Patent ID: 8839610

Claim:
A controller for an internal combustion engine comprising: a PM sensor having a detection portion for capturing particulate matters in an exhaust gas and outputting a detection signal according to the captured amount and a heater for heating the detection portion; PM combusting unit for combusting and removing the particulate matters by electrical conduction to the heater if a predetermined amount of the particulate matters are captured by the detection portion of the PM sensor; and sensitivity correcting unit to correct an output sensitivity of the PM sensor by using a relationship between a supply power amount to the heater required for changing the sensor output by a certain amount and the output sensitivity of the PM sensor, the sensitivity correcting unit for measuring a parameter corresponding to power supplied to the heater while the detection signal changes from a first signal value to a second signal value different from the signal value in a state where electricity to the heater is turned on by the PM combusting unit and for correcting output sensitivity of the detection signal with respect to the captured amount of the particulate matters on the basis of the parameter.