IP Library Granted Patent US 12,174,139
Granted Patent B2
US 12,174,139 · App. 17/279,734 · Granted Dec 24, 2024

Gas sensor control device, gas sensor control system, and gas sensor system

Inventors: Yuzo Higuchi (Nagoya, JP); Koji Ishibashi (Nagoya, JP); Junichiro Mitsuno (Nagoya, JP); Satoru Abe (Nagoya, JP); Yuji Oi (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: Niterra Co., Ltd.
G01N27/30G01N27/419F02D41/1454
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,174,139
App. No.
17/279,734
Granted
Dec 24, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas sensor control device having a DA conversion circuit configured to supply a pump current having a magnitude corresponding to an inputted digital signal to the pump cell, a reference electric potential generating circuit configured to keep an electric potential of the first pump electrode at a reference electric potential, a diagnostic resistance connected to the pump cell parallel to the pump cell, and an output part configured to output a signal relating to voltage applied to the diagnostic resistance when inputting an arbitrary digital signal to the DA conversion circuit in a situation in which oxygen ion conductivity does not occur in the pump cell to an external device.

Claims (15)

1. A gas sensor control device configured to be connected to a gas sensor including a solid electrolyte and a pump cell having a first pump electrode and a second pump electrode that are separately arranged on the solid electrolyte, the gas sensor control device comprising:

a DA conversion circuit configured to supply a pump current having a magnitude corresponding to an inputted digital signal to the pump cell;

a reference electric potential generating circuit configured to keep an electric potential of the first pump electrode at a reference electric potential;

a diagnostic resistance connected to the pump cell parallel to the pump cell, wherein a resistance value of the diagnostic resistance is within 100 kΩ to −10 MΩ; and

the gas sensor control device being configured to:

determine whether a current state is a state in which a measurement of oxygen concentration is possible or impossible, wherein the measurement of oxygen concentration is determined to be possible when oxygen ion conductivity occurs in the pump cell and is determined to be impossible when oxygen ion conductivity does not occur in the pump cell,

if the current state is that measurement of the oxygen concentration is possible, then start the measurement of the oxygen concentration,

if the current state is that measurement of the oxygen concentration is impossible, then input a digital signal to the DA conversion circuit, measure a voltage applied to the diagnostic resistance, and determine whether the DA conversion circuit has failed, and output a signal relating to the voltage applied to the diagnostic resistance to an external device.

2. A gas sensor control system comprising:

the gas sensor control device claimed in claim 1 ; and

the external device, which is connected to the gas sensor control device and is configured to receive the signal output from the gas sensor control device,

wherein the external device is configured to diagnose a failure of the DA conversion circuit on the basis of the signal relating to the voltage.

3. A gas sensor system comprising:

the gas sensor; and

the gas sensor control system claimed in claim 2 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 7, 2023
From: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
To: NITERRA CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064842/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: HIGUCHI, YUZO; ISHIBASHI, KOJI; MITSUNO, JUNICHIRO; ABE, SATORU; OI, YUJI
To: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055715/0967 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-048714 · Mar 15, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210396702A1 · Dec 23, 2021