Particulate detection apparatus

A particulate detection apparatus for controlling a particulate sensor which is attached to an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine and which detects an amount of particulates contained in exhaust gas within the exhaust pipe,

• wherein the particulate sensor comprises:
• a detection section configured to electrify particulates contained in exhaust gas flowing into an internal space of the detection section, thereby generating electrified particulates;
• and
• an insulating member having a gas contact surface which comes into contact with the exhaust gas, the insulating member being configured such that the detection performance of the detection section deteriorates when particulates adhere to the gas contact surface,
• wherein the particulate detection apparatus comprises:
• a calculation section configured to calculate, every time a previously set unit measurement time elapses, the value of a signal current flowing due to the electrified particulates or a converted value which is obtained from the signal current and which represents the amount of the particulates;
• a cumulating section configured to cumulate the value of the signal current or converted value thereof to thereby calculate a cumulative value;
• and
• an anomaly determination section configured to determine whether or not an amount of change in the cumulative value in a unit cumulating time set to be longer than the unit measurement time is greater than a previously set anomaly determination value and to determine that the detection performance of the detection section is anomalous when the amount of change is greater than the anomaly determination value.