Patent ID: 7782584

Claim:
A load drive controller for controlling a temperature of a heat generating member by switching energization of the heat generating member from a power source using a switching element via a driving portion for driving the switching element, wherein heat generated by the heat generating member is absorbed by a temperature adjustment portion so as to adjust the temperature of the heat generating member, the load drive controller comprising: a temperature detection means for detecting a physical quantity of a level corresponding to a temperature of the switching element; a protection function means for outputting an abnormality signal corresponding to an overheated state of the switching element when the physical quantity detected by the temperature detection means exceeds a value at which the switching element is estimated to be in the overheated state; and a control means for causing the heat generating member to generate heat by driving the switching element via the driving portion, wherein the control means causes the temperature adjustment portion to increase the temperature of the heat generating member when the abnormality signal is input from the protection function means.