration determination unit determines the deterioration state of the gas sensor element based on, as the transient response of the concentration-dependent current which is generated by the switching of the second chamber pump voltage by the voltage switching unit, a change in the concentration-dependent current during a decline period, which is a period after the concentration-dependent current rises to its peak from a pre-switching current before the switching of the second chamber pump voltage and then declines.

2. The gas sensor control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the deterioration determination unit includes:

timing detecting unit for detecting a threshold arrival timing at which a difference value between the concentration-dependent current and the pre-switching current becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined first threshold current value during the decline period; and

first determination unit for determining the deterioration state of the gas sensor element based on the threshold arrival timing.

3. The gas sensor control apparatus as claimed in claim 2 ,

wherein the first determination unit determines that the gas sensor element is deteriorated when a required time spent from the switching of the second chamber pump voltage to the threshold arrival timing is longer than a predetermined deterioration determination time length.

4. The gas sensor control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the deterioration determination unit includes:

determination difference value obtaining unit for obtaining a determination difference value, which is a difference value between the concentration-dependent current at a predetermined deterioration determination time during the decline period and the pre-switching current; and

second determination unit for determining the deterioration state of the gas sensor element based on the determination difference value.

5. The gas sensor control apparatus as claimed in claim 4 ,

wherein the second determination unit determines that the gas sensor element is deteriorated when the determination difference value is larger than a predetermined second threshold current value.

6. A gas sensor system comprising:

the gas sensor control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ; and

a gas sensor including the gas sensor element.