Patent ID: 8623186

Claim:
A gas sensor control apparatus comprising: a heater regulating section to supply an electric power to a heater included in a gas sensor for sensing a concentration of a specified gas; an impedance sensing section to sense an impedance of a cell of the gas sensor; and a controlling section configured to check a first condition which is satisfied when the impedance is greater than or equal to a predetermined abnormality judging threshold, to check a second condition which is satisfied when the electric power supplied to the heater is higher than or equal to a predetermined higher power level, to measure a continuance of a third condition which is satisfied when the first and second conditions are both satisfied simultaneously, and to decrease the electric power supplied to the heater by the heater regulating section, to a lower power level lower than the higher power level when the continuance of the third condition reaches a predetermined overheat preventing time, the lower power level being so set as to hold a temperature of the gas sensor at such a higher temperature level preventing adherence of a substance contained in a gas to the gas sensor.