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AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMamoru Yoshioka, Kenichi Nomura, Kouichi Hoshi, Takahide Izutani
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In an internal combustion engine, a heater for heating an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in the exhaust gas flow passage is controlled in accordance with a parameter of a load of the engine. That is, the heater is turned ON when the load parameter is not larger than a predetermined value, and the heater is turned OFF when the load parameter is larger than the predetermined value. The turning OFF of the heater is delayed with a predetermined delay time when the engine rotational speed is lower than a predetermined value, and the turning ON of the heater is delayed with the predetermined delay time when the engine rotational speed is higher than the predetermined value. Thus, the number of times that the heater is turned ON and OFF is decreased, thereby prolonging the life of the heater.
A method for controlling a heater for heating an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in an exhaust gas flow passage of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:
An apparatus for controlling a heater for heating an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in an exhaust gas flow passage of an internal combustion engine comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.