Patent ID: 8017080
Filing Date: 2011-09-13
Classification: F01N,G01N,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A liquid state detecting apparatus comprising a detecting element including a heating resistor which generates heat when energized and being disposed in a liquid container for containing a liquid, the apparatus calculating a first difference between a first corresponding value corresponding to a first resistance of the heating resistor acquired after energization of the heating resistor is started and a second corresponding value corresponding to a second resistance of the heating resistor acquired after the heating resistor is energized for a predetermined detection time and obtaining a first concentration of a particular component included in the liquid, the first concentration being associated with the first difference, the apparatus comprising: an abnormality determination unit including a processor programmed to determine for determining whether or not the liquid is in a particular abnormal state based on at least one of the first difference and the first concentration; a determination concentration acquiring unit including a processor programmed to acquire a third corresponding value corresponding to a third resistance of the heating resistor when a predetermined determination time shorter than the detection time has passed after start of the energization of the heating resistor and-to calculate a difference between the third corresponding value and the first corresponding value as a second difference to obtain a second concentration of the particular component included in the liquid, the second concentration being associated with the second difference; a concentration difference calculation unit including a processor programmed to calculate a difference between the first concentration and the second concentration as a concentration difference; and a static state determination unit including a processor programmed to determine whether or not the liquid is in a static state in the liquid container based on the concentration difference calculated by the concentration difference calculation unit, wherein the determination made by the processor is reflected in the determination made by the abnormality determination unit, wherein the first, second and third corresponding values are obtained during one single continued energization process of the heating resistor, and wherein the apparatus comprises a single or plural processors.