Abstract: When a voltage applied to a heater assumes a low-level potential, a control section of a load drive apparatus instantaneously supplies an anomaly judgment current to the heater, and computes the electrical resistance of the heater on the basis of the anomaly judgment current. The control section judges whether or not any of anomalous states of the heater, including at least a deteriorated state of the heater and wiring anomalous states of the heater, has occurred on the basis of the electrical resistance of the heater.

Abstract: A gas sensor control apparatus (1) for controlling a gas sensor (2) includes a change amount detection means (40); an element resistance detection means for detecting the element resistance Rpvs of a sensor element section (3) on the basis of the response change amount ?Vs; a heater energization control section for on-off controlling the supply of electric current to a heater section (4) by pluses PS having a fixed period T; and an instruction signal output section for instructing the change amount detection section (40) to detect the response change amount ?Vs at a third timing t3 which comes after elapse of a predetermined wait time TW from a second timing t2 (heater energization off) which changes in accordance with the pulse width PSW.

Abstract: A gas sensor system (1) including a gas sensor (2) and a sensor control section (40) including detection circuits (41), (42) and (43) for detecting the terminal potentials V1, V2, and V3 of first to third terminal T1 through T3. The sensor control section (40) includes a circuit (44) for applying an examination potential Vex to the second terminal T2, a first circuit (45) which has a predetermined resistance R1c and disconnectably connects the first terminal T1 and the second terminal T2, a second circuit (46) which has a predetermined resistance R2c and disconnectably connects the second terminal T2 and the third terminal T3, and terminal potential detection means S5 for detecting the terminal potentials V1, V2, and V3 using the detection circuits in a state in which the examination potential Vex is applied to the second terminal T2 and switches SW1 and SW2 are turned on.

Abstract: A gas sensor system (1) includes a gas sensor (2) having a cell (14) electrically communicating with a first terminal T1 and a second terminal T2, and a cell (24) electrically communicating with T2 and a third terminal T3; and a sensor control section (40) including detection circuits (41, 43) for detecting the terminal potentials V1, V3. The sensor control section includes circuit (44) for bringing T2 to an examination potential Vex; constant current circuits (47, 48) for supplying examination currents Ipoc, Icp; terminal potential detection means S5 for detecting V1, V3 before the gas sensor detects the gas concentration in an activated state, and in a state in which T2 is brought to examination potential Vex and Ipoc, Icp are supplied to the cells (14, 24); and wire breakage determination means S6, S10 for determining a wire breakage anomaly and its location based on the V1, V3.

Abstract: A sensor control apparatus controls a gas sensor by means of digital control and restrains a decrease in accuracy of pump current control. A gas detection system includes such a sensor control apparatus. The sensor control apparatus includes a reference voltage generation section, and can change the maximum current range of pump current Ip in the current DA conversion section. The sensor control apparatus can set the maximum current range of the pump current Ip to a proper range in accordance with the type or characteristic of a gas sensor to be controlled. Namely, in the case where a gas sensor has a small sensor maximum current, the maximum current range of the current DA conversion section is changed to a range determined in consideration of the sensor maximum current of the gas sensor, which restrains a decrease in the accuracy in controlling the pump current Ip.

Abstract: An in-vehicle sensor (1) connected to a communication bus CAN includes a bus connection connector (40) including external communication terminals T3, T4, and external setting terminals T5, T6 each of which is brought into one of a plurality of connection states; judgment means S1-S7 for judging the connection states of the external terminals for setting T5, T6 when electric power is supplied in a state in which the bus connection connector (40) is connected to the communication bus CAN; identifier generation means S8 for generating an identifier ID of the in-vehicle sensor (1) based on the judged connection states; a nonvolatile storage section (11) for storing the identifier ID; communication means (10) for performing communications through the communication bus CAN using the stored identifier ID; and storing means S9 for storing a first generated initial identifier IDS in the storage section (11) as the identifier ID.

Abstract: In a heather control apparatus for a gas sensor, a CPU obtains upper and lower limit values by adding a predetermined value to and subtracting the predetermined value from an Rpvs average obtained in a last heater energization period (or to an Rpvs value obtained for the first time), and sets a window W1. The CPU obtains a plurality of Rpvs values [P2] to [P11], and obtains an Rpvs average A1 while excluding Rpvs values [P5], [P6], and [P9] which do not fall within the window W1 (not less than the lower limit value and not greater than the upper limit value). The CPU obtains the upper and lower limit values by adding the predetermined value to and subtracting the predetermined value from the Rpvs average A1, and sets a window W2 for the next heater energization period.

Abstract: An in-vehicle sensor (1) mounted on a vehicle VE and connected to a communication bus CAN including a bus connection connector (40) for connection to the CAN and external terminals (T3, T4) for communication, and one or a plurality of external terminals (T5, T6) for setting each brought into either of a first connection state not connected to any potential and a second connection state connected to a ground potential GND; a judgment section S1-S4, S5-S7 for setting whether the connection state is the first connection state or the second connection state; and an identifier setting section S8 which sets an identifier ID of the in-vehicle sensor (1) used on the communication bus CAN based on the judged connection state(s) for setting of the one or plurality of external terminals (T5, T6).

Abstract: A sensor control apparatus (2) of a gas detection system (1) includes a first low-pass filter (46), a second low-pass filter (48), and a multiplexer (50) so as to provide different time constants for detection of a sensor output signal Vs1 and for detection of a response signal Vs2. When the sensor output signal Vs1 is detected, a signal whose frequency band is the same as that of Vs1 is input to the analog-to-digital conversion section (31) through the first low-pass filter (46). Therefore, the detection accuracy of Vs1 is increased. When Vs2 is detected, a signal whose frequency band is the same as that of Vs2 is input to the analog-to-digital conversion section (31) through the second low-pass filter (48).

Abstract: A sensor temperature control apparatus (1) includes switching device (51); energization control means S1 and S2 for controlling duty ratio DT to maintain sensor element section (3) at a target temperature; storage means (75) for storing a first duty ratio DT1 in advance; element temperature judgment means S3 for determining whether the temperature of the sensor element section falls within a first temperature range including the target temperature; and semi-shorted state detection means S4 to S6 for comparing a present duty ratio DT2 with the first duty ratio in a state in which the temperature of the sensor element section falls within the first temperature range, to thereby determine whether a semi-shorted first temperature range state has arisen in which only a portion of the current flowing through switching device flows through heater section (4) and the temperature of the sensor element section falls within the first temperature range.

Abstract: A heater control apparatus (1) includes a heater driver (51) which is turned on and off in accordance with a pulse drive signal PS, heater energization control means S33, S39 for outputting the pulse drive signal PS to the heater driver 51 so as to control the supply of electric current to the heater section (4), power supply voltage detection means S30, S35 for detecting a power supply voltage VB of the power supply BT, ideal electric energy obtaining means S31, S37 for obtaining an unit ideal electric energy WAi, actual electric energy calculation means S36 for calculating an unit actual electric energy WA, and duty ratio determination means S38 for determining a duty ratio DT(n+1) of the pulse drive signal PS such that the unit actual electric energy WA(n+1) becomes equal to the unit ideal electric energy WAi(n+1) in the next period T(n+1).

Abstract: Provided is an information processing device for extracting a comment having additional information and posted to a program, the information processing device comprising: a program information acquisition unit; a search word determination unit which determines a search word which is a candidate for a term indicating relation between the search word and the program; a comment acquisition unit which searches through comments each having the additional information and already posted, using the search word to acquire a search result as a comment group; a search word relation determination unit which determines whether there is a relation between the search word and the program, using the broadcast time and a time at which each comment included in the comment group is posted; and an input/output unit which outputs information indicating the search result if there is the relation between the search word and the program.

Abstract: A control device for a gas sensor is configured to: receive a mode command to specify one of a plurality of sensor energization modes including at least a gas concentration detection mode, a protection mode and a pre-energization mode; switch a sensor element of the gas sensor into the one of the plurality of sensor energization modes according to the mode command; judge satisfaction of a certain condition where the mode command is to specify the gas concentration detection mode and the sensor element is in any of the plurality of sensor energization modes other than the pre-energization mode at the time of receipt of the mode command; and prohibit the sensor element from switching over to the gas concentration detection mode when the certain condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A gas sensor system includes a gas sensor capable of producing an output signal responsive to the concentration of a specific gas component in measurement gas, a gas concentration determination device that makes electrical connections to the gas sensor and determines the concentration of the specific gas component according to the output signal of the gas sensor, a failure detection device that detects a potential failure in any one of the electrical connections, a sensor temperature determination device that judges whether the gas sensor has been cooled to a predetermined temperature or lower with reference to a sensor temperature parameter and a failure identification device that, when the gas sensor has been cooled to the predetermined temperature or lower, outputs a diagnosis signal to the gas sensor, measures potentials of the electrical connections under the diagnosis signal and identifies in which of the electrical connections the potential failure is occurring based on the measured potentials.

Abstract: An interface device for a gas sensor includes a detection resistor having first and second ends to generate voltages by a current output of the gas sensor, a differential amplifier having first and second input terminals to receive the voltages of the first and second resistor ends and an output terminal to output a voltage according to a difference between the voltages of the first and second resistor ends, a first switching element to transmit the voltage of the first resistor end to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier in a transmission state and interrupt transmission of the voltage of the first resistor end to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier in an interruption state and a second switching element turned on to establish continuity between the first and second input terminals of the differential amplifier when the first switching element is in the interruption state.

Abstract: A control device for a gas sensor is configured to: receive a mode command to specify one of a plurality of sensor energization modes including at least a gas concentration detection mode, a protection mode and a pre-energization mode; switch a sensor element of the gas sensor into the one of the plurality of sensor energization modes according to the mode command; judge satisfaction of a certain condition where the mode command is to specify the gas concentration detection mode and the sensor element is in any of the plurality of sensor energization modes other than the pre-energization mode at the time of receipt of the mode command; and prohibit the sensor element from switching over to the gas concentration detection mode when the certain condition is satisfied.

Abstract: There is provided a content use management method capable of preventing unauthorized distribution of a content and improving user-friendliness. In this method, the same group key is stored in a secure device (400) and a playback terminal (500). Moreover, a license issuing application is received from a license distribution server (200) and stored in the secure device (400). After this, a license encrypted by the group key is sent to the playback terminal (500) and the license encrypted by the group key is stored in the playback terminal (500). Upon playback of the encrypted content, the playback terminal (500) decrypts the license by using the group key and acquires the content decryption key, thereby decrypting the encrypted content. Even when the encrypted license flows into the network, it cannot be decrypted by a playback terminal not having the same group key and the copyright is protected.

Abstract: A gas sensor system includes a gas sensor capable of producing an output signal responsive to the concentration of a specific gas component in measurement gas, a gas concentration determination device that makes electrical connections to the gas sensor and determines the concentration of the specific gas component according to the output signal of the gas sensor, a failure detection device that detects a potential failure in any one of the electrical connections, a sensor temperature determination device that judges whether the gas sensor has been cooled to a predetermined temperature or lower with reference to a sensor temperature parameter and a failure identification device that, when the gas sensor has been cooled to the predetermined temperature or lower, outputs a diagnosis signal to the gas sensor, measures potentials of the electrical connections under the diagnosis signal and identifies in which of the electrical connections the potential failure is occurring based on the measured potentials.

Abstract: An interface device for a gas sensor includes a detection resistor having first and second ends to generate voltages by a current output of the gas sensor, a differential amplifier having first and second input terminals to receive the voltages of the first and second resistor ends and an output terminal to output a voltage according to a difference between the voltages of the first and second resistor ends, a first switching element to transmit the voltage of the first resistor end to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier in a transmission state and interrupt transmission of the voltage of the first resistor end to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier in an interruption state and a second switching element turned on to establish continuity between the first and second input terminals of the differential amplifier when the first switching element is in the interruption state.

Abstract: A digital contents license sale system for managing licenses for digital contents data and realizing appropriate distribution of digital contents is to be provided. For a purpose as such, the electronic license sale system includes purchase certificate generating means for generating a purchase certificate on the basis of a license purchase request sent by a client terminal via a network, purchase certificate providing means for confirming reception of the purchase certificate by the client terminal by returning the purchase certificate to the client terminal via the network, account settling means for settling an account of pertinent trading only when the client terminal has received the purchase certificate, and license generating means for generating license information matching the pertinent purchase certificate by receiving the purchase certificate from the client terminal via the network.