Sensor control device

A sensor control device for controlling a current application state of a gas sensor element when measuring a specific gas component concentration in a gas to be measured using the gas sensor element, the sensor control device comprising:

• at least one cell comprising a solid electrolyte body and a pair of electrodes;
• a sensor heating unit that heats the gas sensor element;
• an oxygen reference pole generating unit that causes a reference generation current to flow through at least one cell so as to establish one of the pair of electrodes of the cell as an oxygen reference pole;
• a damage avoidance time elapse determining unit that determines whether or not a preset damage avoidance time has elapsed from a start of heating of the gas sensor element by the sensor heating unit;
• and
• a reference generation current application permitting unit that does not permit the reference generation current to flow when the damage avoidance time elapse determining unit determines that the damage avoidance time has not elapsed, and permits the reference generation current to flow when the damage avoidance time elapse determining unit determines that the damage avoidance time has elapsed.