Patent ID: 7765996
Filing Date: 2010-08-03
Classification: G01N,G05D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of an exhaust gas sensor disposed in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine and having an active element for contacting an exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust passage and a heater for heating the active element, characterized by comprising: means for sequentially acquiring element temperature data representing the temperature of said active element, means for sequentially acquiring heater temperature data representing the temperature of said heater, and heater control means for sequentially generating a control input which defines an amount of heat generating energy supplied to said heater so as to equalize the temperature of the heater represented by said heater temperature data to a predetermined target temperature, and controlling the heater depending on the control input, characterized in that said control input generated by said heater control means includes at least an input component depending on the difference between the temperature of the heater represented by said heater temperature data and said target temperature, and an input component depending on the temperature of the active element represented by said element temperature data.